The girl, identified in the report as Paige Mathews, 2, was not injured, but did suffer some redness in the face. She was treated at the scene and released, the report said.

I'd love to know how they "treated" the child at the scene. There's nothing to treat! Whenever any part of you is slapped, it turns pink for a while, and goes away on its own. Give me a break.

A felony? For something that didn't even hurt the child? That's like considering "spanking" a felony.

He has no authority over another person's child.  

Agreed, If someone were to touch my child without my agreement and I had a gun with me, he would soon be dead.

Depends on the laws of that particular state-between felony and misdmeanor......whether wording of law is good or bad is really another discussion entirely.......

we could all sympathize with this guy, but he should have walked away....esp if reports are true, he slapped child repeatedly.....a bit different than one time.......

Smacking a two-year old girl in the face is not that grievous an offense?

I would infer from this statement that you are a strict disciplinarian who believes children should be kept in their place.  But I doubt you would slap your young children on the face, let alone someone else's.  That is... Totally psycho.  I am trying to imagine myself casually strolling across a Wal-Mart in order to wallop a toddler and somehow it's not registering.  She is TWO years old.  

I'm not saying I would ever be inclined to do such a thing -- I'm just saying that the man didn't rob a bank or commit a rape. I think "felony" should be reserved for serious crimes, which hurt other human beings/society in a serious way.

A spanking that leaves no marks should not be considered a "felony", especially since it's humanly understandable for a bachelor to get upset at the sound of incessant crying. It's not the kind of thing you rot away in prison for years over.

If two adults get into a fist-fight is that a felony as well? If so, we have a messed up justice system.

He "only" slapped her, he didn't throw her on the ground, cause permanent injuries, or shoot her. I'm trying to be objective here, however horrible the incident must have been for the mother and child.

Is everything that causes one to gasp to be considered a felony? Why not call anyone who's ever lost their temper (or committed a mortal sin) a felon? I guess most of us are felons, now.

To me, calling this action a felony dilutes the meaning of "felony", and is an insult to all the victims of real felons (rape, kidnapping, battery victims, etc.)

I just think there's a bit of a mismatch here, justice-wise.

Matthew

I get what Chant is trying to say, not saying I believe I would do this to my own child at that age or another's, below is just something to think about.

How Times Have Changed

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1970 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
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Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1970 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.
2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
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Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1970 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin; Becomes a zombie; Tested for ADD; School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.
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Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1970 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.
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Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1970 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
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Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1970 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, and goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway, but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
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Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, and blows up a red ant bed.
1970 - Ants die.
2007 - ATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list; not allowed to fly again.
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Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1970 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sɛҳuąƖ predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of psycho-therapy.

I feel sorry for the man, who is old and likely suffering from mental illness.  His punishment is not fitting his crime.  But, they are going to make 'an example' out of him, aren't they?!  Cases such as this make it difficult for me to turn someone into the police.