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Was Adrian Peterson wrong to spank his child? Maybe not

2,443 views · Published 15 September 2014 · 7:52 · Indexed 19 October 2026

Channel: The Dr Boyce Watkins Black Excellence Channel · 2014 · Nonprofits & Activism

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NFL superstar Adrian Peterson has been painted with the ugly brush of violence and child abuse after he spanked his son with a switch earlier in the week.  

The suspension of one game could be extended after Peterson's indictment, creating more problems for the superstar.  This occurs just a few days after the relase of a videotape showing Ravings star Ray Rice punching his then-fiancee and knocking her out in an elevator. 

This leads us to ask, "How much discipline is too much?"  We might also wondering whether spanking a child is acceptable under any circumstances.  Some will say that you should never spank a child.  But this argument might normally be made by parents whose kids were never taught disicpline and who don't have to raise black boys in a world where everyone wants to kill them.  The discipline that a good mother or father puts into a spanking might save the child from beatings that he might receive later on down the road after never learning to respect authority. 

Another thought on Adrian Peterson is that the context of his spanking  matters as well.  If he was spanking his child out of anger, this could be a problem.  But if he was being an involved dad disciplining his son, that might actually make him a good father.  Peterson himself has succeeded in the world of men largely because he has been physically disciplined by those who love him, including his parents, coaches, and the men he runs into on the field.  Is it even logical to expect a black male to grow up without ever having to face some form of physical discipline in his life? 

That's what this video is all about.

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