Outrageous! Shameful! Almost as if he's bringing the war home and encouraging it.
Toddlers DO NOT understand even WHY they are hitting and punching each other and they definitely should NOT be encouraged to do so. ABC has the video on the link (provided above) and while it's down on You Tube it probably can be found elsewhere... but the video report states there are at least a dozen more videos like it elsewhere.
I'm against mollycoddling a child sure, but I am more against encouraging children to fight and use that as a teaching tool as to what to do with their frustration and anger. This is NOT the way to teach a child to toughen up and be strong and stand up against your adversaries. This is NOT the way to allow a child to learn that by hitting they can feel better about themselves.
While custody has been taken away the father and he's under investigation... whatever that means. Hopefully he'll be charged with abuse because that is what this is basically. As an adult he has the responsibility to step in and prevent harm to ANY child in his presence. He's a soldier for cripes sake...he's there to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves not encourage them on!!
:soapbox:
Ok discussion... What is the message that is being sent to the public when a soldier does something like this. What message is it that parents (even non soldiers) video tape and encourage fighting amongst children send to everyone (including children)? How can something like this be discouraged and even prevented?
I think that You Tube and other like video sites should put a ban on these types of videos but there are rouge sites out there that would just love to have them (increases hits and advertising exposure) since they post videos of death, killings and other horrendous material, but at least the "clean sites" can stay clean (relatively).
What do you all think?
