A father compromises his teenaged daughter’s Facebook page, and her privacy — and possibly her civil rights — and finds a long diatribe she wrote in anger, apparently, about how her parents mistreat her. And then he responds, by recording this video, and posting it to his Facebook page — and hers.
I would not be surprised if there are legal issues involved, and I would not be surprised if he gets a visit from law enforcement or child protection officials.
You have to watch the entire video though to the end, but don’t skip to the end.
Yes, teenagers can be tough to manage. Yes, it can be hard to teach responsibility. Yes, it can be hard to relate to someone who has grown up in a very different world than you did. Yes, it’s frustrating when kids and teens don’t understand what it really cost — not only financially, but emotionally — to put a roof over their heads and food on the table.
The father, Tommy Jordan, on his YouTube page, writes, “If you’re so disrespectful to your parents and yourself as to post this kind of thing on Facebook, you’re deserving of some tough love. Today, my daughter is getting a dose of tough love.”
But, as the person who shared this video with me wrote, “You never parent through shame and embarrassment. And guns.”
Just pause for a moment and think about why he’s has just taught her.
What may be just as bad as this father’s parenting skills are some of the comments supporting him on his Facebook page.
Frankly, I was a little torn in the beginning. Except that he posted this online. Until I got to the end. Then I was furious.
And I can’t help but think, millions of Americans, and dozens of state legislatures, are trying to keep gay men and lesbians from adopting children and raising families in a loving environment because we can’t be trusted to raise them well? Exhibit A, in opposition, right here, your Honor.
What are your thoughts?
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{ 16 comments }
He didn't "hack" into her Facebook account…he read her letter because it was shared to an account where it showed in his stream. There are no civil rights issues here whatsoever…what it is, is a parent keeping his word and teaching a valuable lesson about responsibility, consequences, and how using Facebook in an abusive manner is detrimental. Kudos to him.
Don't hate me, but I'm gonna disagree with you on this one. I think the little brat got exactly what she deserved. Sometimes, when nothing else works, a little embarassment and humilation does the trick. I guarantee you she won't pull any crap like that again.
I would bet as soon as she graduates high school, her parents won't see her again. If his goal was to alienate his own daughter, then he succeeded.
Oh, please.
You are so right, Jeff. Before she graduates high school it would be more likely that she will run away from home to live on the streets selling her body to survive. Oh but that never happens, right? Only time will tell.
If she would go to that extreme and make those choices, it certainly won't be because of her father's actions in this video.
Funny how so far the comments all disagree with you, and here's another. He in no way threatened his child. The whole "bullets" reference in the article was SHAMEFUL because I watched this fearing he was going to threaten his child, but to my surprise, he actually seemed pretty rational. You were furious because he shot the computer? If you are thinking he was threatening his child by shooting the laptop, then I think the issue is actually with YOU, not with him. There was no veiled threat there. What I see here is a frustrated dad that acted reasonably and NCRM for once going out into left field and using sensationalism in an article to draw readers. I think there should be much more shame on your reaction.
All right, so, there's a few issues with this article. First off, about the Facebook thing. The moment she posted that little rant on facebook, the daughter made the situation public. The only people she kept from seeing her site were her family, and her church, meaning that she was trying to keep it hidden from them, but told the rest of the world. She brought it out into the open. Jordan only answered it there. If anything, the invasion of privacy was on the daughters part. She's the one who started posting family matters for all the world to see.
Second, is the issue with the gun. Yes, it's a little over dramatic. But, he shot her laptop, not her. He did not threaten his daughter with the gun. He was not trying to intimidate her. And actually, it's his laptop, not hers. If he paid for it, he has every right to do whatever he wants with it. To be honest, I think he might have used it just to attract attention and get people talking. Apparently, that worked.
Third is really the response. This girl has not been victimized. There is no grounds for an abuse case here. And the little tie in at the end to homosexual adoption rights is tenuous at best. Mostly though, it's the thought that this girl is somehow being victimized. The answer is, no, she's not. She's being parented. Every parent has different methods, and all that you're seeing here is the end result of what has probably been an ongoing issue. As observers, we don't know what led up to this. We don't know what the daughter has said about her family, or what other things are occurring in the home. All we know is what we've seen in this nine minute window. That's not enough to make any kind of sound judgement.
P.S.- Would you kindly leave a warning the next time you drop a link that leads to a twitter page covered in the image of a topless woman? That's something I'd like to avoid seeing.
If you go to his facebook page, you can see he didn't compromise her facebook, her privacy, or any civil rights. She blocked her parents from seeing it but not the profile of their dog. When he went to upload a photo of the dog to the dog's page he spotted it in the dog's stream. https://www.facebook.com/tommyjordaniii/posts/101…
I agree with this dad. Her rights? Did she pay for the computer and the internet that runs it? I can not go to work and talk shit about my employers on a company computer and then cry they invaded my rights when they fire me.
This is the new way parents do it now, instead of showing up at your school in their PJs and ripping you out of class and whooping you in the hallway for all your peers to hear.
ahh the good old days,
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I see a parent disrespecting his daughter, who disrespected her father and mother, but please keep in mind, she is a CHILD, and children do stuff like this. It is her parents responsibility to behave as adults and teach her to become one, and they are doing a piss poor job at it. I found the father to be totally irrational and irresponsible, as well as immature. Destroying property, publicly humiliating his daughter will have nothing but dire consequences.
As to her civil rights being violated, I can not agree with that, FB is FB, nothing is sacred.
I suggest counseling for all of them, before this escalates any further, and hopefully they can repair their relationship.
I have lived in several foreign countries and traveled widely. There is not another society on the planet that allows adolescents to display the anti-social behavior and privilege that we allow teenagers in America. Children like Hannah are what is wrong with our society. I think the father deserves respect and congratulations for putting a snotty little brat in her place.
I agree with the majority of posts. He was disappointed in his daughter and angry but in control and rational.. He told her the last time that he would put a bullet through it if she did it again and he did. That is follow through. They clearly live in an area where gun use is typical. He did not do this in front of her, which to me, would have been threatening. And it is HIS computer…not hers. She would never get the lesson of how using social media to talk about other people is unkind and hurtful unless SHE EXPERIENCES IT. How do we know? Because this is a repeat offense. Yes children should have an opportunity to vent to their friends…we all did it…but to make it public? I stand with Mr. Jordan. NCRM–you are WAY off base on this one.call off your dogs.
"Call off your dogs?" Seriously? The last sentence I wrote was "What are your thoughts?" I didn't say call your congressman. I didn't offer a petition. I offered my opinion and asked for yours. Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.
Your opinion is beyond stupid, and I pity any kids left in your care.
I think you're too light in the loafers to parent effectively.
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