What was weird was that the dispatcher asked "Was this normal discipline, or something else?" And I get that the dispatcher probably meant, was she beating the absolute shit out of the kids, or did she just ("just") hit them once?

But come on. Physically striking your children is not "normal" discipline, and fuck anyone who thinks so.

Oh Steph, how horrible. Thank you for calling.

Jesus. Fuck her.

And WOW, does this make me feel like Permit Patty. The family is black, and I *really* hesitated to call the police, because I don't want to be the catalyst of more racist behavior on the part of LEOs. (The police officer is white; he got here quickly and was very personable. [edit: Very personable to ME, Whitey McWhiterson.] He's over at Garbage Mom's house now.)

But I also can't stand by while children (they're 5, 6, and 12 -- she beat a 5-year-old girl on the bare legs with a leather belt) are physically abused in front of me. I will not. I don't care if Garbage Mom is pissed.

Good for you, Teppy!

Even if it were the first time you witnessed the abuse it would be right to call, but this is far from the first instance.

You are not Permit Patty. She beat them with a belt. Nope.

Even if it were the first time you witnessed the abuse it would be right to call, but this is far from the first instance.

Yeah, I called the time I witnessed her kicking her son through the front door into the house after dragging him up the steps. And I felt like Permit Patty then, too.

Well, no. I don't feel like Permit Patty, because I know that what Garbage Mom is doing is fucking WRONG. But I *do* worry about contributing to a situation where shitty racist behavior happens because I called the police on a black family, even though it was for legitimately wrong behavior. I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best, and this country fucking sucks when I have to hope that the police don't do something horrific when they're supposed to be protecting these kids. (AFAIK, it all turned out fine. I didn't hear any commotion, and the police officer is gone. After he talked to me, as he was crossing the street to Garbage Mom's house, he and I could both hear -- from behind the closed front door -- Garbage Mom yelling and swearing at the top of her lungs. And I thought, yeah, I made the right call here.)

I made that same call once, for a black man hitting what looked a 4-year-old repeatedly with a belt, in public. The police said it was a cultural difference and didn't come. I was floored.

I was once accused of racism against some Latinx neighbors because I objected to them leaving their (neatly wrapped) garbage in the hallway.