Update: AP returns to Vikings

[Cherry 1,302]

It doesn't seem like Peterson did it maliciously. Bet he loves his son, just thinks that's how you discipline them.

[Thanatos 2,847]

No. If what the son said he did to me is true, and there is no real reason to believe otherwise, then AP is fucked in the head.

 

The son said that he stuffed leaves in his mouth while he whipped him, that he was afraid Daddy would punch him in the face again, and that Daddy has a "whooping room" with a lot of belts in the closet.

 

You don't gag your child while you whip them with a switch hard enough to draw blood and punch them in the face. I don't care what was done to you.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

Do any of you have kids here? Just curious. I see a lot of people saying a 4 year old doesn't understand right from wrong. Man, you couldn't be so much further from the truth on that subject. That's why I asked. My three year old knows right from wrong at this point.

 

Was a line crossed? Maybe. But I can't condemn him for using that kind of discipline, even though I practice the "hands off" approach for the most part, it's a common discipline system. Especially with families who grew up in more rural areas.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

No. If what the son said he did to me is true, and there is no real reason to believe otherwise, then AP is fucked in the head.

 

The son said that he stuffed leaves in his mouth while he whipped him, that he was afraid Daddy would punch him in the face again, and that Daddy has a "whooping room" with a lot of belts in the closet.

 

You don't gag your child while you whip them with a switch hard enough to draw blood and punch them in the face. I don't care what was done to you.

 

I don't know if people are ignoring this part or...

[GA_Eagle 595]

I have kids and that is too much. Correct me if I'm wrong but I heard the pics were taken several days later. If those marks are still there 4-5 days later you're doing it wrong. Don't care how old the kid is.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

I wouldn't argue with anyone who'd called this abuse. But I don't see it as abuse. Nor do I think he should be suspended or arrested.

[seanbrock 1,684]

A lot of times this is learned behavior. Adrian probably got his ass whooped like that when he was a kid and like a lot of other members have pointed out, things are different down south. That being said I don't think it's right to beat a kid like that. Gooddell has a tough decision in front of him imo. Any way he goes with this he'll get heat for it. I think with the Rice catastrophe Peterson is looking at least a 4 game suspension.

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

Very interesting how polarizing this is. I see clear lines drawn all over the place from twitter, TGP, from people I've talked to outside of the net. There's a regional (North/South) element, a racial element, and a traditional/progressive (on how to discipline kids) element.

Edited September 13, 2014 by CampinWithGoatSampson

[Cherry 1,302]

No. If what the son said he did to me is true, and there is no real reason to believe otherwise, then AP is fucked in the head.

 

The son said that he stuffed leaves in his mouth while he whipped him, that he was afraid Daddy would punch him in the face again, and that Daddy has a "whooping room" with a lot of belts in the closet.

 

You don't gag your child while you whip them with a switch hard enough to draw blood and punch them in the face. I don't care what was done to you.

Did the kid have marks showing that he was hit in the face? If not, I don't think it's likely that Peterson punched him in the face. Peterson is a grown man and would leave a mark if he hit his child in the face.

 

The leaves thing is the only thing I can see being legitimate, and if so, it seems a bit too far on his part. Really the only part I'd consider abuse.

 

The "whooping room" thing is what I'd call the child stretching the truth. I remember when I'd get my ass whooped as a kid it seemed like my dad had 50 belts lined up in the closet ready to straighten me the fuck out. In all honesty, it's more an intimidation and fear aspect for children who get spanked with belts & switches. When you're that young, you think it's way worse than it really was.

[blotsfan 2,112]

 

I don't know if people are ignoring this part or...

I missed that part. 100% unacceptable.

[seanbrock 1,684]

The more details I learn about this...man. That's more than an ass whooping idk. This pretty fucked up.

[JetsFan4Life 542]

Once again, similar to the Rice thing, I'm worried that all of a sudden this is a big issue and hasn't been in prior cases. Didn't the Bengals sign someone last year who had been arrested for child abuse (name is slipping me right now)? He is still allowed to play in the NFL although I currently believe he's a free agent. So, let's go after everyone not just Adrian Peterson if that's the route you want to take.

 

I would rank this above what Rice did to be perfectly honest. If you think Rice deserves a lifetime ban than so does AP (I personally don't think either should but i"m just saying). I saw Rain Main say earlier that it isn't close I completely disagree. He claimed this was considered okay just a little while ago....so was beating your wives. Beating a defenseless child is worse in my opinion than hitting a grown adult.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Also, this is a bit of an extreme analogy, but I'll go ahead and make it anyway: slavery was also once acceptable in the south. Just because southern culture accepts something doesn't make it right. Child abuse isn't quite on the level of slavery, but it is quite despicable in its own right.

