BGM wrote:I understand and respect your positions. For me, though, I would need to see one more thing before I could cheer for AD again. I would want him to seek counseling and commit to changing his approach to disciplining his children. He admitted what he did, but has taken no responsibility for the fact that his actions cut and bruised his four year old child. While that may be considered a moral judgement on my part, I do not think it would be unreasonable. From a purely PR perspective, it would be the surest way to rehabilitate his character.
I think his current legal position makes it hard for him to come forward and say much of anything. I imagine his lawyer has told him to keep quiet.
To his credit, in his statement, he said that he's sorry ("I want everyone to understand how sorry I feel about the hurt I have brought to my child") and accepted at least some degree of responsibility for his actions ("I have to live with the fact that when I disciplined my son the way I was disciplined as a child, I caused an injury that I never intended or thought would happen").
He hasn't made a direct commitment to changing the way he disciplines his children but he did say,:
"I know that many people disagree with the way I disciplined my child. I also understand after meeting with a psychologist that there are other alternative ways of disciplining a child that may be more appropriate."
He's also expressed a desire to learn from his mistakes and become a better parent. I get the feeling he has said what he can say and is doing what he can do given his current situation.
