The Thin Line B/T Thought and Action

[Goatman455]

I have a question for everyone. Is it ok for someone to threaten someone else physically for the words they have spoken?


I was in this situation where I saw someone threatening a guy because this guy apparently 'yelled at his wife'. He was threatening to kick his ass, and I stepped in and told them to cool it down.

The guy proceeded to curse me out and I told him he needed to start treating people with more respect. He claimed this guy didn't treat his wife with respect and I told him that doesn't give him the right to go disrespecting him. Treat him like a human I said.



For me, there is a very solid line between words/thoughts and actions. Words should be responded to with words, and not actions. Actions on the other hand can be responded to with actions.

With this idea, physical violence should only be used as a necessary means to defend oneself from physical harm, never to instill harm upon other individuals. In my opinion, if people follow this method of behavior, the amount of violent conflict will reduce significantly, and theoretically completely. Clearly this is an ideal though.

Clearly not everyone sees it the same way, as I have witnessed people threaten and attack others for the simple words that come out of their mouths.

So what does everyone think here? Is it ok to get physical, or to take action against someone, when they have not gotten physical or taken action against you?

How much are we responsible to control our own emotions?

 

[Shai Gar]

Threaten with words, over words? I'd say that's iffy. I'd accept it only if it doesn't become physical over mere words.

However the situation you're describing is a Domestic Dispute and chances are, if someone stood in to hit him, without her wanting it, she'd kill the person standing in. You just don't touch domestics.

Once again though, threatening people, as long as you're only using words and not intending on backing them up, I'm cool with that. Although if you're intending violence, Hell no. It doesn't matter what the words are, from Nigger to saying "The Jews deserved worse than Hitler gave them". No matter how evil you consider the words, escalation causes Wars.

 

[Goatman455]

Threaten with words, over words? I'd say that's iffy. I'd accept it only if it doesn't become physical over mere words.

However the situation you're describing is a Domestic Dispute and chances are, if someone stood in to hit him, without her wanting it, she'd kill the person standing in. You just don't touch domestics.

Once again though, threatening people, as long as you're only using words and not intending on backing them up, I'm cool with that. Although if you're intending violence, Hell no. It doesn't matter what the words are, from Nigger to saying "The Jews deserved worse than Hitler gave them". No matter how evil you consider the words, escalation causes Wars.

Yeah I agree, but when words threaten action how do you handle it? Words are one thing, but words that threaten action show the person has intent to act. "I am going to kick you ass" is more than "You are an idiot". Both are insulting, the first one is threatening action.

BTW, feel free to disagree and say "it's ok to hurt someone if they insult you", everyone's opinion is welcome here. No one is getting insulted, or acted against for their views in this thread. This is the non judgmental thread (not non-j thread, non judgmental thread).

 

[Shai Gar]

They're still only using words. Therefore it's not appropriate to commit to action.

Use words back. It costs nothing to say "I'm going to beat you as hard as I beat your mother last night."