Adrian Peterson; the Face of Child Abuse
Peterson is accused of beating his four-year-old son with a tree branch known as a “switch” that left cuts, slashes and bruises over several areas of the boy’s body.
Adrian Peterson, known to many fans as one of the top running backs in the National Football League for the Minnesota Vikings, is now the face of child abuse in America. Peterson is accused of beating his four-year-old son with a tree branch known as a “switch” that left cuts, slashes and bruises over several areas of the boy’s body.
After his son came home to his mother in this terrible state, she reported Peterson and was eventually indicted on Sept. 12 in Montgomery County, Texas for reckless or negligent injury to a child.
The Vikings deactivated him for the week two game, and after he was indicted, Peterson was placed on the exempt/commissioners permission list following the high criticism from the Governor Mark Dayton, and his own sponsors. Retail stores have also removed Peterson football apparel from their shelves.
Peterson is continuing to collect his pay from the Vikings at the moment, even though he is deactivated. However, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported the Vikings “themselves do not foresee Peterson in their future.”
Peterson is apparently “in denial” that he may no longer be playing for the Vikings.
“Several league sources say Adrian Peterson has not come to grips with the fact that his 2014 has all but officially ended” Mortensen reported.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Peterson is trying to get a court date in 2014 instead of 2015 when lawyer, Rusty Hardin, stated he expected them to go to trial. If they can get the court date moved up to 2014 it could increase his chance of returning this season and possibly with Minnesota.
Mortensen reported that even though the Vikings did release a statement saying they will likely release Peterson, “if the running back can clear himself of the charges in a way that is satisfactory of the team and the NFL’s personal-conduct policy, that could feasibly change.”
The recent charges brought against Peterson have sparked the long debated issue of corporal punishment in America. It is illegal in approximately 40 countries all over the world, even in the privacy of a person home.
However, it is still practiced in the US today. According to the Child Trends Data Bank, about 94 percent of parents of children ages 3 to 4 report having spanked their kids in the previous year.
Spanking in general is on a downward trend since the 1970’s and about 70% of parents today think that spanking is at times acceptable.
However, many people say that Peterson crossed the line. The spanking of a child with an open palm to instill right and wrong over a more serious issue is much different than using a tree branch, and causing bleeding and scars.
So what do you think? Is spanking acceptable, and if so, where do you draw the line between discipline and abuse? Comment below with your opinion!
