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1. lnxw48a1 (lnxw48a1@nu.federati.net)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Mar-2023 20:34:47 EDT lnxw48a1
   I learned a lot from an experience in junior high.
   
   René was a skinny braniac. We were in the same English and "elective" (extended learning for gifted students). I was probably right around 100lb. René was slightly taller and a good 15-20lb lighter. He wasn't a fast runner--not enough thigh muscle.
   
   John was bulkier and heavier than I was. He was taller than I, but shorter than René. One of John's upper arms was probably almost aa big as both of mine together, but he was heavy enough that he still struggled doing pushups.
   
   Our P.E. teacher decided we were going to learn a game few of us had ever seen: soccer. The team I was on had René and John. John wasn't great at soccer, but he was able to kick the ball harder than René. As a result, John became angry that René was unable to retain control of the ball. He challenged René to a fight after class.
   
   (I'd been in an introductory martial arts course at the community center, injured my knee, and had only recently been able to move it enough to walk freely. I knew I hadn't learned enough to use any of it in a fight.)
   
   There was zero chance that René was going to win, but he stayed there as the class headed for the locker room. John walked over to confront René. I got between them and pushed them apart. John turned to me, said "don't push me". I said "are you looking to start a fight?" and squared for a confrontation. John backed down.
   
   Afterwards, I asked René why he'd stayed there, facing an unwinnable fight. He said if he didn't, John would be forever looking for a chance to fight. He preferred to get it over with.
   
   What I learned is that when someone is determined to use violence against you, your only choice is whether to sail into the battle or whether to let the battle catch you as you attempt to flee.
   1. lnxw48a1 (lnxw48a1@nu.federati.net)'s status on Wednesday, 15-Mar-2023 20:59:09 EDT lnxw48a1

      in reply to
      I should clarify. I’m not going to stroll through East Los Angeles, South Central Los Angeles, or even your local “Misdemeanor Meadows” elevated crime zone based on some perception that a criminal that would attack me there would confront me even if I wasn’t in that zone.
      
      But if you’re in a place such as a school, where you and the attacker are there frequently, you can’t escape every time. Eventually, you’ll have to deal with them.