> Said no modern, respectable, progressive, white, American scientist who has studied the phenomenon within the last thirty years.

Fixed it for you.

Here's the basic problem:

- Most punishments for kids outside of mainstream cultural norms are harmful

- Most punishments in anger are harmful

Living within that context, I don't use corporal punishment, and I think it would be harmful to my child. However, I am not at all ready to generalize the results to outside of that context.

Another way I'd frame it: The research evidence is at the level where I'm glad to call it a best practice (which I follow), and encourage others to do so. It's not yet at the level where I'm ready to judge people -- especially in other cultures -- who don't.