Larry, discrimination is about abuse via power. The one lacking most power that day was the child. The one most abusing superior power was the mother. And-- beating a child is not a civil right.

If Mommies can't be expected to keep a grip in the face of discrimination, tell me-- how the heck did all those slaves make it this far? And if they SHOULD not be expected to keep a grip-- oh my, I need to stock up on ammo, because here come all the people my great-great-greats wronged, and all the ones I unawarely insulted.

OK....... so say a black man has spent the day out and around taking care of business, and everywhere he goes he gets spat on, called a nigger, invited to leave stores, pulled over by cops and searched, roughly, maybe hit... all with no reason... and he goes home and kicks his dog, and it's caught on tape. Is he a victim, or a bad guy? Now say he goes upstairs to tuck the little darling into bed and the little darling smarts off, and he smacks the little darling. Who is the victim, and of whom?

In other words, does discrimination suck and make a person act (sometimes) like an a**hole? Sure. Does it victimize people? Of course. But does our society excuse the behaviors that result, or not?

Does this wash?: "Mommy only hit you all those times because someone was really mean to her because of who we are." Further, "Mommy should have gotten away with hitting you all those times, and she would have if the bad people who don't like us had not had a camera running." Is that the kind of enculturation that leads to a responsible life?

Discrimination sucks. Actually, though, many of us here live with it every day. (I think I'll go find someone to punch out, someone smaller since I'm not too strong.) But you can't beat a child on videotape and expect nothing to happen, anymore than a cop can beat a black man (or a Traveller should it occur), on videotape, and expect nothing to happen!

~Susan