Remember the laptop shooting Dad thread.....

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Laptop-shooting dad's rant draws raves, reprimands



It's classic parent-teenager strife, revamped for the Internet age: A 15-year-old takes to Facebook to curse her parents and complain about chores and the pressures of youth. Her disgusted father videotapes and posts a lengthy rebuttal punctuated by nine gunshots as he empties his pistol into her laptop.

The bizarre tech-xecution has garnered more than 26 million views on YouTube and tens of thousands more on Facebook, touching a nerve with others tired of their kids' attitudes but also drawing backlash from parents who have kept such desires in check, people who believe the father is the one being childish.

"It represents a fantasy scenario for parents," said Anthony Rotolo, a Syracuse University professor who specializes in social media. "Most parents would not respond in this manner ... but many parents have certainly felt unappreciated and imagined taking similar action."

The furor began when Tommy Jordan of Albemarle, N.C., aired his feelings in the video he posted last week. Sitting in an Adirondack chair on an expansive stretch of grass, Jordan is wearing jeans, a plaid shirt and a wide-brimmed hat, a lit cigarette between his fingers.

Then he launches into his diatribe, quoting from his daughter's Facebook post, in which she told her parents "I'm not your damn slave," "I'm tired of picking up after you," and "You know how hard it is to keep up with the chores and schoolwork? It's freaking crazy."

Jordan is clearly infuriated by his daughter's suggestion that she be paid for her chores and disturbed by her decision to go public with her criticism.

"You don't have to worry about buying a new laptop battery. You don't have to worry about buying a new power cord. You don't have to worry about buying a new camera. Because you won't be using any of them till probably college," he says in the video. "I don't know how to say how disappointed I am in you and how disrespectful you were to every single adult in your life. But, kid, you've got it easy, way easy. It's about to get harder."

Rising from his chair and picking up the video camera, he settles the image on the laptop, set on a patch of dirt among the grass. He shows his .45-caliber gun for the camera, then fires nine rounds into the computer.

"I hope it was all worth this," he says to her.

Jordan has not given any interviews to reporters.

Other parents have been eager to weigh in on his outburst.

Sonia Carballo, 37, of Bethlehem, Pa., found herself laughing aloud when she saw the video last week. Her three children — ages 9, 13 and 16 — air similar complaints that their mother is too strict, that she doesn't understand, or that they have too many chores.

"He's a parent after my own heart," said Carballo, an insurance claims processor. "I thought he handled it better than I would have. She was completely out of line and disrespectful."

Michael Sands, 66, of Los Angeles, said he's had similar arguments with his 16-year-old son, whom he says he can't peel away from the computer to do simple things like eat dinner or take a shower. Sands has been so frustrated that once, he tipped over his son's computer tower. Another time, he flicked a switch on the circuit breaker to cut power to the computer.

"They are hooked on the computer and it gets under any person's skin," said Sands, a media consultant. "It really gets to be a match against your child."

Messages of support have poured in for Jordan from similarly frustrated parents who admired him following through on his threats. But others say he stooped to a child's level and taught his daughter nothing with his show.

Carleton Kendrick, 65, a Mills, Mass., psychotherapist and father of two, said he found it troubling the video was resonating with so many people and called Jordan's actions "frightening and humiliating."

"What's next from this guy, filming himself burning all his daughter's clothes in a pile on his lawn because she dressed in a manner he considered too provocative?" Kendrick asked.

Gary Baker, a 51-year-old father of two teenagers in New York, said all parents find themselves pushed to the edge from time to time, but he thought Jordan overreacted.

"She was simply venting to her friends and showing the world what a spoiled, self-centered and unappreciative child she was. Nothing even slightly unusual there for a teenager," he said. "For any parent to respond with wanton violence and destruction of property is unnecessary and clearly an overreaction."

Dr. David Reiss, a psychiatrist who's interim medical director at Providence Hospital in Holyoke, Mass., said the teen was expressing normal emotions of someone their age.

