[Faceman]

I think spanking is "inappropriate" for several reasons but I don't think it's necessarily "wrong".

1. Spanking is a form of punishment and
Let's face it anti-authoritarian education does not work so some time you will need to punish your child but
2. Spanking is not the best punishment because it teaches you kid that destructive violence is an appropriate tool in situations where one of two people wields supreme power - when I say destructive violence I mean spanking a child afterwards for breaking a vase opposed to firmly (and maybe hurtfully) grabbing him/her before he/she can do so.
3. there are other forms of effective short term punishments like assigning immediate chores or giving them a long tough and boring talk.
4. IF you spank your child IMHO you should make sure it "hurts you more than him". In fact this is true for every punishment. It gets out of hand exactly when you slap/spank/ground/punish your kid not to educate it but to take personal revenge and may it be a soft thoughtless slap in a second just because he/she drove you so mad.
I know from my personal experience in teaching that you can get rough (not physically, I'm talking 'bout yelling and extra-homework) with a kid and it works as long as you take no personal pleasure in it.