A large number of readers of this week’s column are able to relate and remember when there was a period of time in our lives that corporal punishment was meted out by parents, teachers, and neighbors and often when parents were informed you were punished again.
Over the years I recollect that boys were punished by switches, belts, electric cords and razor straps and sometimes with a backhand.
As I write this column I can hear those oft times repeated phrases that if you don’t check your attitude or behavior the White man will [law authorities]. In our home daddy was lord and master and if he and mamma had a disagreement we never heard it. There was no democratic process in our home where any of my brothers or sister had a chance to voice their opinion—you just listened. My brothers and myself received our share of corporal punishment and also frequent verbal beatings, and to this day I don’t recall which was the worst.
On one occasion an elderly neighbor accused four other youths and me of tripping him in a game called rope a dope, but I had no involvement, because I knew better. The neighbor told my father that I was a part of it, when in fact I just happened to walk by and when my father sent for me I emphatically said I was not involved and that the man made a mistake by saying I was. My father punished me saying, “You don’t call grown folks liars.” Daddy died relatively young, but I LOVED, FEARED AND RESPECTED him to the extent that I can die happy if my daughters respect me HALF AS MUCH AS I did my father.
Are the following tragedies—some of the results of no corporal punishment?
I was an adult before I ever saw a child call their mothers and fathers bit—-s, wh—s and even mother ———s. I was an adult before I ever witnessed sons, daughters, grandchildren physically assault their parents or grandparents. The first incident I witnessed I almost went into a state of shock. I reflected on the days of corporal punishment where you dared not respond to an adult by saying WHAT.
In today’s society there exists a more serious form of corporal punishment than a physical kind. Parents are being denied the opportunities to gainful employment, which would stabilize the home and prevent a tremendous numbers of problems that have devastated our communities. There is also the stifling of growth of Black entrepreneurship throughout Allegheny County. Black voters have become turned off by politics and if they vote at all it is not a sophisticated vote, but a give away vote, which will not benefit them or theirs.
Please remember Kingsley Association needs your financial support.
(Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a weekly contributor to the Forum page.)