[OSUViking 505]

I wouldn't argue with anyone who'd called this abuse. But I don't see it as abuse. Nor do I think he should be suspended or arrested.

 

I think it's a good time for the NFL to show it's not going to give in to media/public pressure to ban AP, and actually stick to the principle that it literally just established in the preceding weeks. I don't know if AP's case counts as an exception that allows for a more severe punishment than 6 games, but if not then that's all he should get.

 

I think it's abuse at this point. I was talking to my dad and he was sympathizing with that form of punishment (said he experienced it), but made a 180 as soon as I told him that the kid had marks after a week. He hasn't even seen the pictures, and he said that's too much.

 

Even if it wasn't malicious in nature, I have to think people will consider it abuse. AP might get prison time for this. If that happens, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets released.

 

I will say this, though:

 

I don't support AP in this. That being said, I'll be damned if I ever let people try to make me feel ashamed for remaining an AP fan. Still a great player. I'm going to keep my AP jersey as long as its not falling apart (and even then, it's a prized possession just because my parents gave it to me and he's been my favorite player). He's my favorite player ever and I can't imagine that changing anytime soon.

[OSUViking 505]

Also, this is a bit of an extreme analogy, but I'll go ahead and make it anyway: slavery was also once acceptable in the south. Just because southern culture accepts something doesn't make it right. Child abuse isn't quite on the level of slavery, but it is quite despicable in its own right.

 

Even as someone who sees this as abuse, I disagree with this analogy. There is a clear definition of what slavery is and what isn't slavery. It was easy to tell if someone in the South practiced slavery. There is a definite gray area between abuse and discipline. While I think that this case leans toward abuse, I just think one example is waaaaaaaay to vague to even compare to slavery.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

I don't see punching a kid in the face, whipping him to the point of bleeding, and stuffing leaves in his mouth during the process as anything other than abuse.

 

I don't see any way that this can be construed as discipline.

[BwareDWare94 723]

I don't see punching a kid in the face, whipping him to the point of bleeding, and stuffing leaves in his mouth during the process as anything other than abuse.

 

I don't see any way that this can be construed as discipline.

 

It can't. I think some folks are just trying to say that using a switch isn't definitively abuse, every time it happens. I disagree--using an object is always abuse, imo, but if they were raised that way they're bound to view it as simply discipline if it's used in a way that doesn't leave marks, etc. Granted, you could kick the shit out of somebody with a phone book and it'd never leave a mark. Flawed logic, imo.

[OSUViking 505]

I don't see punching a kid in the face, whipping him to the point of bleeding, and stuffing leaves in his mouth during the process as anything other than abuse.

 

I don't see any way that this can be construed as discipline.

 

I've repeated numerous times that I don't side with AP on this - I see it as abuse. What I'm saying is that comparing the logic of "using a switch used to be commonplace discipline in the south" to "slavery used to also be commonplace in the south" is a huge stretch because one is clearly wrong whereas there's a gray area for the other. AP isn't in that gray area, but I don't think the slavery comparison is a valid one.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

I think the biggest problem with the whole "dad stuffed leaves in my mouth and was punching me in the face" is that there hasn't been any physical proof of it. I would love to believe, and normally would take what his son has said as the truth, but if Adrian Peterson hit his son in the face, he would have bruises on his face to go with it.

 

There hasn't been anything mentioning that. At this point, I'm not even 100% sure that the son said that, rather than it being something that "hearsay" reported to the media and so on.

 

If it turns out that part is true, then absolutely, put this guy to the dogs. He deserves to sit in jail, because that's going too far.

As far as the switch though, I've got to maintain that a lot of times this is learned behavior. While I don't condone it or agree with it, we can't assume it's wrong. Marks were left, and it's horrible. I do believe though when Peterson says he doesn't believe any wrong doing was performed. He was raised like this, and that's what he thought an acceptable punishment for whatever terrible act his son did. If he Peterson felt it was wrong to punish a child like that, he wouldn't have cooperated up to this point. In fact, the text messages sent from his phone even provide proof that Peterson had no outlook that this was wrong, but rather that he was providing discipline to his son to shape him how his parents shaped himself.

 

 

So was it wrong? Yes.

 

Did he cross the line? More than likely.

 

Did Adrian Peterson know and mean to abuse his son? That's the debate going on, and I don't believe he was purposefully trying to abuse his son.

 

 

 

 

All I am trying to say is that using a switch for punishment isn't uncommon.

 

[Shotgun 442]

There's been a lot of research on corporal punishment, and plenty of evidence it has negative effects on mental health. It's the punishment chosen by lazy parents that want an immediate effect. There are alternatives to it that can have a positive impact on how someone thinks and develops, but those take more time.