"A kid who isn't complaining, a kid who isn't testing limits isn't going to grow up," he said. "The worst thing you can do is to show inappropriate behavior as a parent. What does that lead the kid to want to do? To one-up that."

There are no signs of that in Jordan's case, not yet at least. But he had a warning for his daughter in his video message: She needs to pay him back for the bullets, too.

[Grumpy]

I sort of side with him, some times they need a rude awaking . Years ago my daughter got very belligerent, ranting about doing minor chores, treating her mother like crap etc. I gave her more than enough warning about her attitude. When she was 17 started the same stuff, but worse, I laid the law down, and told her, if you live under my roof, you will clean up your attitude. She blew up and stormed out of the house, 5 hrs later she came home, every thing she owned was on the porch, I told her, get your crap and go, I do not need your behavior or attitude here. After sitting in the yard for several hrs, she begged forgiveness from her mother and I. We let her back in, never had another problem from her, I guess you could call it shock treatment, but it worked.

[John Schmidt]

I know one thing, if I had EVER shown the disrepect and mouthed off to/about my parents like she did, I would have paid dearly. I've seen that same spoiled brat attitude in some of my grandchildren and more than once I've taken them aside and talked to them. A couple of my four daughters tried "dad" when they were teenagers. Both were warned by my oldest to not go there but they wouldn't listen. And, they lost the battle. They have long since as adults come to me and their mother and not only apologized, but took steps to try and repay somehow.

As for the father blasting the laptop, he has my support.

[sugerbear]

looks like the majority of negative comments were from therapist/ psycologists.

wonder what that means?

[junior]

looks like the majority of negative comments were from therapist/ psycologists.

wonder what that means?

the more disturbed people out there the more money can make..........its just like some fire fighters that i have read about, they go light a fire so the fire dept. can go put it out. hence they get paid

[da prez]

  I was born in 1947. Both parents , prior marriages, prior children. We had chores and were expected to do them . Allowance was optional. We played and got into trouble outside. The telephone was a party line. In case you youngsters do not know, seven people on one line. A spanking or grounding was common punishment. My dad was a "hillbilly" according to him. BUT, we were taught to say yes sir or maam no sir or maam ( not no problem ) open doors for people ,carry groceries for others if they wanted help. We cut grass, raked leaves and did what we had to do. It took me a year to save  for my new bike (pedal power) These whining little $hyou know today expect there butts to be taken care of. Ask my daughters, and son they had to play outside. We spent time with our children. I've ranted enough.
                                                         da prez

[The Anvil]

looks like the majority of negative comments were from therapist/ psycologists.

wonder what that means?

It means that with a little education you might actually have a clue. Being a lazy, immature parent OTOH, leads to what you saw in that video.

Guns N' Roses-Dead Horse	powered by Aeva

[The Anvil]

I sort of side with him, some times they need a rude awaking . Years ago my daughter got very belligerent, ranting about doing minor chores, treating her mother like crap etc. I gave her more than enough warning about her attitude. When she was 17 started the same stuff, but worse, I laid the law down, and told her, if you live under my roof, you will clean up your attitude. She blew up and stormed out of the house, 5 hrs later she came home, every thing she owned was on the porch, I told her, get your crap and go, I do not need your behavior or attitude here. After sitting in the yard for several hrs, she begged forgiveness from her mother and I. We let her back in, never had another problem from her, I guess you could call it shock treatment, but it worked.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact I'd likely do the same. What would have been over the the line would have been filming it and putting it on youtube.

[Gear Jammer]

My oldest son had a "boombox" radio he kept in his room.  I had threatened to take it away, but he informed me that he had bought that with his money, so I couldn't take it away.  I agreed with him.  I then proceeded to remove all the electrical outlets in his room.  Yeah, I know it was childish behavior to a progressive apologist,,,

[art]

I agree with the him I would do the same.Many years ago my son had some car parts that had to go since we had the house up for sale.This went on for a few months .I told him I was going to get rid of the stuff if he didn't .I ended up getting a bug skip loader an digging a big hole out in the back field we had an burying everything 6' down .He came unglued but I said tough I told you so.

