Re: Common sense. You ever heard the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." Common sense says you don't hit a woman over saying something offensive. You don't hit anybody over saying something offensive. Our legal system is not wrong in making assault a crime but saying something offensive not a crime unless it's libel or clearly harassment and then you let the legal system deal with it.
Re: Zero-Tolerance. While you have a point that there is no bruise or blood drawn, this is not hockey, where penalties only apply if blood is drawn. Assault is assault. And while the article doesn't say, apparently the wife called the sheriff's department and reported it. The article doesn't even say the wife want's the charges dropped, although in many places it doesn't matter, once police establish an assault has occurred the law states the police are to press charges.
Re: the legal treatment of men. I agree the legal system runs men through the ringer. Been there myself. But I was never stupid enough to assault my ex. The unequal treatment of spouses and the money to be made is tearing families apart. And if I had, I certainly wouldn't use my Christian beliefs as an excuse for why I had done it.
That said, if this couple is headed for divorce, which seems likely since the wife hasn't posted the $750 bond and reported him to the sheriff in the first place. I do think both the court dealing with the assault and a family court should take into consideration whether the wife was intentionally provoking him to bolster any child support or alimony payments.
Common Sense dictates this be taken into account *before* the husband is arrested and jailed, not after.
Thank you for your measured response. I sincerely appreciate your civility.