Bell Hooks' Incorrect Stance On Punnishment

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Our society allows police, council officials, and other busy bodies dictate how parents should raise their children. A scolding, smack in the face, and a spanking on the butt are all forms of punishment. A punishment is a tool used by parents to discipline their children for misbehavior. Abuse is a commonly thrown around term that offers an inflated meaning to punishment. bell hooks states in her article that a parent cannot “love” if they are “abusive.” Care for individuals’ actions is love; if a child is not reprimanded for bad behavior then the parent is further being abusive. Each and every parent loves their child and to have people dictate on how to raise their child is acceptable to a point. bell hooks deals an absolute, which is any form of physical punishment is abuse.

The idea of physical punishment has been visible throughout our nation’s history. The 30’s, 40’, 50’s all encouraged the use of strong physical discipline towards children, it wasn’t until the 60’s and 70’s that this idea became taboo. “Many of us in the room had been smacked, whipped, or beaten as children...

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