re: Would you break up a physical fight between 2 strangers?

All about context

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No, because it’s not my any of my business nor my problem. I’m not risking getting shot by some deranged frick in the process of trying to break up the fight.

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99.9% this

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I’d wait until the end and then knock them both out to add two wins to my record, some people might say that’s padding the stats but a win is a win

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I broke up a fight between two brothers.

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TL:DR version, I took my pregnant wife to a Hooters in Alabama at Christmas to hang out with all her male cousins, a fight broke out as we were leaving between the brothers, damage was done, and I paid the restaurant for damages. Roll Tide.

Full version:

My wife's cousin broke up a fight between their other cousins (brothers) one night at a Hooter's in my hometown. We are all back home visiting the family at Christmas, and the oldest cousin had the idea to go somewhere to watch bowl games one night, just to get out of the house. We were all adults by this point, and they were all staying at their grandparents house, sleeping on couches and the floor, since their parents were taking the bedrooms. We were staying with my parents nearby. They texted us and asked if we wanted to meet them somewhere. Mom was there so I got her to watch after our oldest. My wife was pregnant with our second at the time, so I had a full time designated driver. I mentioned a local wing place, another spot I knew had TVs, and they came back with Hooters. So we met them there.

We hung out about 2-3 hours, watched parts of several games, and it was getting late so we headed outside. One of the brothers went to the bathroom after paying his check, and the other followed him. I remember buying at least two pitchers of beer we all shared, and the other guys each bought at least one. These cousins were younger and I guess can't hold their liquor as well, plus both were pretty skinny. About 10 minutes of us waiting on them out in the cold, the other cousin goes in to check on them, and one of them had the other in a headlock, they had torn a paper towel dispenser off the wall, and one of their shirts was ripped. This older cousin is a big old baw and was in the military, and was a good 8-10 inches taller than both and outweighed them by at least 60 pounds. He got the one that had the other in a headlock loose, and the other charged at them both so he held him off with the other arm. Got them both settled down and came back out.

They all came back out, older cousin told us what happened in the bathroom, and he said the staff was pretty mad at them. Since I was the only one that wasn't in there, I went back in, apologized for their actions, and offered to pay for the damages. The manager came over, we talked it through, and I had some cash on me so I offered him $40 for the damages. He thanked me for taking responsibility, said those towel holders weren't that much, but that should cover it. Also said the brothers weren't allowed back there, which he had told them. I told him they both live in Florida and were just in town visiting relatives for the holidays, so they probably wouldn't try to come back anyway.

Nope. Not unless I think it's a really clear imbalance between the 2 involved like an old person or child vs some roided up meat head. If I don't see a massive imbalance then I'll try to stay out.

By myself: probably no, but depends on context

With a group of people: yes

Two women were fighting on a corner in Alexandria LA Tuesday morning. At 7:30. My kid demonstrated his shelteredness....he has not stopped talking about it. It was the damnedest thing he has ever seen and he is going on 13.

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I offered him $40 for the damages. He thanked me for taking responsibility, said those towel holders weren't that much, but that should cover it.

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You know he kept that $40 for himself right...

In the large majority of situations - no. Let them do minor/modest damage to one another and deal with it. I'm not leaving kids without a dad because I tried to intervene in a dispute I didn't know anything about to save shitty people from themselves.

On the other hand, if it's an obvious example of injustice of some sort, someone harming someone weaker without justification, then I think the stakes get higher (probably a better chance you're hurt/killed by someone like that) but the ethics become more complex. A world where people stand by and don't intervene in such situations isn't going anywhere good, and that has to be weighed against your personal health, your family, etc.

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You know he kept that $40 for himself right...

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Yeah, but I didn't care. I was half drunk on cheap tap beer and riding out of there after my pregnant wife waddled to her van.