George,

Corporal punishment is outlawed in Federal prisons, our military and most states... Euphemistically calling corporal punishment "spanking" does not alter the fact that it is fundamentally battery against another person... Can you imagine "spanking" a pregnant teenager or a 225 pound linebacker on the varsity football team? So it will be reserved for young kids and children for whom the last thing they need to learn is that physical violence against another individual is acceptable.

Harry Tenney (electronic mail, May 3, 2001).