Is this a case of mind your own business, or is it now your business when a man hits a toddler in the face at a grocery store?

Corporal punishment has a time and place and is effective in certain situations. A slap on the hand or a stinging pop on the ass is alright in my book. My parents used it on me and I used it on my children...always as a last resort and not abusive.

Pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to keep my composure. Probably would have ended up with me punching that fool in the face and asking him how he liked it and, if he would like to try that on someone his own size. The man dance would have been on like donkey kong!!!

"No telling what that kid already did earlier in the day."

There is absolutely NO reason to EVER physically abuse a child.

As a parent I agree that children should be disciplined but there is a big difference between abuse and discipline. A smack on the hand or swat/paddling of the butt is fine. Punching a child? WRONG ANSWER.

My father in law is a corrections officer in California. I should ask him to ask any friends he may have in Bakersfield corrections to make sure this guy gets "preferential treatment."

There is no possible way I would have kept my mouth shut. Honestly I probably would've begged him to do that to me! I'm guessing that is the mom? She just took him out of the store without saying a word? And who is behind the surveillance camera that they could just sit record and watch? Glad they did for the evidence but something clearly happened before hand because they were all ready following the kiddo. People like that,.......... ..ggggrrrrrr

Running up to the toddler and slapping him down on the ground? Are you kidding me? Jerk would have tasted my right hook. Maybe a swat on the butt but knocking him down to the ground? I was raised with spankings and switches and I turned out ok. But when my kids were little I have to say I was paranoid about punishing them in public because it's a different world now than when I was raised.

Everything is situationally dependent.... I would intervene to help any child or person for that matter.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

Well, tackle the bastard wasn't an option...

After watching the video, I wouldn't do anything for one slap. His mom took him outside and the dad walked away. None of my business unless he continued to slap the kid around. Then, I would step in and call the police.

Few things here, CSM.. As someone who was also raised in a different generation to Olde World (Irish) parents, there were no shortage of ass-clippings anywhere it was necessary as well as the wooden spoon. I say this not as a point of pride, but as parenting tool back then to many.

1) The (assumed) parents look young.
2) The man (father?) appears to have took a running start and almost come up off the ground to lay that poor child out. Big man, the child is probably what, 40-50 lbs if that?
3) The female (mother?), appeared unfazed by the man's actions. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last time this happens to that child. Nor to the impending child as she is pregnant.

Sadly, we will probably see that young boy doing the same to someone else in another video in 15-20 years. God bless (help) that family unit.

As to what I would have done? Hard call. My gut tells me that I would have got my Irish up on that young couple.

I'm all for spanking a kid who has earned corporal punishment. I watched the video, that kid looks like he needs some discipline (at a toddler's level) but what that guy did is assault and abuse.

No one should ever smack a kid so that he falls down, even with his apparent momentum. Nor should they yank a kid up by their arms like that. I have a feeling I would have come unhinged and gone after that guy, even worse if that was my kid he did that to.

Clearly the first step is to call Law Enforcement. That being said if the life of the child is in danger, do what you can with in your means. Are you physical stronger that the abuser, are your prepared to get in a fight, what if he is armed? One has to be very careful when dealing with people like this; he could be and likely is mentally ill. In this case the child was able to leave so use your cell phone, watch him from a distance and report his location to the police.

If you are in a group of people that you know and trust take him down hard and make a citizens arrest. If you feel you can over power him with out getting hurt go for it; however, you too may end up arrested and charged with assault.