 

I don't think there's any grey area, and with the easy access of information these days there's no reason for someone to not be educated on how to properly discipline a child when they have one. Him having grown up with this type of punishment being used is a bullshit excuse. I had switches used on me, every adult I knew growing up used physical abuse as the punishment of choice, and it certainly didn't keep their kids from growing into shitty human beings, so whats the excuse for doing it?

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

Not giving an excuse. I'm only saying that when you are raised a certain way and you feel like you turned out great as a person, you're going to try and instill the same values and discipline on your own children. It's a common theme that just repeats itself over and over throughout a family. It's not an excuse, but I really believe that's what happened here.

 

 

And I agree with your first notion about it being for lazy parents, in a way. But I don't condemn people from the 60's and earlier on punishing their kids and grandchildren (Which is us now) like that. Back then, that was how it was. Teachers, when you look at the scope of things, didn't lose their ability to whomp a kids hand with a ruler that long ago.

 

 

Punishing a child the hands-off approach is the most frustrating thing that you could possibly try doing with your kids, because they aren't getting that "shock" factor that kids get when their parents take the physical approach. It took me near a year for my daughter to understand that when I put a chair in the middle of the kitchen and tell her to sit in it until she can understand what she did was wrong and she could stop throwing a tantrum that she was actually in trouble. She hates sitting in the chair. It's the closest thing to solitary she can get LOL

Edited September 14, 2014 by Rain Man

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

http://twitchy.com/2014/09/13/adrian-peterson-parenting-or-abuse/

This is also a great read,

 

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2014/09/13/adrian-peterson-and-the-whooping-culture/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[GA_Eagle 595]

Being raised a certain way is not an excuse. Say he was a pedophile instead of a child beater, would it make him innocent if he was molested as a child?

 

Edit: i know it may add context but it doesn't excuse the action.

Edited September 14, 2014 by GA_Eagle

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

According to FOX's Jay Glazer, Adrian Peterson's case will be reviewed under the NFL's new domestic violence policy and not the personal conduct policy.

It's a major distinction as the first-time offenders of the domestic violence policy get a six-game suspension -- with potential for more if children are present. First-time offenders of the personal conduct policy are not typically suspended. Meanwhile, the Vikings are expected to make an announcement about Peterson's status going forward as soon as Monday morning. Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon could very well be looking at extended run as the Vikings' top-two backs.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

Being raised a certain way is not an excuse. Say he was a pedophile instead of a child beater, would it make him innocent if he was molested as a child?

 

Edit: i know it may add context but it doesn't excuse the action.

 

Again, that's where the whole child abuse/discipline debate comes in. You can't compare an attempt at disciplining your child the same as molestation. Why? Because molesting a child isn't right, period. There is no gray area AT ALL. There's a massive gray area in the area of child discipline and it's been that way dating back to the early 50's.

 

What you just tried to compare is like comparing slavery and employment with unfair wages IMO.

 

 

Do you know how many Americans wrongfully discipline their child in the country without realizing that the way they are disciplining is incorrect/wrong? You should have a good idea that the number is absolutely huge. I guarantee that you can walk into a department store like Walmart or KMart on any given day and hear a woman or man saying something along the lines of "....and you're going to get a whoopin' " etc.

 

Much more so, the black community draws different lines in terms of discipline. Before we start replying that it's racist to "assume" such, there have been studies done and it is a fact. Much more so, you can go more in depth than just black and white, you go look at studies of children discipline and establish that people who live in the south have different and more "hands-on" methods than people in the north.

 

It's an adaptation of lifestyle, generational opinions, and family history. It's sad that people hit their kids with objects, especially in this generation, but it happens and it is something a lot of people in the world believe works best. Again, goes back to the "shock" factor. This is a terrible comparison as well but it gets the point across, much like people think that putting a shock collar on a dog will quickly teach them not to bark or to stay in the yard, people believe smacking their child or hitting them with a ruler/switch will give them a shock factor not to perform the frowned upon action.

 

It takes so much patience to put your kids in a corner, have a time out chair, or any sort of time out. Patience isn't something Americans have, especially when it comes to disciplining a child. They want the unnecessary actions ended quickly, unfortunately their going about it wrong by using unnecessary actions to discipline the child. Which, is why you get the full circle that people grow up believing it's "ok" to use switches and other tools. Stupid and unfortunate? Yes. Is it completely their fault they think this way? No. Can it be stopped? Doubtful.

 

 

These days you can't even tell you're child that if they don't eat the dinner in front of them, they aren't getting any more food - without someone claiming neglect.

 

 

I believe that the Vikings need to declare Peterson inactive for at least a few games before the league even decides what they are going to do. This will look good on the NFL's part and help the league buy time before their decision is made official.

Edited September 14, 2014 by Rain Man