Florida Grandmother, 73, Arrested After Slapping the 18-Year-Old Granddaughter Who Cursed at Her

[RamboLiberal]

The Colliers of Largo, Fla., have yet to recover from authorities' charging the 73-year-old family matriarch with domestic battery.

"Shocked," Theresa Collier said of her arrest. "I am so shocked after everything that happened. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die."

The trouble began last Tuesday when two officers from the Largo Police Department responded to a domestic violence call by Collier's granddaughter, Felicia Collier.

The young woman, 18, was visiting her grandmother's house to use the computer. She is finishing her senior year of studies online because she had been kicked out of Catholic school for cursing out a nun, Theresa Collier said.

"She didn't want to listen to me. She kept saying 'F-you,' and using the F-word about our family members," the elder Collier said. "I had enough of it. I was so upset that I got up and slapped her across the face. She grabbed my wrists and I couldn't move."

-----

Felicia Collier tried many times to convince officers not to arrest her grandmother but to no avail, according to police.

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/florida-woman-arrested-slapping-granddaughter-face/story?id=10539757


Theresa Laura Collier is shown in her booking photo released by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
(Courtesy Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)

[truebrit71]

1. Both could be done for assault, but grandma is going to the pokey..

..one adult striking another adult is assault..

[Dappleganger]

11. Little miss smart mouth was defending herself.

That's not going to be an assault charge.

My bet is that charges will be dismissed once a judge is on the case.

BTW, I'm a product of catholic school and that's where I got my potty-mouth, LOL!

[madmom]

26. Not necessarily. My ex and I got into an argument just about 3 months after the

domestic violence laws came into effect. He was drunk, had me backed into a corner, I pushed him to get out, he fell. He called the sheriff. I was arrested for domestic violence. He even went to court with me but the judge was a hard ass. I said he fell because he was drunk, judge said "no he fell because you pushed him", nothing about me being cornered or anything. Really it ALL depends on the judge.

[Ron Green]

2. Florida again. I'm keepin' track.

[TK421]

7. I've lost track...just another day in that wacked state n/t

[Dappleganger]

3. Wellllll...

:popcorn:

[MrSlayer]

4. What a little snot.

She gets what she asked for and then runs to the cops like a punk.

[virgogal]

10. +1

[proteus_lives]

18. +2

[truebrit71]

22. An ADULT punk. Like it or not granny committed the crime of assault..

..the sad thing is that this sort of violence wouldn't have resulted in any action had the victim been a minor...

[Joe Chi Minh]

112. So what! You must have only half a brain, to make such an inane point.

Invoking literal technicalities where common sense is appropriate is the mark of a dolt - like those police officers.

Few things seem to attest to the wretched state of your American, public education system as this kind of behaviour by so many of your police officers. Incapable of using common sense and discretion. They could be replaced by robots.

[MajorChode]

120. Two wrongs do not make a right

Most people learned that little "common sense" nugget by the time they reached primary school. Most places have a mandatory arrest policy in situations like this for good reason. Even older people can be caught up in situations of escalating violence. Marvin Gaye, Sr was about the same age as this woman when he fatally shot Marvin Gaye, Jr.

[Hepburn]

33. +3

[blueamy66]

55. Amen.

Hope she feels really bad.

[lpbk2713]

5. I don't think it matters if the victim doesn't want to press charges.

If there is any evidence, blood, bruising etc. in a dom violence report then then assailant goes to the pokey.

[northernlights]

43. the victim called the cops

what did she think they came over for? to bring her cookies and ice cream?

And the victim verbally assaulted her grandmother first. In my day, the victim would have had her mouth washed out with soap long before she could use a phone to call the cops.

Now hopefully the victim is going to find out how easy life is for those who have no family. Already thrown out of one college. Not lookin' good.

[maxsolomon]

6. fun times in that family

stop snitchin', grandkids.

half :sarcasm:

[Fire1]

8. It's a new day, Granny. n/t

[guitar man]

9. In my family

That kind of behavior toward an elder would have gotten us a slap upside the head too...maybe a little worse.

[Dappleganger]

12. In our catholic school the nuns

would box your ears, or if they were in full control it would be the ruler (if they heard it). If you cussed them out, it would be the paddle.

[demosincebirth]

17. I you ever cussed out a nun in school, you wouldn' be in school very long...

after it happened

[YOY]

21. Shit sometimes they didn't even need proof of guilt to do it at my school.

Or better yet they would do it even if they knew the culprits were someone else.

