To know all is not to understand all, generally, but my feelings about the man accused of using a racial slur and slapping a crying baby on his flight to Atlanta are conflicted now that I know he was on his way to turn off life support for his only child.

I was not prepared for that story to get even sadder.

My in-laws are coming to visit in a couple of weeks to help me pack. So....yeah. We'll see how that goes.

I do not understand road head. I mean, if you're doing it right, he's going to be a little wrapped up to keep the car on the road. Not to mention that if he hits anything, it's going to be your head smacking the steering column.

Ginger,

I know plenty of grieving people who would not call babies a racial slur and slap them though. Clearly he was having a hard time, but couldn't he just ask the flight attendant to move him?

yeah. We'll see how that goes.

Oh, dear.

I don't condone what he did, but I also know what it's like to be on my last nerve. The parents of the unhurt toddler want the maximum penalty for a man who has lost his son and his job.

He lost his job over this, right? I don't know, I've never been a mother, but if you slap my toddler and you do hurt them, then I get to hit back, right? If it's not hurt, then maybe we can resolve it ia court of law. Slapping crying kids is a gesture of anger, not discipline, and it's a stranger, and...nah, I'd be pissed.

I thought he actually hurt the kid though, Ginger. I don't know I think i would feel sympathy, but oh well - you hit my kid.

Wow, a year in prison and a $100k fine? I'm sure he won't get that, but that's more time than the Steubenville rapists. Eesh.

That said, I can much more easily forgive slapping the baby than the racial slur. There's no call for either, but one is "I'm at the end of my rope and behaving in a way I shouldn't" and one is "when I'm at the end of my rope I'm behaving in a way I shouldn't AND I'm a jackass!"

I'm with Shana. You don't just start using racial slurs out of nowhere, you just forget to censor yourself.