Spanking foes target paddle purveyor

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa., June 25 (UPI) -- An anti-spanking activist is taking her battle to the suburbs of Pittsburgh where a man mails out paddles to parents claiming he was ordered to by God.

Susan Lawrence of Massachusetts, director of Stop the Rod, says she's appalled by someone making money by selling items that hurt children.

But contractor Joey Salvati of New Kensington told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he isn't in it for the money and sends out his handmade wooden paddles free of charge -- only asking for $5.75 to cover shipping.

Salvati told the newspaper he was moved to become a paddle provider during a prayer session in 2002.

"It came, 'Make paddles. Give them away,'" he said. "I blew it off. The fourth time, it came real hard."

Although Silvati urges restraint and demonstrations of love to go along with his corrective swats, Lawrence says her group is urging city officials and Silvati himself to give up his calling.