Dr. Boyce: Was Joe Jackson Really that Mean to His Kids?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I watched previews of the recent interview that Oprah Winfrey did with Joe and Katherine Jackson, parents of the late Michael Jackson.  In the interview, Oprah asked the Jacksons a probing question that sits on the minds of millions of people:  Did you beat your children?  Mr. Jackson had to answer the question truthfully, since everyone knows that he did engage in the act of physically disciplining his kids.   Before his confession, Joe did a  little Bill Clinton-like wordplay with Oprah over exactly what she meant by the word "beat." I understood what Joe was talking about, since there is a big difference between "beating" your kids and "whoopin" them.

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