When is it OK to hit an old man? Discuss.

sterling2000 just recounted a beatdown he witnessed on his block of Sterling near Tom’s Diner: “I was working from home Monday when I heard a commotion on the street. There’s an older gent who…constantly sweeps and curses at the air or anyone who comes within his orbit (including dogs and children). I think his racial epithets are my favorite.

Anyhow, he got into it with a much, much younger kid and he went into one his his slurred, trash-talking rants I’ve become accustomed to
hearing. After a few minutes of this nose-to-nose showdown the younger kid just decks him with a single punch…I think there was a general feeling of karma at play.”

The discussion that follows explores the intricate ethical quandary of: “is it OK to punch an old man who is being a pain in the ass?”  Most posters say they’d choose a path of non-violence in this scenario, though many see the youth in the story as an agent of karma.  Everyone agrees that if this guy comes near their dog, he better watch out. Maybe you met this guy too?
What would you do? Prospect Heights Message Board: A karmic beat-down on Sterling (Brooklynian.com)

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