corperal punishment

I feel the same exact way as I did the first time I wrote about this. It's easy to bring preconceptions/preexisting notions to a foriegn culture, in fact, its difficult not to. The presupposition of cultural superiority that such morally superior statements imply, however, is nothing short of offensive. There is no such thing as a custom that is wrong, so much as a traveler that is ignorant. Its important to remember ones position in a culture. As a guest, one shouldn't have to be reminded to be respectful. You don't go into a strangers house and take off your shoes if its obviously not his custom. The same thing that you may find respectful he may find the opposite. Since a foriegner has no way to contextualize actions, he is in no position to criticize them. A foriegner neccessarily comes from a position of ignorance, and that is no position from which to speak. Those truly desirous to live within a culture and to learn from it will be respectful of it. Its not that the traveler isn't entitled to his opinion or his values, but that he recognizes the fact that he's in no position to speak. I think I said all this better (and most certainly more vehemently) in a previous post, and I'm fairly certain it was sometime last june for those at all interested.
All this makes it sound like I'm all for beating kids, which is not the case. I simply suggest that we exhibit the decency required to treat all foriegn cultures with respect as opposed to condescention. Most outrage, I think, can be displaced with a little understanding.