[Tokra]

Enough of the whining claptrap over a Dad angry at his kid.

I have to agree with you here. I'm just guessing, but my guess is that it is mostly women who are worked up about this.

If I were to have "self-image" problems based on the names my dad called me when he was yelling at me - I would probably be catatonic in a permanent fetal position as an adult.

Somehow I survived.

[najida]

Not everyone does.... some folks never do.
If your father hates you, it’ll destroy your sanity.

While AB ‘says’ he loves Ireland, I’m willing to bet the farm that she doesn’t think it, or believe it, and will have problems because of it.

[slowhandluke]

It isn't the epithets that have me think Alec should not get within a mile of his child, it's the 'you made me look foolish ' bit. This is pinning the behavior of the father onto the child, and is an pathological manipulative behavior. The father controls (or should) his own behavior, and the results therefrom. The child does not.

If he's embarrassed because he had to rush to get to a phone -- GET A CELL PHONE IDIOT!

I think of all the battered women stories, and how the women went back to the batterer, saying 'it was my fault'.

Here Alec is mad and abusive, and is laying the groundwork for the girl to think it's her fault.

Alec should not be allowed anywhere near that kid.