the details of what Adrian Peterson did to his 4 year old son are grotesque

[Pisces]

100. I am not defending him. What I am saying is that if this is what he learned as a child, and all of

his immediate family, cousins, brothers, sisters, aunts, friends were dealt the same form of punishment. He would not
think his actions were wrong. He would think this is how you raise a child.

I can't imagine that everyone here thinks taking this boys father away from him is the answer. How about strict parenting
classes, anger management classes, teach him what abuse looks like and how children who suffer abuse are affected. Strict follow up by children's services. Raising black children without fathers is not the answer. That is us trying to seek revenge for
the child.

People on DU have compassion for others around the world who have different customs and religious beliefs. Yet, we have none
for people in our own country who by definition live in different worlds than our own. Peterson's life experience is very
different from from everyone with pitchforks out to burn him at the stake are. I guarantee you there are a lot of people
on the other side who are just like Peterson, who think maybe he went to far, but don't think he was wrong in how he
punished the boy.

We should be talking about how can people in our country not know this is wrong. What can we do without threatening
jail and loss of your children to teach people parenting skills. Shouldn't high school and junior high kids have life skills
classes that include parenting and child rearing. We take for granted that everyone should know what is appropriate and what is not. I think this is the huge divide in socio-economic backgrounds, as well as religious upbringing. Christian conservatives believe spanking children with wooden spoons and belts is perfectly acceptable. Remember the Texas judge who was videotaped beating his teen daughter with a belt. He didn't think there was anything wrong with teaching her a lesson. Peterson is from
Texas, religious, and from a poor background. Is there another way, instead of incarceration that will help this family and others who are of similar mindset???? This is all I am trying to say.