[RoadKill]

I sort of side with him, some times they need a rude awaking . Years ago my daughter got very belligerent, ranting about doing minor chores, treating her mother like crap etc. I gave her more than enough warning about her attitude. When she was 17 started the same stuff, but worse, I laid the law down, and told her, if you live under my roof, you will clean up your attitude. She blew up and stormed out of the house, 5 hrs later she came home, every thing she owned was on the porch, I told her, get your crap and go, I do not need your behavior or attitude here. After sitting in the yard for several hrs, she begged forgiveness from her mother and I. We let her back in, never had another problem from her, I guess you could call it shock treatment, but it worked.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact I'd likely do the same. What would have been over the the line would have been filming it and putting it on youtube.

She chose the battlefield. Dad ended it where it started...In PUBLIC!  She may want to consider that nextime ! 

[Rams]

I sort of side with him, some times they need a rude awaking . Years ago my daughter got very belligerent, ranting about doing minor chores, treating her mother like crap etc. I gave her more than enough warning about her attitude. When she was 17 started the same stuff, but worse, I laid the law down, and told her, if you live under my roof, you will clean up your attitude. She blew up and stormed out of the house, 5 hrs later she came home, every thing she owned was on the porch, I told her, get your crap and go, I do not need your behavior or attitude here. After sitting in the yard for several hrs, she begged forgiveness from her mother and I. We let her back in, never had another problem from her, I guess you could call it shock treatment, but it worked.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact I'd likely do the same. What would have been over the the line would have been filming it and putting it on youtube.

Ya think?  My generation didn't do a great job of teaching our children to be responsible for their actions, if a few parents paid attention and learned something from it, then it wasn't a wasted effort.  Would I have put it on youtube, no but then my answer would not have been to shoot the lap top, I'd have made my kid personally give it to someone in need of one and then wrote if off as a charitable donation.  End result would have been the same but with out all the dramatics.  Well exccept for the fit my kid would have thrown. 

[3fan4life]

It means that with a little education you might actually have a clue. Being a lazy, immature parent OTOH, leads to what you saw in that video.

Evidently you've never had the pleasure of dealing with "EDUCATED IDIOTS".   

[Jess Tolbirt]

my Mother once told me to take out the trash and i replied to her, "just a minute Mom" The next thing i remember was the belt across my ass and legs from my Dad,,He told me to NEVER again tell my Mom to wait a minute...you know what? i never did it again, she said jump and i asked how far!!! I never got a beating i didnt deserve but when i got one i remembered the rest of my life what i did wrong and never did it again,,,yes i love them both and they are long gone now,,but the memories remain and they are good ones,,,

[RoadKill]

It means that with a little education you might actually have a clue. Being a lazy, immature parent OTOH, leads to what you saw in that video.

Evidently you've never had the pleasure of dealing with "EDUCATED IDIOTS".   

He is in NewHampshire!  I'm sure he has dealt with LOTS of democrats! 

[The Anvil]

I sort of side with him, some times they need a rude awaking . Years ago my daughter got very belligerent, ranting about doing minor chores, treating her mother like crap etc. I gave her more than enough warning about her attitude. When she was 17 started the same stuff, but worse, I laid the law down, and told her, if you live under my roof, you will clean up your attitude. She blew up and stormed out of the house, 5 hrs later she came home, every thing she owned was on the porch, I told her, get your crap and go, I do not need your behavior or attitude here. After sitting in the yard for several hrs, she begged forgiveness from her mother and I. We let her back in, never had another problem from her, I guess you could call it shock treatment, but it worked.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact I'd likely do the same. What would have been over the the line would have been filming it and putting it on youtube.

