You, ma’am, are an idiot

OK. As we tend to do a couple of times a year, we’re going to take a momentary break from sports.

This morning, as I was perusing CNN to find out who Barak Obama’s running mate might be, I came across this story about schools spanking wayward children.

And in this piece, Alice Farmer, an author and supposedly expert on discipline, is quoted as saying, “Every public school needs effective methods of discipline, but beating kids teaches violence, and it doesn’t stop bad behavior. Corporal punishment discourages learning, fails to deter future misbehavior and at times even provokes it.”

Really? Really? Again, really?

Well, allow me to pipe in.

I remember one afternoon during my 7th grade science class a friend and I decided we would throw paper balls as hard as we could to each other when our teacher, Roger Chism, wasn’t looking.

The problem, though, came when I misfired and nailed Coach Chism in the face just as he was turning around. Let’s just say my school didn’t have a problem with corporal punishment. Three licks later, I learned my lesson. It didn’t provoke violence within me, and I didn’t make that mistake again.

Same thing happened when I got bold enough to talk back to my dad during my early teenage years. Again, lesson learned. A very painful lesson at that.

The same type of lesson my son learned six years ago when I came home after work to discover he was practicing his golf swing on the hood of my wife’s car. He nailed the ball dead center into the windshield and shattered it. Needless to say, I had a pretty good aim moments later.

Is he violent? Nope. Nor is he a trouble maker.

And no. I didn’t beat him. And nor did I ever get a beating. They were just good spankings that definitely left a lasting impression. Sorry, Mrs. Farmer. There is a difference between beating a child and spanking them. A big, big difference.

But now, our extreme liberals say we shouldn’t do that.

You know what? Maybe that’s what’s wrong with society today. We’ve wussiefied our discipline to the point kids aren’t afraid of getting into trouble. There is no fear.

And it’s not just in the homes. We see it from our athletes.

Used to, if a player got in trouble, there was a severe suspension levied. Now, not so much. Coaches make so much money, they feel the pressure to win, even at the risk of keeping a troubled star on the team with very little recourse.

Spanking teaches violence? Whatever.

Remember, spare the rod and spoil the child. Well, into today’s translation it would read, spare the spanking and you get a spoiled brat.

In my own household, the wooden spoon was the trick. Most times, I didn’t have to use it. After a few discipline sessions, all I had to do was point to the spoon if trouble of a different nature arose. Trust me when I say that worked.

Some of you will disagree with me and that’s totally fine. But if your little Johnny comes to my house and isn’t respectful, don’t be shocked if he’s not allowed to come back.

Good day.