# Would you fight a soldier? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 7, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516 "2008-07-07T03:42:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/21 "2008-07-07T14:11:17Z")
[QUOTE=ivan astikov] These sort of online statements always impress me. Any chance of explaining why you are so certain? If you are implying you have a firearm and a willingness to use it, this isn’t exactly a “fight” is it? [/QUOTE] If you find gun ownership shocking, are _you_ in for a surprise. Welcome to the Dope! ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/22 "2008-07-07T14:14:06Z")
[QUOTE=ivan astikov] These sort of online statements always impress me. Any chance of explaining why you are so certain? If you are implying you have a firearm and a willingness to use it, this isn’t exactly a “fight” is it? From my own experience, fight outcomes tend to follow the saying, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog!” [/QUOTE] I don’t fight fair. Period. Even without a weapon I don’t fight fair. I get it down to the ground and go right for the eyes or whatever else I can grab that will cause excruciating pain. I got tired of being a passive punching bag a long time ago. Did you ever consider what happens when someone rips your eyes out? Incidentally, if someone follows me after I walk away, what do I owe this person? A fair fight? Hardly. I’m not an “internet tough guy”. I simply know what I would do. Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/23 "2008-07-07T14:17:50Z")
[QUOTE=Koxinga] If you find gun ownership shocking, are _you_ in for a surprise. Welcome to the Dope! [/QUOTE] Not shocked at all. Just surprised you might refer to it’s use in a ‘fight’. I thought such things ended in the OK Corral, even in America? ( Excepting where drug and turf wars are involved, obviously! ) ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/24 "2008-07-07T14:26:49Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] I don’t fight fair. Period. [/QUOTE] This. If you start huffing and puffing and talking shit then I’m out of there at the first sign of trouble, but the truth is that if I know I have to hit you I’m not at all above doing it first and doing it viciously unfairly in the most damaging way I can think of. There is no such thing as a fair fight or being gentlemanly when it comes to protecting yourself. I’m not the Marquis of Queensbury. That being said, you never know with military guys. Better just to buy 'em another drink and thank them for their service. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/25 "2008-07-07T14:38:04Z")
Having worn one myself, I’m not overawed by uniforms. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/26 "2008-07-07T18:26:48Z")
Would I fight a soldier? No. Would I fight a barista? No. Would I fight anybody? No. On a person-to-person basis, fighting rarely solves anything. It doesn’t prove you’re a real man. It proves you’re a fool. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/27 "2008-07-07T18:32:21Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] Would I fight a soldier? No. Would I fight a barista? No. Would I fight anybody? No. On a person-to-person basis, fighting rarely solves anything. It doesn’t prove you’re a real man. It proves you’re a fool. [/QUOTE] Yes, but sometimes others are out to use you as their own proof. No harm in being able to prove them right in a different fashion. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/28 "2008-07-07T19:42:07Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] Yes, but sometimes others are out to use you as their own proof. No harm in being able to prove them right in a different fashion. [/QUOTE] Whatever happened to Kwai Chang Caine? I used to love that fella! “Ah so, Master Po!!!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/29 "2008-07-07T20:06:05Z")
[QUOTE=ivan astikov] Whatever happened to Kwai Chang Caine? I used to love that fella! “Ah so, Master Po!!!” 🙂 [/QUOTE] He switched careers, and he changed his name to Bill. The bride killed him. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/30 "2008-07-07T20:21:54Z")
It wouldn’t change a thing. I don’t do fights over arguments because I find that to be extremely stupid. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/31 "2008-07-07T20:31:57Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] Would I fight a soldier? No. Would I fight a barista? No. Would I fight anybody? No. On a person-to-person basis, fighting rarely solves anything. It doesn’t prove you’re a real man. It proves you’re a fool. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Cluricaun] Yes, but sometimes others are out to use you as their own proof. No harm in being able to prove them right in a different fashion. [/QUOTE] I can see at least two ways you might have meant that, so I don’t know whether to agree or not. Actually, I came back to this thread because I wished my last two lines had been different. If I said that confrontational stuff to a person who wanted to fight, I’d surely get a klop in the chops. I had intended to be vaguely humorous, getting _Sam I Am_ in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516/32 "2008-07-07T20:42:15Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] I can see at least two ways you might have meant that, so I don’t know whether to agree or not. [/QUOTE] It is better to be able to respond in a way that saves your bacon than to respond in a way that allows your bacon to be crumbled. And that being said, I’ll take on any barista you know at any time for any reason. C’mon coffee boy, put up your dukes! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-fight-a-soldier/455516.md?page=1)