She chose the battlefield. Dad ended it where it started...In PUBLIC!  She may want to consider that nextime ! 

Aaaaaaaand thanks for proving my point. As a parent (NOT A PEER) you are supposed to be above that behavior. If you sink to that level then you cede the moral high ground. It's related to the same reasoning why you should be their parent and not try to be their friend.

This really seems like basic common sense to me but as they say; "common sense isn't so common".   

[The Anvil]

I never got a beating i didnt deserve

Yes you did. Being physically abused for telling your mom to wait a minute was out of line. Nobody ever had to beat me to get me to respect my mother. All it took was a talking-to and I got my head on straight. Would a talking to have worked on you? Maybe not, but your father could have given it a shot. If you still acted like an ass then go to town. But assaulting a child with a utensil like a belt should not be the first thing in your bag of tricks.

[The Anvil]

It means that with a little education you might actually have a clue. Being a lazy, immature parent OTOH, leads to what you saw in that video.

Evidently you've never had the pleasure of dealing with "EDUCATED IDIOTS".  

Oh sure I have. But I've dealt with far more of the uneducated variety.

[RoadKill]

I never got a beating i didnt deserve

Yes you did. Being physically abused for telling your mom to wait a minute was out of line. Nobody ever had to beat me to get me to respect my mother. All it took was a talking-to and I got my head on straight. Would a talking to have worked on you? Maybe not, but your father could have given it a shot. If you still acted like an ass then go to town. But assaulting a child with a utensil like a belt should not be the first thing in your bag of tricks.

That sure explains alot of the last 3209 posts! Some one should have shot his laptop a long time ago!

[Jess Tolbirt]

Hey Anvil,, if you would have raised my 3 boys i believe you have a different point of view,, LOL

[x]

my Mother once told me to take out the trash and i replied to her, "just a minute Mom" The next thing i remember was the belt across my ass and legs from my Dad,,He told me to NEVER again tell my Mom to wait a minute...you know what? i never did it again, she said jump and i asked how far!!! I never got a beating i didnt deserve but when i got one i remembered the rest of my life what i did wrong and never did it again,,,yes i love them both and they are long gone now,,but the memories remain and they are good ones,,,

No escaping the fact that this is child abuse.

[MAD6Gun]

Yes you did. Being physically abused for telling your mom to wait a minute was out of line. Nobody ever had to beat me to get me to respect my mother. All it took was a talking-to and I got my head on straight. Would a talking to have worked on you? Maybe not, but your father could have given it a shot. If you still acted like an ass then go to town. But assaulting a child with a utensil like a belt should not be the first thing in your bag of tricks.

 I am so freeking sick of all you "enlightened" people that thinks paddling a kid is child abuse. ITS NOT. I got my share of paddling when I was a kid for any number of things that kids do. I turned out just fine. I NEVER did drugs of any kind, don't drink and NEVER got thrown in jail. That goes for the rest of my brothers and sister as well. In fact the only trouble I ever got into was automotive related. I was a speed demon. My upbringing was the reason. My father (Solo1 for those that don't know) instilled values on all of us when we were young.

 A lot of kids today are not instilled with the same values IMHO. Some want everything giving to them and when they don't they get they lash out at others like this guys daughter did. I commend this guy for doing it. She will get the point. As far as "the gratuitous Violence" someone stated here.Get real,he shot a bunch of holes in a laptop. Big Freeking Deal.  I am sure he paid for it so he was destroying his own property. 

 That is what she gets for "trashing" her parents on facebook.  In my opinion he was just using the same means she used to humiliate him. I really doubt she is going to need "counseling" to get over being so called humiliated....

[x]

I am so freeking sick of all you "enlightened" people that thinks paddling a kid is child abuse. ITS NOT

Striking a child with a belt is abuse, and I would turn the perp in.

[RoadKill]

I am so freeking sick of all you "enlightened" people that thinks paddling a kid is child abuse. ITS NOT

Striking a child with a belt is abuse, and I would turn the perp in.

