Corporal punishment

I just saw a link on FB (from a Black FB page) about the "pastor" who allegedly beat and choked his daughter. Whether I believe him or not (I don't) isn't my problem right now - it's the responses I'm reading:

"he is a father of a teen...his daughter is going to thank him when she's grown."

"He beat dat azz and he should have. Disrespect =Azz Whoopin!!"

"He smacked the bithch in the mouth!"

"She got a whooping plain and simple. I doubt if he punched her, now he may have snatched her little butt up, and he grabbed her by her throat. But i highly doubt he punched her."

"spare the rod ,spoil the child."

"As a parent, sometimes you gotta do what'cho gotta do! What heh did was'nt abuse, it's was disipline ."

"If it went down, she probably deserved it. I know first hand how teens can push your buttons."

As most of you know I'm the white parent of a black son. He told me the other day one of the other kids (also AA) told him, "you're lucky your parents are white. They don't beat you."

I've heard from other black people, including the Black Studies class I was in (former Black Panther professor) - that beatings, whuppings, & other forms of physical abuse is rampant in the black community. He says it came from generations of being abused themselves (as slaves) and that it has been perpetuated in that community.

Also, there is a correlation between education and corporal punishment. The greater the education, the less likely one will use physical violence against their child. And as we all know, unfortunately, institutionalized racism has ensured that many Black Americans aren't receiving the education they deserve.

Is this true? Is it rampant? Or are these the minority and just some ignorant - er - people? Is whipping that pervasive in the Black community? And if so, what is your theory?

I find it sad and disturbing.