What, Me Worry?: What do you see in the mirror?
Continued from last week:
Is it o.k. to hit your children? I'll be honest, had you asked me when I was twenty one I wouldn't have thought twice (or once) before mechanically spouting the same tired vulgar, “damn right it is, I got hit when I was a kid and I'm fine, right?” You may have heard that one before, or maybe you've even recycled that bullshit yourself. What about this one, “if you don't spank them, they won't respect your authority, they'll be spoiled little brats.”
How sheepish did I feel when I met my current girlfriend? We both come from great parents, however, she has never been hit, and neither have any of her siblings, not once, ever. Four University graduates who respect their parents and have never found themselves in trouble. Now who do you think has had run ins with the law, who do you think barely scraped through high school, and who do you think punches holes in the wall like a big spoiled brat when they get frustrated? I'll give you a hint, me. Does any of this remind you of yourself? Do you ever want to just slam your fists on the table when you get upset? Throw something maybe? Where do you suppose you get those violent (yes it's still violence) tendencies from Sherlock? It's embarrassing for me to admit that I was ever such a sadistic little troglodyte.
Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at yourself - I mean, really look. Don't just see what you want to see. Beating a child a third your size is cowardly. What's that? As long as you spank them on the bum it's ok? Why is that? Because it makes you feel better that no one can see the bruises? Or because it's a little more padded so it won't hurt so much. Maybe you should ask the child what hurts less, a punch in the face or a full force open handed slap on the ass or legs. One is abuse and one is discipline. What evil simplistic Neanderthal came up with that one? Children are like sponges, they emulate how you act as a parent. If they see you act like a bully, they will act like a bully. If you explain to them like a person that what they are doing is wrong, they will pay attention; it just takes a little more time. Ask yourself this: did getting spanked ever stop you from acting up? Of course not, it just taught you not to get caught. If one of my children ever shrank away because I raised my hand in the air, I would know that I had let myself down.
Is it ok for the Andocentric Catholic Church to say that women can't be priests simply because they are women? Is war the best option or is there really another path? Would you want your baby brother, sister, father, coming home in a body bag for reasons none of you really understand? Is abortion wrong? Is sperm as sacred as a baby like the Catholics say? Well just put me and every other red blooded male in this school on the one way express to hell because I think I've performed about 10 billion abortions.
Stop taking the easy way out by answering without thinking, it is lazy and shows no class. I am fiercely opposed to the words “student” and “complacency” being spoken in the same sentence. Ask yourself these philosophical questions, but before you answer, make damn sure you your arguments are logical. Educate yourself; push your mind to its limits. Read the news; learn about politics, it's not as difficult as they would like you to believe. Ask yourself; was everything my parents and institutions ever taught me unquestionably right? They are after all just people and people make mistakes.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Is it o.k. to hit your children? I'll be honest, had you asked me when I was twenty one I wouldn't have thought twice (or once) before mechanically spouting the same tired vulgar, “damn right it is, I got hit when I was a kid and I'm fine, right?” You may have heard that one before, or maybe you've even recycled that bullshit yourself. What about this one, “if you don't spank them, they won't respect your authority, they'll be spoiled little brats.”
How sheepish did I feel when I met my current girlfriend? We both come from great parents, however, she has never been hit, and neither have any of her siblings, not once, ever. Four University graduates who respect their parents and have never found themselves in trouble. Now who do you think has had run ins with the law, who do you think barely scraped through high school, and who do you think punches holes in the wall like a big spoiled brat when they get frustrated? I'll give you a hint, me. Does any of this remind you of yourself? Do you ever want to just slam your fists on the table when you get upset? Throw something maybe? Where do you suppose you get those violent (yes it's still violence) tendencies from Sherlock? It's embarrassing for me to admit that I was ever such a sadistic little troglodyte.
Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at yourself - I mean, really look. Don't just see what you want to see. Beating a child a third your size is cowardly. What's that? As long as you spank them on the bum it's ok? Why is that? Because it makes you feel better that no one can see the bruises? Or because it's a little more padded so it won't hurt so much. Maybe you should ask the child what hurts less, a punch in the face or a full force open handed slap on the ass or legs. One is abuse and one is discipline. What evil simplistic Neanderthal came up with that one? Children are like sponges, they emulate how you act as a parent. If they see you act like a bully, they will act like a bully. If you explain to them like a person that what they are doing is wrong, they will pay attention; it just takes a little more time. Ask yourself this: did getting spanked ever stop you from acting up? Of course not, it just taught you not to get caught. If one of my children ever shrank away because I raised my hand in the air, I would know that I had let myself down.
Is it ok for the Andocentric Catholic Church to say that women can't be priests simply because they are women? Is war the best option or is there really another path? Would you want your baby brother, sister, father, coming home in a body bag for reasons none of you really understand? Is abortion wrong? Is sperm as sacred as a baby like the Catholics say? Well just put me and every other red blooded male in this school on the one way express to hell because I think I've performed about 10 billion abortions.
Stop taking the easy way out by answering without thinking, it is lazy and shows no class. I am fiercely opposed to the words “student” and “complacency” being spoken in the same sentence. Ask yourself these philosophical questions, but before you answer, make damn sure you your arguments are logical. Educate yourself; push your mind to its limits. Read the news; learn about politics, it's not as difficult as they would like you to believe. Ask yourself; was everything my parents and institutions ever taught me unquestionably right? They are after all just people and people make mistakes.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
