Spanking Bill: Parens Patriae Gone Wild
"Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, wants to outlaw spanking children up to 3 years old. If she succeeds, California would become the first state in the nation to explicitly ban parents from smacking their kids." (So reports the San Jose Mercury News.)This piece of legislation is, apparently, what Assemblywoman Lieber views as the top public policy issue in our state at this time. Thank goodness she has her priorities straight. And never mind that it's already a crime to beat a child. That's not enough. No, now we must ban any kind of spanking, no matter how slight or symbolic the swat.
Let's hope we see a lot more legislation like this. Perhaps Lieber's colleagues can add amendments requiring parents to: i) force their children to exercise three hours a day; ii) ensure each child studies two hours a day after school; iii) refrain from using cusswords with 20 feet of their children; iv) take the kids to at least four museums a year; v) put aside 10% of their income for college; vi) put their children in private school, if the only alternative is the LAUSD; and vii) deny their children "Happy Meals," chips, candy and cookies until age 18.
Better yet, why not just take all children away from their biological parents, and put them in state-run youth camps, so people like Lieber can make sure each child is raised in accordance with Lieber's own personal values?
Here's the news story:
Posted by Walter Moore @ 1/19/2007 09:41:00 AM
27 Comments:
Smacking? No. Smacking is for sissies and the politically correct. What that Clowncil needs is to either have their hides tanned. There is something rather humbling about having to go outside and pick your own branch to be switched with from the tree; especially in a Democratic household with a staunch Blue Dog Democrat handing out the discipline. One or two good switchings ought to do the trick!
This is another example of why California is a laughingstock, the dream now increasingly a nightmare. Gang warfare and racial violence soaring, public schools and hospitals ruined by indigent illegal aliens, taxpayers fleeing, anti-business climate etc. etc. And this legislator is worried about spanking. What a sad joke.
Is it just me, or does Mayor Sam have a smarter group of people reading and commenting these days? In the old days, I would have been called racist or something for daring to suggest that parents have a least a little discretion in raising their children...
She could have recovered (perhaps so vague as to be.... well... old fuzzy, vague) memories real or imagined of being beaten, spanked or otherwise brutalized during the 0-3 year PERIOD.
Depends on who her therapist is. And if she doesn't have one she should look into it.
Ah the good old days, when money talked in the legislature, now it's...embarassing. I assume there will be public hearings.
U N B E L I V E A B L E
According to her web site, her biggest responsibility is her CAT!
It figures a bill of this nature would come from someone who has no experiance raising a family.
Earth to legislature, stay out of our living rooms!
>>Better yet, why not just take all children away from their biological parents, and put them in state-run youth camps, so people like Lieber can make sure each child is raised in accordance with Lieber's own personal values?
In lieu of a spanking.. She'll have us prescribing to our kids some catnip!
pffffffttt... thanks mom, (cough, cough) can I have another toke?
I enjoyed your post. some things we can easily agree on.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
I thought maybe you were kidding about the cat, but you weren't! Her biography mentions her and her husband's "politically astute black-and-white cat", but nothing about her age, education, or experience -- if any -- in the private sector.
Another site says she was born in 1961. As for education, get this:
"Attended, City College San Francisco
"Attended, Foothill College
"Attended, Stanford University."
Now look, there is nothing wrong with being a high school graduate. But if you are, just say so. Don't say "attended" unless you graduated.
As for business experience, we're told "Small Business Owner." What kind of business? Day care center? I doubt it.
This is the BEST candidate Silicon Valley could find? I guess everyone else was busy. Scary. Very scary.
Psssst. Don't tell the City Clowncil, but a town in Maine is going to prevent parents from smoking in cars with their kids!
I can see it now: "You can ride your bike to the $#%^ movie. I'm smoking!"
The story: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/us/19smoking.html?ex=1326862800&en=5a7cf0595af73365&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Here's another article about Lieber's beliefs about parenting and the state (from the Sac Bee 6-1-2003):
Proposed legislation to make it easier for schools to gather anonymous information from students on topics ranging from smoking to gender discrimination has sparked fierce fighting.
Supporters say AB 661 would lead to better prevention programs, safer schools and healthier children. But critics contend the bill would violate parental rights and give educators a license to snoop.
"It's a moral issue, an ethical issue," said Assemblyman Jay La Suer, R-La Mesa. "We have no right sticking our nose into a family's business. The state is not a better parent than the parent."
