Belts, Hairbrushes, and Shock Collars

There is a story in the news today about a Connecticut couple who are facing charges after forcing a 9-year-old girl “in their care” to wear an electric shock collar designed for dogs and to bark like a dog so that it would shock her. The couple was allegedly “upset about the girl’s school progress.” While this is certainly a disturbing story, I can’t help but think that the use of an electric shock collar as a method of eliciting compliance through fear and pain is not really all that different than the use of a belt, hairbrush, or similar tool in a manner designed to cause pain. Until we acknowledge that initiating force against a child is every bit as immoral and unjust as initiating force against any other individual, we will continue to see this type of revolting child abuse taking place.

Parrish

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Parrish Miller has worked as a web designer, policy analyst, blogger, journalist, digital media manager, and social media marketing consultant. Having been largely cured of his political inclinations, he now finds philosophy more interesting than politics and is focused particularly on alternative ideas such as counter-economics, agorism, voluntaryism, and unschooling.