Touching response to my Adrian Peterson blog post

I wrote a piece titled “The worst child abusers get a pass while Adrian Peterson is crucified by media.” My intent was to question the attention that Adrian Peterson was getting for the ‘whipping’ he gave to his 4 year old son. I felt that some of the most heinous bad things done to our children are by policies passed or neglected by our politicians.

Responses to my Adrian Peterson blog post were eye opening

I posted the piece to the Coffee Party page. I got slaughtered. I responded to a few to try to further explain my position. The post had an effect on several people that sought me out and emailed me directly. This one touched me the most and we conducted the following dialogue. I removed her email and name at her request.

 

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From: M R
Sent: Thu 9/18/2014 4:56 PM
To: Egberto Willies
Subject: Adrian Peterson

I simply have to object your forgiveness of Adrian Peterson. I grew up experiencing excessive corporal punishment from a father and Catholic school instructors, alike. No. I am sorry for you. In 2014, it is inexcusable to assault a child. Particularly when you are 200+ pounds, and your opponent IS FOUR. As a result of my own personal experience, there is no physical assault of children in this household. Respect begets respect. And stuffing leaves into his mouth? Sadistic. Ignorance on steroids. There is no justification for assaulting a lesser equipped human being. He is pathetic and I suspect NOT a Mensa member.

M R
Sent from my IPad

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From: Egberto Willies
Sent: Thu 9/18/2014 5:44 PM
To: M R
Subject: RE: Adrian Peterson

Dear M,

I appreciate the dignified manner you addressed my post. May I post our dialogue on the page without revealing your email to show how people can disagree initially and how one can learn empathetically through the pain of another?

Thanks,
Egberto

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From: M R
Sent: Thu 9/18/2014 5:56 PM
To: Egberto Willies
Subject: RE: Adrian Peterson

I appreciate your thoughtful response. Thank you. Assault changes a child, and never in a positive way. That poor little boy has been quoted as fearing that his father might hit him in the face. My Dad left lumps on my face, but in the 60’s, this was not an issue.

Children should feel safe. Always.

My father believed (as Mr. Peterson does) that he disciplined us the same way that he was disciplined.

Sidebar: He was born & raised in Ireland and instructed by the Christian Brothers, whose specialty was pugilism. All disciplinary disputes were settled in the ring.

When discussing sensitive or controversial subjects it is important that people do not talk past one another. I am happy to have received many thoughtful responses and letters. I wish when discussing these issues, as emotional as they are, we first make the assumption that differences in opinion do not automatically need to create villains.