The View women talking about the Pearls!

[JellyHope]

It's on right now!

(central standard time)

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm on the west coast and the View comes on at 10am. Thanks for the heads up, I will be watching for sure! (stopped watching the View when Sherri Shepard joined).

[Austin]

I hope someone uploads the clip to youtube.

[emmiedahl]

THanks for the heads-up! I don't usually watch morning shows, but I definitely want to see this!

[xDreamerx]

I had a class at the time so I missed it. Boo. They never talk about anything interesting post Rosie so I only ever if I see a preview for one that seems interesting. For those in Canada, it will be available on CTV watch probably soon. (I'm guessing after it airs in the Pacific time zone?). For Americans I think it's available through ABC's website.

[emmiedahl]

I missed it too! I could not change the channel because my baby stashed the remote somewhere.

[VenusJS]

they are on the front page of yahoo too!

[Kitty]

It's awesome to know that these evil, evil people are getting the kind of attention they deserve. I rarely watch the View, since I almost never watch TV. I'd love to see what they say about the Pearls. On the other hand, I'm afraid that they, like everyone else in the American media, are not going to go far enough in depth. Because I can see my southern-fried circle of friends going "so what? that's not so bad." The Pearls are fucking horrible to children. It's the most incredibly selfish kind of parenting I've heard of. It's pretty lazy too. And that's not even getting into the fact that it's fucking abuse. Not watching a 4-month-old child who has just learned how to crawl is neglect. Beating her for going near the stairs when YOU WEREN'T DOING YOUR JOB AS A FUCKING PARENT is abuse.

[StarrieEyedKat]

Has anyone watched that can give us a short review on what was said?

[Guest Anonymous]

Shoot I missed it, got sucked into the Michael Jackson/Conrad Murray trial coverage!

[thoughtful]

It's awesome to know that these evil, evil people are getting the kind of attention they deserve. I rarely watch the View, since I almost never watch TV. I'd love to see what they say about the Pearls. On the other hand, I'm afraid that they, like everyone else in the American media, are not going to go far enough in depth. Because I can see my southern-fried circle of friends going "so what? that's not so bad." The Pearls are fucking horrible to children. It's the most incredibly selfish kind of parenting I've heard of. It's pretty lazy too. And that's not even getting into the fact that it's fucking abuse. Not watching a 4-month-old child who has just learned how to crawl is neglect. Beating her for going near the stairs when YOU WEREN'T DOING YOUR JOB AS A FUCKING PARENT is abuse.

I do generally think that spanking is connected with lazy parenting, and that the example you cited is a good example of the Pearls being bizarrely illogical.

One of the reasons I urge people to read to book, though, is to be better-equipped to fight them on their own ground.

As bizarre and cruel as it was, that example was probably more work than just putting up a baby gate and/or keeping an eye on a child when doing something in the same room.

And the Pearls go on and on about bonding, "tying strings," spending lots of time and effort on children. They may or may not have been lazy parents themselves, but they do advocate lots of work, time and attention.

So a proponent could easily shoot us down if all we do is speak about spanking being lazy, or expecting self-control from a four-month-old so they don't "need" to be supervised as neglect.

I want to go after the fact that they propose that these parents, who are such a huge part of their children's lives (especially if homeschooling or otherwise limiting their exposure to the rest of the world), and are sometimes so loving, are also the ones who see them as sinners, calmly and coolly slash away at them until they "submit," then go right back to being involved and loving.

I'm not picking on you -- I just see this a lot, and speak up whenever I have time.

I want the Pearls' supporters to be left without a leg to stand on.

[SouthCarolinaGirl79]

If you want to read their garbage without shelling out the cash, here you go!

http://www.achristianhome.org/to_train_up_a_child.htm

[gustava]

Given all the major publicity he's getting, Michael Pearl probably has a hard-on that's bigger than an anaconda.

[doggie]

Given all the major publicity he's getting, Michael Pearl probably has a hard-on that's bigger than an anaconda.

very true and their followers will feel all persecuted and really think they are on the right track.

[Austin]

I am glad the heat is being turned up. This sordid underbelly stuff seems to often fly just under the radar, particularly if it has anything to do with religion (particularly of the Christian variety) in this country.

We have a national conversation going on with regard to spanking, to the extent we can have a national conversation about anything. The Hillary Adams youtube along with the recent media coverage (thank you, Anderson, my love) of the Williams seems to have been the catalysts for starting a discussion, at least. I can't tell you how many people have no idea that this is happening to children.

[hoipolloi]

ITA, Austin. The good thing about the NYT is that many if not a majority of its regular readers/commenters are unlikely to have drunk the fundie KoolAid that makes abuse manuals like TTUAC acceptable to people.

The next good step in this national conversation would be to tie the Pearls & Judge Adams to Dobson, Tripp, et al. - fundie leaders who essentially advocate the same things as the Pearls but are not called out on it.

[Eclipse]

This people promote child abuse, plain and simple. I hope they get their comeuppance soon. I hope this exposure sways those who have considered the Pearls' method but I doubt it would affect those in fundie land as its the evil liberal media after the god fearing folks again. But I hope I'm proven wrong.

[thoughtful]

ITA, Austin. The good thing about the NYT is that many if not a majority of its regular readers/commenters are unlikely to have drunk the fundie KoolAid that makes abuse manuals like TTUAC acceptable to people.

The next good step in this national conversation would be to tie the Pearls & Judge Adams to Dobson, Tripp, et al. - fundie leaders who essentially advocate the same things as the Pearls but are not called out on it.

From your lips to God's ears -- er, from your typing fingers to Anderson Cooper's eyes.

[gustava]

I am glad the heat is being turned up. This sordid underbelly stuff seems to often fly just under the radar, particularly if it has anything to do with religion (particularly of the Christian variety) in this country.

We have a national conversation going on with regard to spanking, to the extent we can have a national conversation about anything. The Hillary Adams youtube along with the recent media coverage (thank you, Anderson, my love) of the Williams seems to have been the catalysts for starting a discussion, at least. I can't tell you how many people have no idea that this is happening to children.

My disagreement with you is that these vicious people are not merely spanking; they're beating/torturing/abusing, under the guise of spanking.

[Austin]

My disagreement with you is that these vicious people are not merely spanking; they're beating/torturing/abusing, under the guise of spanking.

Yes, ITA. But the people that use TTUAC do consider it spanking, and that's what they are arguing. Their position is that the Schatz couple and the Williams couple are just huge, tragic exceptions, and that they were not "doing it right". However, the more regular people actually see what the Pearls' book says, they'll see that nearly everything the Williams did to Hana was suggested by Michael Pearl in the book with no upper limit on the beatings or anything else.

[celestial]

I'm glad his teachings are finally being publicly exposed for the garbage they are. And I think it's good that America is having this whole "spanking" debate right now. Maybe some misguided individuals will change their minds about beating their children.

[thoughtful]

Yes, ITA. But the people that use TTUAC do consider it spanking, and that's what they are arguing. Their position is that the Schatz couple and the Williams couple are just huge, tragic exceptions, and that they were not "doing it right". However, the more regular people actually see what the Pearls' book says, they'll see that nearly everything the Williams did to Hana was suggested by Michael Pearl in the book with no upper limit on the beatings or anything else.

This, this, this.

[VeraAnne]

I can't believe that it took three dead children before this really made front page news.

It's sick. Hopefully the attention will save some other poor child from joining the list of the dead.

[fundyfunland]

Here's the link to the episode online for those who missed it:

theview.abc.go.com/hot_topics just click on "Is Spanking Wrong?"

[JellyHope]

okay this morning they're talking about #20