[demosincebirth]

14. I hate to imagine what would have happened to me if I even used ...

the F-word in the house.

[bobbolink]

13. Yeah, granny, assault means YOU, too.

Try that number on somebody on the street, and see where it gets you.

Shocked? You're not too old to learn better ways to deal with conflict.

[NYC Liberal]

16. Thank you. I'm glad someone said it.

I was debating whether to wade into this one.

It's disgusting that people right here on DU seem to be nostalgic for the days when assaulting children (and I don't mean spanking, though I'm against that too) was legal and encouraged.

Two wrongs, don't make a right, to use the old cliche. Both need help.

[bobbolink]

20. something about where angels fear to tread? ^_^

Isn't it amazing that people who claim to be all about PEACE believe in assault on children???

:wtf:

[NYC Liberal]

25. I know.

What's next? Maybe husbands ought to be able to give their wives a slap when they "talk back" to them too?

[bobbolink]

34. Conservatives think its just fine to slap liberals around.

Maybe they are right.....?

I mean, if we cherish peace that little, maybe a little of sauce for the goose is in order.

[Lucian]

28. The teen is 18. Legally, she's not a child anymore.

And she deserved to get slapped. She was mouthing off her grandma. And a slap is hardly what I would consider assault.

[NYC Liberal]

31. That makes it worse, not better.

Doing it to a child could be "defended" (not by me but...) under the guise of discipline. Now, it's just assault. And yes, that's what it is. If someone on the street tells you "Fuck you!" and you slap them, it's you who gets rung up, not them.

[bobbolink]

35. Oh, well, then, that makes it OK. Hey Granny, you are now free to go out on the street and

slap anyone over 18.

You might want to start with Lucian....we hear things we don't like coming out of Lucian's mouth.

:rofl:

[Lucian]

38. Just remember...

Lucian likes to bite. :)

And grandma didn't just slap anybody. She slapped her mouthy, bratty adult grandchild to teach her some respect. I got slapped by my grandma and I never turned her into the cops for assault.

[bobbolink]

45. Ohhh, I see... so its OK if its a relation. So, husbands are now freed to go back to hitting their

wives.

And when Granny gets old and demented and pisses herself and her daughter, the daughter can slap her, too.

Thank you for clearing that up.

[Lucian]

50. Wait, what?

How does slapping your granddaughter equate to slapping a spouse?

Did you ever get slapped when you were younger?

[bobbolink]

79. you said it was OK because they were related, right? Did you forget saying that?

It would be very instructive for us if you would write up a list of who is excused for hitting who.

It would cut down on the confusion.

[Joe Chi Minh]

114. Why are you incapable of understanding that all those relationships you cite are DIFFERENT.

Different kinds of respect are due between the generations.

After repeatedly disobeying him, as a nine or ten-year old, my step-father slapped my backside. He never did it again. Because I never showed that kind of disprespect again. He wouldn't have done it to my mother or another adult or another kid outside our family. So, what ON EARTH are you talking about?

[truebrit71]

58. So in your world you could have popped granny in the mouth and all would be fine?

..assault is assualt is assault..

[Lucian]

59. Oh geez...

now you guys are just being insane.

[truebrit71]

67. Justy following your asinine 'logic' to it's conclusion..

..it it's okay for one adult to strike another one, then retribution should be okee-dokee too?

[bobbolink]

72. Apparently so.

Its making it clear now why we in this society are so gung-ho for war, isn't it?

Might makes right, as long as you can rationalize it.

[NM_hemilover]

104. I agree,

[shedevil69taz]

46. Just out of curiosity

I would like to know how you would handle that situation? I mean if a family member you invited to your home was using language you found to be extremely objectionable and presumably refused your request to leave your home.

Simply call the police and have them removed for tresspassing?

[northernlights]

49. apparently that's the sad point we've reached

granny was doing grandkid a FAVOR and was repayed by being sworn at. By an 18 year old who, btw, is probably bigger than the mean ol' granny who slapped her.

[Hippo_Tron]

123. If it came down to it, that's exactly how I would handle the situation

Society gives me no right (nor should it) to physically harm another person except in cases of self defense. But I do have the right to call the cops and get them out of my house.

I don't think granny should do jail time, but she has absolutely no right to hit her granddaughter no matter how she was acting.