Sounds like your lack of a whoopin was pure child NEGLECT! 

[x]

I am so freeking sick of all you "enlightened" people that thinks paddling a kid is child abuse. ITS NOT

Striking a child with a belt is abuse, and I would turn the perp in.

Sounds like your lack of a whoopin was pure child NEGLECT! 

You have no idea what my childhood was like.  Abuse is no answer.  Children are routinely raised that are kind, caring, affectionate, motivated, respectful, productive, and independent without being beaten with a belt... or being beaten... or even being spanked... period.  Those that think otherwise are ignorant of what it takes to raise a child... just like the "daddy" that needs to shoot up a laptop.

[junior]

my Mother once told me to take out the trash and i replied to her, "just a minute Mom" The next thing i remember was the belt across my ass and legs from my Dad,,He told me to NEVER again tell my Mom to wait a minute...you know what? i never did it again, she said jump and i asked how far!!! I never got a beating i didnt deserve but when i got one i remembered the rest of my life what i did wrong and never did it again,,,yes i love them both and they are long gone now,,but the memories remain and they are good ones,,,

No escaping the fact that this is child abuse.

there are all levels of child abuse.......... can you name them all? there dad?

[The Anvil]

Hey Anvil,, if you would have raised my 3 boys i believe you have a different point of view,, LOL

I'm not saying that children can't push a parent so far that an ass whuppin isn't called for. I'm just saying that it isn't the FIRST option. That should be a LAST resort. And by then you've usually failed anyway.

I'm not crapping on your dad either. My dad is gone too. I still miss him the way you miss yours and he was a good man who made a lot of mistakes (as do we all).

[The Anvil]

Yes you did. Being physically abused for telling your mom to wait a minute was out of line. Nobody ever had to beat me to get me to respect my mother. All it took was a talking-to and I got my head on straight. Would a talking to have worked on you? Maybe not, but your father could have given it a shot. If you still acted like an ass then go to town. But assaulting a child with a utensil like a belt should not be the first thing in your bag of tricks.

 I am so freeking sick of all you "enlightened" people that thinks paddling a kid is child abuse. ITS NOT. I got my share of paddling when I was a kid for any number of things that kids do. I turned out just fine. I NEVER did drugs of any kind, don't drink and NEVER got thrown in jail. That goes for the rest of my brothers and sister as well. In fact the only trouble I ever got into was automotive related. I was a speed demon. My upbringing was the reason. My father (Solo1 for those that don't know) instilled values on all of us when we were young.

 A lot of kids today are not instilled with the same values IMHO. Some want everything giving to them and when they don't they get they lash out at others like this guys daughter did. I commend this guy for doing it. She will get the point. As far as "the gratuitous Violence" someone stated here.Get real,he shot a bunch of holes in a laptop. Big Freeking Deal.  I am sure he paid for it so he was destroying his own property. 

 That is what she gets for "trashing" her parents on facebook.  In my opinion he was just using the same means she used to humiliate him. I really doubt she is going to need "counseling" to get over being so called humiliated....

Here's another one who just doesn't get why what the "father" did was wrong. It has nothing to do with the punishment being excessive (well maybe for a few it does). It's about staying above the childish behavior that you're trying to combat and setting an example so when the day comes that the daughter is ready to grow up she has a something to look back and build a foundation on. All she's going to see now is her father acting like a wounded jackass.

Seriously, is he that embarrassed by how he's portrayed to HER FRIENDS through Facebook? Because I personally don't give a flying phuck what my daughter's friends think of me and nobody should. Without even realizing it the joke is on him because soon enough she'll be beyond his sphere of influence and control at which point she can vilify him all she likes and since he obviously cares what they think...

You are their parent, NOT THEIR FRIEND OR PEER. Act appropriately.

[x]

You are their parent, NOT THEIR FRIEND OR PEER. Act appropriately.

+1!