“No.”
I don't even have the full story, yet adrenaline is gushing into my body.
She continues, “This guy threatened a mom whose two-year-old was having a tantrum in WalMart, ‘if you don't shut that kid up, I will.’ He followed the mother and child into the next aisle where he slapped the child across the face four times."
Holy shit—if that was my kid—they'd've been vacuuming that man out of the carpet after slap number one.
This discussion took place just after the four of us returned from Target and Lowe's and it was easy for me to picture the whole thing going down.
I've never struck a person in my life, but you better believe the one thing that would trigger a Wolverinesque berserker rage would be someone striking my child.
Then Mrs. F goes to the story on CNN.com, hits the video, and I just about lose my shit.
On anchor Rick Sanchez.
His report starts with the words, "What would you do—" and my brain, naturally, finishes the sentence with, "if a stranger struck your child?"
But that's NOT what he says.
"What would you do—seriously—what would you do, to get a kid to stop crying?" Sanchez asks.
Are you for fucking real, you asshole? That's your fucking angle? Right after I'm done burying that child-abusing motherfucker in WalMart, I'm coming for you next, Sanchez.
"What would you do" about somebody else's tantruming kid is walk the fuck away. And when you report a story about some sadistic asshole that didn't, you check your "smug" at the fucking door. Yeah, this story is unusual, but it ain't a goddamn novelty—it's an outrage. To frame this as if the two-year-old is anything but a victim of violence is ridiculous.
--
Mrs F: "If someone laid their hands on my kid—that's the last time they'd have hands." [I laugh] "Seriously," she continues, "I'd head right to 'Kitchens' for a knife and give them a custom amputation."
Kudos and h/t to Supermom for the story and the Liam Neeson "Taken" reference.
