CNN interested in CP

Oh - I'm not defending him. I'm just saying that she made as bad as she could. If he wasn't a SOB with a "I must control my family - RESPECT MY AUTHORTIE!" attitude then her actions couldn't have produced that video.

No, what I'm saying is I'm not feeling a burning rage because she made things as bad as she could and then tried to blackmail him over that that tape. Otherwise the hind portion of my brain, that part that evolution has saying "protect the women and children" would be screaming at me to join the vast number of people making death threats against that asshole who beat her.

In short, she wasn't a child being beaten but a 16 year old young woman who took partial control of the situation then blackmailed her father with the video. That doesn't excuse a single swat of that belt but that does reduce the sympathy I direct towards her.

Goodgulf

But even if it as you say, it would only proof that CP isn't correcting any wrong behavior, it worsen it. What ever she did, it is just another fault of the parents.

Talk of 'blackmail' and 'playing up to the camera' is all pure speculation. Having the shit beaten out of her, however, is not, as we can all see it with our own eyes and the state of mind it was carried out in. Not only that, but the 'judge' (I use the term loosely) isn't remotely contrite about what he did to her and clearly sees no wrong in it. Also, referring to her as a '16 year old young woman" who had "partial control of the situation" is totally bogus and in my mind a throughly perverse way to look at things, unless of course one is merely playing devil's advocate for some unknown reason.

It's not speculation - but what has been reported.

And no, I can't defend anything that person (I can't call him a 'man' or 'father') did - I'm just saying that if this had gone out live or been posted within a day or two I would be far more sympathetic to the victim (and the culprit would be facing charges).

Or if she had posted it when she moved out of her parent's house and felt safe.

Or if she had posted it during her parents' divorce and given her mother ammunition to use against the SOB.

Or if her she had made a breakthrough with her therapist and posted the video because of that.

But none of that happened.

There doesn't appear to be any dispute over the fact that her genetic sperm donor took away her car and when that happened she told him that she had the tape and (if she didn't have car) would post it on youtube. The being with the belt didn't see anything wrong with his actions and told her to post away. Maybe it makes me less of a person, but I feel less sympathy for the 23 year old woman who did that than I otherwise would have.

Goodgulf

I worked for a guy who used to brag about beating his daughter with a belt in the 70's. She was a teenager, and finally when he came at her one time, she told him what an ass he was and stormed out. She had told her mother that she wanted to kill him. Her mother did not protect her. She ended up going to a shelter...since he just said he was disciplining her, and no one would believe her. I do not believe a 16 yr old can consent to a beating like that, and (pure speculation on my part) do not think she was playing for the camera when you see viciousness of the strokes. He even told her mother which strap to bring. I do not think the "not guilty of abuse because the statute of limitations has run out." should apply. And he is judging other abuse cases? By what rule? The rule of law, or of his own personal family opinion.

Well, the 'playing to the camera' issue is purely speculative (AFAIK), but the local news reporting is treating the 'blackmail' threat as an admitted fact--and it neatly explains why the young lady waited seven years before releasing the recording. (I could understand her waiting until she was old enough to be legally beyond her father's ability to retaliate against her, but that presumably wouldn't have taken seven years.)

I don't believe that a teenager being spanked over clothing with a belt is all that uncommon even today, at least in the American South (notably Texas), but the guy certainly seemed to be out of control emotionally while he was strapping his daughter--it seemed as though he might be about to escalate into hitting her in the face or somewhere else (other than her posterior), although based on the video he didn't do so.

The father being a local judge doesn't surprise me all that much, AFAIC the Lone Star State has plenty of strange-acting judges serving in its small towns... --C.K.

There may have been many reasons, including fear, why she didn't come forward with the tapes. Maybe she was getting even, concerning the car. Maybe now, she was no longer afraid of him and decided to take action because of the added incentive on having the car taken away from her. Who knows. Still, the tapes prove that he was completely mistreating a young girl who even had a disability. He doesn't even feel remorse. What a terrible person. He should definitely lose his job.

Families are all different and I can understand in the heat of the moment you might give someone a whack or a slap. That is to my mind normal human behaviour and although it is to be discouraged I wouldn't judge anyone harshly because I know how families are! Having a howl at each other is probably better than storing it up and getting ulcers. What I cannot understand is brutal punishments inflicted in cold blood. It's seems like the behaviour of a man out of control. To take a belt to your own flesh and blood is more than just disturbing. The man is a monster and he should be kicked out of his job. Let him sweep out the courthouse instead of sitting in judgement.

It's fairly clear the daughter has no regard for this man and who can blame her. He had a duty to love, care and cherish her. Instead he violently abused her. I think its great she has got her revenge and I wouldn't think any the less of her for it. In fact I think its wonderful that he didn't knock all the spirit out of her. As for the mother she is an absolute disgrace too. People aren't sheep to stand by and do nothing when someone abuses their children. You fight for your kids. That is as natural as breathing.

I don't see why anyone should withhold sympathy for the daughter. Can you imagine what it is like to have a father like that? Judging you, condemning you, violently punishing you, always being right! I think you lack imagination if you can't see how awful it must have been to have grown up for all those years of her childhood with such a man.

For those of you who are interested in following the story about that judge and his daughter I have just found out that that story is going to be on the Dr. Phil television talk/help show today, Wednesday, November 9 at 5 pm EST. (USA Eastern Standard Time) That's 6 hours from now.