You mentioned anecdotal evidence early (probably by accident since if there's one thing pro spankers have it's anecdotal evidence).

Slow clap on a firearms analogy.

I've been subject to slippery slope all day defending spanking. And I think you'd be surprised how many people are saying spanking = abuse. It's more than a minority.

Uh, I don't think I made the comparison of raising children to bird dogs. They were separate items about how the country views contact as abuse. I think you want to read that I was comparing the two.

Superintedentent?? I hope the Patriot faithful can overlook this.

So you're not saying it is cruelty? Depends on what you're training them for. A good pet probably doesn't need a swat. A bird dog that likes to run off needs a shock collar.

Can't tell if you're trolling. I really hope you are; otherwise, I feel sorry for your parents for raising someone who doesn't know the meaning of the word statistics.

I'm too far out of college to look up studies, but you can go here

You're not supposed to have a contrarian view on Deadspin. Get ready for people to say you were abused and hit with a weapon by your principal.

No offense to Mr. Mello, but he turned out OK because he was from a "upper-middle-class, white, suburban household" and got to go to college and get his masters. Socioeconomic status is a far bigger factor than corporal punishment and the hardest thing to control in the studies. And because most people that are upper…

Uh, that's not my whole case, but thanks for not reading. Some would say it's good to use positive reinforcement for good behavior, but I guess you feel a six year old just likes the intrinsic reward for doing dishes. Corporal punishment can be used in the authoritative style of parenting when the child is younger…

This is where I point out that your linked article states that overjustification effect is controversial AND this "When the task is unattractive and intrinsic motivation is insufficient (e.g., household chores), then extrinsic rewards are useful to provide incentives for behavior." But thank you for helping me raise…

uh...not by any relevant statute or what the majority of America practices, regardless of what the opinion on Deadspin is. A sizeable number of the studies on corporal punishment do make a difference between abuse and spanking. They don't find any good long term effects for spanking, but they do differentiate.

You must be fun at parties.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/FA/htm/FA…

I need a citation on that. I live in Texas. The statute I read said a parent can discipline their kid with reasonable force. I cited a while back but I'm too lazy to look up now

Keep fighting the good fight. Next thing you know, they'll be arguing that swatting your dog on the nose is animal cruelty.

He's probably facing no legal penalties because it takes 12/12 jurors to convict that discipline was more than reasonable. Despite what people echo here on Deadspin, the whipping is not viewed as unreasonable by 100% of the population.

95% sure the statute for 22.04 refers to family code 71.04 for family violence. 71.04 says violence is determined by 26.001 C) which contains the following wording.