JustErin said:

again .... in your opinion.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

If the Mother was right there attending her child, then how did he get so far away so fast to kick the little kid?

And I don't see anyone here declaring the man Father of the year. But I can very much understand his reaction and I cannot say I would not have reacted the same way.

Does that make me a bad and or violent person? Absolutely not. I do not go around getting into fights. I don't go around picking on people. I never hit my wife or kids (nor have I ever hit a woman/girl in my life). I always try to be peacemaker in violent situations. But I am sure and the hell going to protect my kids to the best of my abilities, even to the death if it comes to that.

And finally, the Dad seemed to react immediately, not AFTER things were "more or less in control".

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

but men kill children more so that dogs do

paintedlady said:

That's why I said "I think"....

paintedlady said:

And I sincerely hope you would have reacted immediately and decisively if you felt your niece was truly in danger.

Sowhat said:

You think I wouldn't? Of course. This still feels like bravado to me.

JustErin said:

We do have a violent society here Erin so.....

paintedlady said:

That's why I said "I think"....

Sowhat said:

You think I wouldn't? Of course. This still feels like bravado to me.

JustErin said:

ya... ya did...

great topic though.... how would I react if this were me? Makes on think.

JustErin said:

We do have a violent society here Erin so.....

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Remind me again where that bus was when that guy decapitated that other person on that bus? And how many violent incidents have happened in Erin's neghborhood the last several months?

Unfortunately violence can and does happen everywhere. Is the US violent, too violent? Absolutely. But so is the rest of the world.

paintedlady said:

It really is a great topic.

And I've thought about how I would react as well. I thought of other situations where my son was being targeted by someone and how I responded to that. It wasn't in a violent manner - where I know some people would have been violent.

Sowhat said:

No where did he say this was an exclusively American thing.

JustErin said:

But Erin....is there a point that you think you would act in a violent manner to protect your son?

Sowhat said:

No where did he say this was an exclusively American thing.

JustErin said:

He didn't. I was just pointing out that violence happens everywhere...unfortunately.

Sowhat said:

If my kid was being full on attacked and I had to get the person off him, I would do what I could to get them off and keep them off.

It would not involve sucker punching someone in the face - more like pushing/pulling them off.

Sowhat said:

If my kid was being full on attacked and I had to get the person off him, I would do what I could to get them off and keep them off.

It would not involve sucker punching someone in the face - more like pushing/pulling them off.

Sowhat said:

Ya, sucks balls.

JustErin said:

But the Father had no way of knowing if this guy was armed or on drugs. All he knew was his 4 year old son was kicked/attacked without provication by a much bigger person that could do some serious damage very quickly if he wanted to.

And sucker punching someone is punching someone from behind...the Father came straight on from right in front of him.

JustErin said:

this is the point that I start brawling if it doesn't stop.

Sowhat said:

Oops on the sucker punch. I thought it was just taking someone off guard.

The guy gave a little kick, barely touching his son then had backed away. There was nothing more to it.

If the Mother was right there attending her child, then how did he get so far away so fast to kick the little kid?

Sowhat said:

i have an older cousin who is special needs, he's 37 with the mind of a 10 year old. it's not an easy situation for a parent and like any kid sometimes you do something thinking your child is next to you and you turn around and they are doing something else.

my question is did the father notice the boy before his toddler walked up to the counter? Down Syndrome people are pretty easy to pick out of a crowd.

ehuffnsd said:

Just based solely on the video I saw, the older boy was not easily identified with DS. He had glasses (which partially hide part of his facial features) and was talking on the phone and was at an angle that most of the time it seemed like the Father probably could not have seen ahead of time.

Again...I do feel sorry for the boy with DS and the video is very sad. I think it was an unfortunate situation that had no winners in it but really doesn't have someone to blame for it.

I don't believe the boy with DS knew what he was doing was wrong, I don't think the Father did anything but protect his child in the best way he could in a split second.

mcmeekle said:

Preemptive eye for an eye the latest trend in America

also the Mother had become aware of what was going on before the Father hit the boy with downs and appeared to be trying to handle him. Why didn't the Father take notice of that either?

ehuffnsd said:

Because he didn't want to. Clearly.

That kick looked pretty real to me, although it seemed more impulsive than malicious. The outcome is unfortunate, but I can't say most people wouldn't have reacted the same way. And somewhat more importantly: What that father did was well within legal provisions of defense of his child against immediate physical threat, as I understand it... at least in most areas of the U.S.
[Edited 4/16/09 13:08pm]