Judge William Adams beats daughter for using the internet

[MichiganDriver]

This sickening video has been blowing up the internet today. The jerk responded by saying "it's not as bad as it looks".

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http://www.kristv.com/full-coverage/video-claims-to-show-aransas-county-judge-hit-daughter/#fcanchor

[Duke87]

"for using the internet" is disingenuous. It's quite clear from the video that it was specifically for using Kazaa, that is to say, engaging in piracy. Something which it is understandable a parent might object to.

My concern here is twofold:
1) her father seems to simply demand that she obey him without saying or doing anything to make her understand why he doesn't want her to have Kazaa on her computer. That is not a healthy attitude to have as a parent.
2) the beating seems to cross the line from punitive into venting anger.


On the other hand, knowing the backstory, it becomes a little hard to feel sympathetic for the girl. She held onto this video for seven years and then posted it as revenge because her father took away her Mercedes. So, she's being a bit of a spoiled bitch.

[Scott5114]

Piracy isn't so bad. Definitely doesn't justify beating your daughter.

How dare you deprive that global, multi-million dollar conglomerate a fourteen dollar sale? That's a paddlin'!

[relaxok]

There seems to be a cultural divide that affects people's reactions to this story.  I've noticed a lot of people from the south say that it's no big deal and that they got much worse, while people from around where I'm from (New England) get furious about it.

My last girlfriend taught for Teach For America in rural Mississippi and everyone was so obsessed with corporal punishment that parents actually got mad at teachers for NOT paddling and hitting their kids.  That's such a shocker coming from an area where it was unheard of.  Of course, parenting is different, And of course I was hit a few times as a kid, but I think beyond a very young age it just becomes abuse.  

Just my opinion..

[relaxok]

And yes I realize that was a bit ironic since those opinions were reversed in this thread so far ;p

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

On the other hand, knowing the backstory, it becomes a little hard to feel sympathetic for the girl. She held onto this video for seven years and then posted it as revenge because her father took away her Mercedes. So, she's being a bit of a spoiled bitch.

Always that possibility, but then there's always the possibility that she was thinking about releasing it for years and that just pushed her over the edge?  Her mother was in on it too, so I heard, and testified that she too was beaten fairly frequently.

I can't have much sympathy for him.  Had he reacted more passively - say waited a day or so until she wasn't around, then swiped the computer and left a note saying "there will be no illegal downloading in my household - think about that for awhile while you're without your computer and think twice before doing it again." - he would have still gotten the point across AND wouldn't be in this position now.

[broadhurst04]

1) her father seems to simply demand that she obey him without saying or doing anything to make her understand why he doesn't want her to have Kazaa on her computer. That is not a healthy attitude to have as a parent.

"Because I said so" is the mantra of the conservative parent.  Be harsh with kids when they're young so they'll be conditioned to be compliant as adults. His thinking is that it's unimportant and irrelevant for his daughter to know WHY it's wrong; the objective is to teach her to be afraid to do wrong so she'll grow up to be a compliant adult who can hold a job and be a good citizen.