I believe that self-defense is a fundamental right -- until the teacher or administrator that's supposed to break up the fights is there, you're on your own (and so is the bully, whether they know it or not.)

I am not arguing against his at all. If you are a person, in the situation where you have no other option but to fight back. Then you have to fight back. That much is simple, although the outcome is never easy to predict.

I was referring more to MDK's exceptionally ignorant statement that we should allow more physical altercations. I was more referring to the whole culture we build for ourselves when we force association between violence and respect. The very same psychological basis that is behind the Jock kicking around a scrawny kid etc. MDK made the argument that it should be allowed, that it was important for teaching how the world work. That is building on the status quo and if we had all adheared to that all the time things would look today the same it did 100 year ago. Progressive thinking, empathy and solidarity towards your fellow man and woman should be paramount. The point is that we should not allow bullying, in any form. Nothing good comes from it, at all. It causes deep emotional trauma in kids, it ruins lives and breeds alienation. You know who prey on alienated people? Criminal element. There is strong ties between people who perceive themselves as outcast from society and youths that end up on a criminal career path. Hell, the radical rightwings that been jumping immigrants and what not here, all were on the polices lists as juvie's, and pretty much all have issues with problems at school and feeling alienated. People who feel alienated, something that Bullying clearly causes, are exposed and easy target for pressure.