Massachusetts could pass "No Spanking" bill

My parents did not believe in corporal punishment; mostly they just reasoned with us and usually we would listen. But there were rare occasions when it was justified. Once, when I was about five, I ran out in the street when a car was coming. My grandfather spanked me, not hard, but enough to get my attention. I don't resent it; I would do the same thing if a child of mine did that. I am against spanking in most cases, but sometimes it is appropriate. How do you make a law that distinguishes between justifiable discipline and child abuse?

I'm anti-spanking myself, but I just don't see how such a law can reasonably be enforced. The other problem is that this will not stop people from spanking, it will only make them go more underground, and make them threaten their kids if they report them. Just like with abuse.

I know lots of spanked kids who became gang members, and I also know some who turned out okay. I know of very few unspanked kids who became gang members, but I know of a lot who turned out okay.

Then again, Hitler and Fred Phelps were spanked regularly, so I guess if you're trying to raise a Nazi or extreme homophobe then you definitely want to spank your kids...