[northernlights]

60. Hopefully granny has learned her lesson

And the next time she's doing her spoiled, ungrateful, potty-mouthed, college-reject granddaughter a FAVOR by ALLOWING her to BORROW her computer, and her spoiled, ungrateful, potty-mouthed college-reject granddaughter behaves like the snotnose bitch that she is, granny should call the cops and have her forcibly removed.

Then let the college-reject try to find a job. And let her try to survive working at McDonald or Wallies for minimum wage. Maybe after a few years of that, the snotnose, spoiled, ungrateful, potty-mouth college-reject granddaughter will learn to be grateful that her granny -- or anybody -- will lend her a hand. And she'll feel indebted to granny, instead of feeling like mouthing off at her because, well, she just feels like it.

[superduperfarleft]

92. What you said.

Sounds like this waste of skin should've gotten popped a few times earlier in her life, so that she wouldn't have turned into such a bratty, ungrateful adult.

[bobbolink]

109. Glad to know her neighbor has checked in to fill us in on the details.

[Hippo_Tron]

124. That's exactly what she should've done in the first place

The granddaughter is 18 which means that the grandmother has no right to hit her. She does have the right to throw her ass on the street, though.

[superduperfarleft]

96. OH THE HUGH MANATEE!!!!

Legally, yes, it's assault. Practically, she should not have been prosecuted. Prosecuting a grandmother, who has no criminal history and is unlikely to "reoffend," for slapping a foul-mouthed grandkid is cruel and pointlessly punitive.

I think it's a sad day when kids think they can tell their grandmothers to fuck off without getting popped in the mouth.

[Mojeoux]

106. I fu**ing agree n/t

[Maat]

15. This is ridiculous.

This type of slapping used to be common place, and people used to be given a warning. I'm a retired social worker, and I used to give people warnings about it. Arresting people over it? Ridiculous.

[truebrit71]

19. One adult struck another adult. That is assault.

..

[Maat]

118. Actually ...

it's battery. Assault is the threat, not the contact.

And, it's ridiculous to haul someone to jail for this.

Every arrest involves officer discretion; the proper standard was not applied here. Cite her, allow her to be summoned to court, but arrest her - that's ridiculous.

[demosincebirth]

27. I agree, but some think these foul mouthed, disrespectful youths ...

should have love and understanding...and maybe, even, consoling

[bobbolink]

29. Hitting people will teach them love and understanding.

Yup, it has worked well on me. :wtf:

[shedevil69taz]

37. Maybe not so much love and understanding

but it could teach them there are sometimes real and physical consequences for disrespect. As one poster upthread mentioned if her granddaughter had been mouthing off to a stranger in the street like that it could have been much worse for her as some people still do take violent offense to being disrespected.

Is it right for someone to turn violent over words they could walk away from? No its not, but it does happen, and many times the perpetrators are not caught for it.

[RamboLiberal]

42. Good chance on the street you'd get punched out or shot

[bobbolink]

It is really funny.... all of your rationalizations are very similar to what we heard about going to

war.

[demosincebirth]

41. Not love and understanding. It taught me not to do it again. Sometines,

too much love and understanding creates kids like that

[shedevil69taz]

56. Yeah its definitly not

out of "love" or "understanding" that keeps me from telling some people I interact with on a daily basis exactly what I think about them. Some of it comes from the fact that a couple of them would have no problem initiating a violent confrontation over a spoken word.

[bobbolink]

69. Ah, NOW I get it. The problems in the world are caused by TOO MUCH love and understanding.

Got it.

[shedevil69taz]

88. Sometimes yes you can have too much sympathy

and get too emotionally atatched to people. Of course that goes for places, objects and ideas too.

[bobbolink]

89. Don't let it bother you for one minute that any psychologist will tell you otherwise.

[shedevil69taz]

93. I really doubt you could prove that

psychologists do not all look at everything the same way just like the rest of the human population.

[bobbolink]

105. I didn't think you would let it bother you. People who like to hit don't let facts get in their way

Kinda like the RW in the runup to the war.

Its all about emotion.... go for it.

[demosincebirth]

101. I'm not talking about the world, I'm talking about this kid. Jeez!

[bobbolink]

108. Riiiight. No connection. Peace-making at home and peace-making in the world have no connection.

Got it.

"Geeeeez" :rofl:

[demosincebirth]

128. Wow, you are something else.

[Joe Chi Minh]

115. You can chastise from love. It doesn't have to be from hate. I hit our cat

much harder than my wife did, when he tried to wind us up (successfully) by peeing outside his litter tray, but because he knew my heart wasn't in it, but I was doing it to correct him, he just looked at defiantly, scornfully, in fact. But he knew my wife slapped him, although more gently, because she lost her temper, and that scared him a bit.

