This past weekend, Cincinnati City Councilmember
Sam Malone (R-Walnut Hills) was
arrested for beating his 14-year-old son with a belt so hard he left welts on the child's back.
More below the fold...
According to the
Cincinnati Enquirer:
A spokeswoman for children's services in Hamilton County said doctors at a Cincinnati hospital contacted the agency Friday night after they found welts and belt marks on the boy's body.
"Parents are allowed to physically discipline their children," said Laurie Petrie, spokeswoman for the county's Department of Job and Family Services, which includes children's services.
"But this," she said, "would be beyond what we would consider normal discipline."
Of course, that doesn't stop former councilmember, possible GOP candidate for mayor, and unending local demagogue Charlie Winburn from disagreeing:
Malone's friends and political allies came to his defense Saturday, saying he is a good father who was acting in the best interest of his son and his family.
"When kids are unruly, parents have to be responsible," said Charlie Winburn, a longtime friend of Malone's family and a former councilman. "Sam is a great, responsible father. He ought to be commended for disciplining his child[emphasis added]."
There's no question that parents should have the right to discipline a child. Heck, people here probably have differing opinions on corporal punishment, and that's quite alright. But hitting a child with an object so hard that welts appear is clearly beyond the pale. Yet many in the GOP are perfectly willing to get behind Malone (one commenter on a friend's
blog actually gave a Biblical verse endorsing the use of a rod), though some, like former City Council Candidate Pete Witte (R-Price Hill) are calling for his resignation.
IOKIYAR, and that now includes child abuse.
WF