Subject: Bonn Bans Backhand

Date: 10/15/98

More kultural warfare 101. CPR is curious if Christine and Rita have:

a. kids

b. well-adjusted/behaved kids

Note use of the words, "right" and "must".

Bonn hopes to ban smacking

GERMANY'S prospective Social Democrat family minister,

Christine Bergmann, wants to ban parents from smacking their

children. "The right of children to a violence-free upbringing

must be legally anchored," she said yesterday.

The Social Democrats' prospective coalition partners, the

Greens, are also in favour of legislation. One Green MP, Rita

Griesshaber, said: "The right of parents to administer corporal

punishment to their children must be abolished." Thirty percent

of parents are said to use smacking as a punishment.

Andrew Gimson, Berlin