To condemn Adrian Peterson without considering racial context ...

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

107. Being black and from the Deep South myself, I have to defend my friend 1SBM

for a minute...

It's how we talk down south. We know the correct way, but there's a language we speak that is uniquely southern.

"Whoopings" is whippings.
"Whelps" is welts.

and so on...

But let me also say this in general about blacks and the tradition of "whoopings":

I do think that there's a psychological connection between that and slavery.
I do think that sometimes black parents went overboard. My mother would beat me with extension chords and she wouldn't stop; I believe she abused me. I would go to school with black and blue "whelps" all over and broken wounds, scratches, whatever. I'm surprised that I can write about this now, but I think it's important that black people stop this behavior.

Lastly, I think there's a tragic connection between:

1. Beating/abusing children and believing that it's discipline

2. Beating/abusing women and believing that the Bible sanctions such behavior

3. Violence that exists in the black community--in the form of internalized anger and depression that is projected outward (e.g., towards one another, towards women, towards children)

4. Why anger/violence is released on the football field and is championed

Going into these issues will require much more time and energy and possible a forum where we should chat--not write--because these issues are far too complicated to dissect here in a post.

But I do think my friend 1SBM is on to something. However, I just think this is a behavior that must stop and we must stop making excuses for it.

Beating kids does not make them better adults. There's nothing to suggest that my whoopings made me better. Hell, I don't remember why I got most of them and neither do my parents. And I hear this from other adults my age (in my early 40s).

I have so many things to say that I can't really write them here, but I hope ya'll get the gist.