...Federal law requires schools to obtain parental consent before requiring students to participate in surveys that ask about political affiliations, sexual attitudes, anti-social behavior or other personal matters.
Schools desperately need to learn more about kids' needs outside the classroom, said Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Santa Clara. (supporter of AB 661)
"When kids come to school not ready to do their work, they have multiple barriers to success," she said. "And I think it's a shame to let kids through the system without having their needs addressed."
California: THEATER OF THE ABSURD!!!
What a blessing that this woman does NOT have children...she probably beats her cat.
Someone should do a poll on the parents of illegals to find out if any of them ever whipped the butts of their gangbanger monsters when they were little.
A little fanny whipping goes a long, long way!
Yup, a childless high school graduate/political hack telling us how to raise our children. Get lost.
Spankin' lemme atim lemme atim
>> "Schools desperately need to learn more about kids' needs outside the classroom, said Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Santa Clara. (supporter of AB 661)"
Lieber cloaks herself as a pro children legislature but if fact she is anti-family.
Once again Lieber.. stay out of our living rooms!
When I was a teacher, there was this kid who was total trouble. (Actually, there were about 12 like this, but I'm talking about one in particular.)
I had a conversation with a young man's father by phone, and we agreed to a daily report card indicating how his son was behaving in class.
I don't know exactly what happened at home, but I'll tell you this: that young man stopped mouthing off, started paying attention, and went from an "F" student to an "A" student. It was beautiful. He was so smart, and he was so proud of his "A" on a big exam that he showed it to all his classmates.
The episode showed me how simple the supposedly complex problems at LAUSD are. There need to be consequences for bad behavior -- real CONSEQUENCES -- or kids won't do the work needed to succeed in life.
Kids need to learn very early to do what they're told, like, say, don't run out into traffic. If a swat on the fanny catches their attention, then who the heck is Cat Woman to throw parents in jail?
A child who learns that there are rules in life, in school, in restaurants, in games, etc., is a child who can learn what he needs to climb out of a life of poverty.
Can someone please come up with one idea that has come from the loonie left in the San Fran bay area in the last 30 years?
The clock is ticking.........
I will even settle for something "rational".
SF pioneered the movement in the early 2000s for lesbian women to have the right to city-funded late-term abortions at local sm/bondage dungeons.
bdarcy@okstate.edu
Walter,great post. Call me crazy but I don't think parents should be hitting their kids to discipline them. It starts whong them early violence is the answer. BUT I don't think the gov't should tell parents how to raise their kids.
Another huge lawsuit.
Three of the biggest airlines at LAX have filed suit challenging a recent move by airport officials to more than double their rents to help offset soaring operating costs.
The federal suit - filed late Thursday by United, American and Continental Airlines - claims the Airport Commission violated the terms of their long-term leases when it imposed sharp increases in their rents.
12:29
Gay Marraige
hey airlines, they tried to shaft us at Venice, we had contracts and permits too.
this council thinks they can do whatever the hell they want.
think again.
Who Spanked the Friday Open Thread ?
BTW, the "la antonia times" has a page one article MSS. LIEBER today.
regarding friday's open thread. there is a bug in the new blogger program. if you "save to draft" a thread to edit, instead of "saving" it "deletes." so ZD uncovered THAT flaw, the hard way.
Sougdough bread is pretty good. And I like the Transamerica tower.
Children today have become a generation of disrespectful kids. All because they have the attitude "you can't touch me". If this bill is added to the law you are giving the children even more amunition to misbehave and get away with it. I was spanked when needed as a child and it did not do anything to hurt me emotionally. I learned to respect my parents and follow their rules. I am truly devastated that this country that claims to be a free country continues to take the rights of people away. I, as a parent, have the right to use spanking as a means for discipline.
I have one question and a quick story:
The question is.. If this nonsense about telling me what I can and can not do in my own home passes, what is next? Telling me what I can and can not wear to bed at night? I mean my kids could be in danger of permanent psychological trauma if they see me in a Winnie the Pooh tshirt and sleeping pants with rubber duckies on them. Boo hooo hooo... my mom was such a slob, I guess I will never amount to anything.
The quicker story...
Mom mentions a spanking to her 8 year old son. He claims he will call the police on her. She tells him she will save him a phone call. They get in the car and she takes him to the front desk at the police station where she explains the situation to the officer and asks if he wants to watch. He says sure. (True story and I love every minute of it.)
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