Here are my thoughts on spanking.
There is spanking and there is child abuse under the umbrella of spanking. I am an expert in this area. My parents were abusive. The lickings I got have no place in society. This was often referred to as an a .. whooping. However, based on culture and context of time they were loving and caring parents who did what they thought was best for me. I also saw them as loving parents. I still do today.
I was not the sharpest tack in the box and many times I did things that triggered my parents to punish me. Things like, not completing chores, coming home after assigned time, etc. There were numerous times when I was black and blued from the lickings. At the time, I accepted this as normal. Other kids I knew got the same from their parents.
Fast forward to life in America. Today, along with the supreme court, I do support a parent's right to spank a child. However, if a parent chooses to spank a child it should not result in black and blue bruises. Red bruises are okay. Some people bruise very easily.
The spanking should be in the palm of hands or on the butt and administered w/o anger or frustration. Beatings across the head and body clearly demonstrates an out of control parent. This is when the parent needs a time out.
Here is an interesting part. I have three kids and never spanked anyone of them. I never even threatened them. I did tell them about the lickings I received. When they were young I asked them why they never acted up in restaurants, grocery stores, etc. like other kids. My kids responded, "You would give us a look and we felt you would give us a serious spanking if we did act up."