Dennis Prager Daycare

Well, thanks for being creepy, D-Prag.

In real life, a child who hits an adult needs to be disciplined. If a child did that to me, I would grab his offending arm and apply enough force to make it clear that he will never do that again. After I mentioned this on my radio show, some psychotherapists sent me e-mails disagreeing with these views. They noted, for example, that "violence breeds violence."

Some cliches are true; I find this one meaningless. The truth is the opposite: Immoral violence breeds violence; moral violence (such as just wars, police work and appropriate parental discipline) reduces violence.

I am well aware that vast numbers of Americans (and Europeans) believe that engaging in any physical discipline of a child is wrong. I, too, held this belief for most of my life, and I never hit or spanked either of my sons. I have changed my mind because of all the fine people who have called my show or written to me about how they were spanked and now believe that they are better adults because of it.

Good thing is, I don't see it getting any worse.

With regard to the argument that this man was not the boy's parent -- and the terrible fact that there is far too much hitting and abuse of children by stepfathers and boyfriends -- I do not believe that only parents may physically respond to a child. Teachers, for example, should be permitted to do so -- I was physically dealt with by a number of teachers, and in every case, I deserved it. I also did so as a camp counselor -- to great effect

I just pooped a little.