Violence begets violence, hate begets hate
this issue must end before it's too late

it's one thing to spank, quite another to beat
whether its done at home or out in the street

public embarrassment just angers your kid
resentment will grow of which you'll never be rid

families then broken bonds forever lost
public beatings have a terrible cost

this circle exists and there is no denying
in the end what you'll find is a parent who's crying

wondering why their kids have lost all respect
when their beatings have been a form of neglect

sparing the rod is not spoiling the child
when it's most often the rod that makes the youth wild

parents wake up, if it's fear that you want
what you will gain are regrets that forever will haunt

your child needs you to be their greatest hero
don't treat them in a way that you appear as a zero

the mother in Baltimore in that brief little session
has taught to her son a truly terrible lesson

there's a form of discipline, one that's way over the line
that when their child misbehaves, they've learned that beatings are fine

you see beatings get passed down to the next generation
when the kids beat their own kids, it's a regeneration

nobody's been listening, the problem's not gone
the circle continues and the beating goes on