[Maat]

117. Yes.

Ideally, they do.

[joeybee12]

23. Hmm..we only have the grandmother's account, so it's incomplete...

...but let's post like we know the entire situation!!!!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

57. Exactly...

"She didn't want to listen to me."

What didn't she want to listen to? Grandmas can get out of line in the verbal abuse department too.

[Lucian]

24. It's better for the teen to learn this lesson from grandma.

If she was out on the street mouthing off someone, it could've been a lot worse.

And it wasn't right for the cops to arrest grandma. The teen deserved to get slapped.

[bobbolink]

30. Peace.

:rofl:

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

44. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[truebrit71]

63. The victim in this case is AN ADULT...what is it about that fact you can't get your head around?

..when one ADULT strikes another ADULT that is assault...

This isn't granny smacking a smart-mouthed 10-year old, this was a case of an adult female striking another adult female..

[Lucian]

65. I wasn't addressing you.

[truebrit71]

71. Whether you were or not doesn't matter..you have said that it's okay for granny to have hit..

..the victim even though they were an adult..

[Lucian]

73. ...

:eyes:

[pintobean]

81. Let's go to the bar

We can say anything we want to any woman there. If we get slapped, she goes to jail. It's foolproof!
:sarcasm:

[northernlights]

95. this is a case of a mouthy, ungrateful brat getting slapped

by the grandmother who LOANED HER COMPUTER and was HELPING HER and got mouthed off at in return. Grandmother took the matter into her own hands. Next time -- if there is a next time -- she'll call the cops and have spoiled, ungrateful brat of a granddaughter removed for trespassing.

[Hippo_Tron]

122. As stated down the thread, she should've done that in the first place

Loaning a computer doesn't give her the right to slap her granddaughter. But she has every right to kick her out of the house.

[pintobean]

40. I hear that.

Think she'll be using Grandma's computer anytime soon?

[NYC Liberal]

32. I want to know what the grandmother was trying to tell the woman.

"She didn't want to listen to me. She kept saying 'F-you,' and using the F-word about our family members,"

Well, what wasn't she listening to?

[bobbolink]

36. Granny most likely needs Conflict Resolution classes, and Listening Skills classes.

We hear this language on DU all the time... maybe we should make a list and send it to Granny for some "Attitude Adjustment"

[demosincebirth]

48. What does the foul- mouthed kid need, love and understanding?

[bobbolink]

53. Obviously, the hitting is working soooo well.

[shedevil69taz]

64. You would happen to know

that this 18 year old has been physically harmed before for similar behavior? Its entirely possible in this day and age that this was the first time anyone had ever laid a hand on her.

[bobbolink]

76. Oh,of course. Just out of nowhere, Granny hits for the first time.

Yup, I'm very likely to buy that.

Just like YOU are so well acquainted with this family that you KNOW there is no abuse there.

Sounds like a bit of projection.

[RamboLiberal]

116. At her age I'd bet granny did hit her kids

but that was very much the norm of the times and no one called the cops unless it was extreme abuse.

Not saying it was right but spanking and a slap to the face of a mouthy kid was discipline at the time.

[Hippo_Tron]

125. She's 18 and thus not a kid anymore

As far as I'm concerned she doesn't need anything. Adults are allowed to use foul language till their hearts are content. They just have to suffer the consequences, such as having your grandmother throw your ass on the street.

[NYC Liberal]

51. For all we know, she could have been standing around

telling the granddaughter she was useless, stupid, no-good, whatever. Why do people assume the grandmother is just a nice old lady? Because she's older? There are plenty of nasty older people (just as there are plenty of kids and young adults with bad attitudes).

The granddaughter is such a horrible person, she begged the cops not to arrest the grandmother, went to the court to waive any option to prosecute, etc. But we're supposed to believe that she just - out of nowhere - starting telling her grandmother "Fuck you"?

[Lucian]

54. Touche.

[bobbolink]

62. I resemble that remark. bwahahahaa!

DUers are very good as assuming whatever fits their worldview.

You are right, of course, but those who prefer hitting will not be too likely to want to look a bit deeper.

After all, that is the purpose of hitting. Its quick, its easy, it doesn't require much thought.

Kinda like bombing.

