Actually, I think your second and last paragraphs can give us the answer to these problems. Is society OK with doing the things in paragraph 2 to the elderly and disabled? If not, then it is not okay to do those things to children. That is the point of this article and others like it. Children are not some sub species of human. The idea of punishments and gaining compliance through fear, intimidation and/or pain needs to become obsolete and shamed.