[shedevil69taz]

77. Its possible

but the fact that the granddaughter had a history of using obcenities directed at people of authority over her it makes it less believable.

[NYC Liberal]

100. My guess is you have a dysfunctional family and this is the way

the people in it treat each other. Anything is possible, but we only have the grandmother saying "She wouldn't listen to me, she started telling me F-you" with nothing about anything that led up to it.

[superduperfarleft]

102. My guess is that if you have children, they are out-of-control brats

who will one day learn the hard lesson that you can't just mouth off to anyone. You know, since we're doing personal attacks and everything.

[NYC Liberal]

111. Right. Because families have nothing to do with how kids turn out.

All we have here is that granddaughter apparently just started saying "fuck you" completely out of nowhere (yeah right), according the grandmother, and then that same granddaughter did or is doing everything SHE can not to have the grandmother charged with assault.

[RamboLiberal]

97. Oh let's see - she was kicked out of Catholic school for saying F' You

to the nuns. Yep, a real sweetheart. The principal gave her one more chance to graduate from HS by doing her work by computer. She's supposed to go in to the Navy. Well hope the Petty Officers there are ready for her BS. Bet she won't be telling them F' You!

[NYC Liberal]

98. Hmm and you think she may have gotten that from someone growing up?

You're the one assuming that grandma is "a real sweetheart." It's quite possible, even likely, that both of them have bad attitudes and this is the way this family acts.

[RamboLiberal]

107. Who knows but I learned to say F' You and flash the finger

And it sure wasn't from my parents or grandparents. Heck my parents never even knew what a foul mouth I could have when I wanted till I was 19 and coming out of anesthetic and the nurses didn't want me getting up to use the bathroom with a broken wrist they had set surgically.

A lot of it was learned from class mates and just growing up in the world. And I was the product of 12 years of Catholic school where some of us sure weren't angels. I regret a lot of stuff I said mostly to my parents. I didn't talk back to my grandparents much though if I had my grandmother of strict German Catholic descent would've done to me what this granny did no matter what my age and even though I was bigger and stronger.

As I said before it was a different time.

And I sure hope Felcia goes in to the Navy. I bet the Petty Officers will straighten out her act real quick.

[Hippo_Tron]

127. No, but they won't be hitting her for it either

She'll be scrubbing the latrines or something similar until she learns her lesson. That's a lot different than hitting someone.

[RamboLiberal]

47. My mom, dad and grandmother would've been busted many times

over not to mention a whole lot of other family members if this had been the law back when I grew up. Granny was a product of those generations. Heck if they were still alive and I said F you to them I'd probably still get a slap across the mouth.

Not forgiving granny, but if I was a judge on this one I'd probably tell granny to throw Felicia out of the house or tell her F*ck if you're ever using my computer again till you clean up your act around me. I might admonish granny but I'd also dismiss the charges.

[truebrit71]

52. Were you an adult when they hit you? If so, that was assault which is a crime.

..Granny assaulted another adult. Relation or not doesn't enter into it. It was assault.

[RamboLiberal]

84. I don't remember but I'd bet there was a time or two

when I was under 21 I got smacked. I had a smart mouth though I'd have never dared to use the F word. The cops would've laughed at us if we'd have ever called them even as an adult for a no blood no bruise open hand smack. Heck the open hand smack at that time and before was a movie/TV staple.

I had a good childhood and early adulthood with my parents. I never considered any of the smacks I got child abuse or assault. I in most cases damn well deserved them.

It was a different time period with different attitudes for good and for bad.

And btw did you notice that Felicia didn't want granny arrested after all?

Bet that really heals the family dynamics there getting granny busted.

[Xithras]

61. Grandaughter should be arrested.

I believe that Florida has elder abuse statutes on the books. Here in California, yelling, screaming, and cursing at an elderly relative over the age of 65 will get you jail time. Florida can't be all that different.

[Flaneur]

66. That little snot should never be invited to granny's house again.

And arresting grandma for the slap is ridiculous. The law needs some flexibility--zero tolerance is just stupid, and you end up with results like this.

[Lucian]

70. But, but, but...

it's assault! It's like a man hitting his wife!

:eyes:

[truebrit71]

75. Read the statutes. It's exactly like a man hitting his wife, or 2 strangers on the street..

..that engage in a fist fight..Strking another adult is assault..

I don't care how many :eyes: you put in your posts, the facts remain as they are...it was a case of assault whether they were related or not..

[bobbolink]

82. Well, if you're going to resort to LOGIC....

:hi:

[Flaneur]

86. We don't need to make a fucking crime out of everything.

There's a reason we lead the world in the number of people in prison, and it ain't because we're a bunch of bad people.

Once upon a time, police had (and exercised) discretion in charging. This case cries out for the exercise of discretion. We don't have any evidence grandma is a serious abuser. From what we do know, it sounds like granny got frustrated with her foul-mouthed granddaughter and slapped her. Not punched her. Not kicked her. Not tied her up and starved her. Slapped her. Do you really want this person charged and tried for a crime for that? Really?

[Lucian]

87. +1

[here_is_to_hope]

85. And war too! Just like it!

I smack people around daily, they need it, haven't started any wars though.

It's easy to see who here lost their lunch money daily back in grade school...

:evilgrin:





edited to be less stupid

[NM_hemilover]

110. LOL

[orleans]

68. situation is really too bad.

bottom line is that you can't physically hit/slap/abuse someone, regardless of how you know them.

granddaughter sounds like a real bitch--grandma should have told her to get the hell out of her house and then call the police on her if she wouldn't leave.

[truebrit71]

78. BINGO!! Ladies and gentlemen we have here the path that granny should have taken..

..rather then deciding to physically assault her adult grandchild..

[greencharlie]

74. hang in there, G-ma... nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

80. This thread needs more taserings.

It's only sorta funny.

[LeftyMom]

83. Slapping people is assault. Slapping family members is domestic violence.

In most places cops have no discretion and have to run you in on the latter.

[Maat]

119. Slapping someone is a technical BATTERY.

Assault is the threat.

We must remember that in most states, physical discipline is legal, and that slapping constitutes physical discipline. Thus, if her granddaughter was underage, it could be construed as legal discipline in response to the offense of profanity. Granny shouldn't have been taken to jail - she could have been cited (at least in our state). This really wasn't domestic violence.

[RamboLiberal]

90. According to this Felicia also assaulted granny

"She kept repeating the F-word to me, about the whole family. She just went on and on and I just got so upset, I got up and slapped her across the face," she told 10 Connects, "She grabbed my wrists and I couldn't get out of it and she let one go and she punched me in the cheek here."

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-granny-arrested,0,1432828.story

I think they should've hauled Felicia's butt off to jail as well.

[2Design]

91. we have criminals on the street who get away with everything

and we are going after a grandmother who didn't want to be verbally abused so she slapped her - well this is the state of the nation

[Flaneur]

94. I've been slapped before. I didn't call the police--I called it a rude awakening.

And somehow I survived without involving the repressive apparatus of the state.

[inna]

99. What a waste of taxpayers' dollars.

Ridiculous and misguided.

[KingFlorez]

103. In this case, the authorities were doing their job

The dispute was between two adults and the slap was triggered by something verbal. Now the girl was obviously being vindictive by calling the cops, but I don't see how else the police could have reacted. They have to go by the book.

[Silent3]

113. I have mixed feelings about this

First of all, we don't hear the granddaughter's side of this, so that could make a big difference.

And trying to solve problems by hitting people isn't generally the best idea.

On the other hand, I think people get a little loopy with an extreme "zero tolerance" view about physical force, as if opening the door the tiniest crack for condoning a slap in a moment of anger is a slippery slope to the very worst cases of physical abuse.

I've been subjected to verbal abuse that hurt far, far more than any physical assault ever hurt me. I haven't struck anyone in anger in a long time, not since high school or middle school, and not much even way back then, being the kind of nerdy kid who ended up taking more abuse than I ever dished out. That said, I can still easily imagine giving into beating the shit out of some people for the cruel things they say, and, legal or not, I wouldn't feel the least bit guilty about it.

[knitter4democracy]

121. I'm betting there's more to the story here--a lot more.

First of all, I teach in a Catholic school in the mornings and in an alternative school in the afternoons. I deal with 18 year olds like the one in the article every day. Usually, they don't just snap like that without cause. Now, most adults might not agree with their cause for snapping and swearing at everyone, but they usually have a reason.

I've heard too many horror stories about what "dear old granny" did to a teen to immediately believe her story wholeheartedly.

[Canuckistanian]

126. Hard to get outraged over this

Assault, no matter how mild, is a "deal-killer". You hit, you've LOST your argument.

As they say, "your right to free speech ENDS at the tip of my nose"

[Haole Girl]

129. If everyone who ever slapped someone ended-up on jail...

half the population would be behind bars!