“I have before, and I’m sure I will again.”
Yeah, tell me about how you went toe-to-toe with a dozen big teenage thugs with your bare hands.
As I said in my anecdote before, it isn’t necessary to get into a fight with the kids. You step in between, and hope that they will think twice about hitting someone they have no beef with. This works a lot more than you might think, although it is also dangerous (I’ve used this technique several times in my life, and never been hit more than once). One time a work softball game turned into a brawl. I stayed out of it, except that whenever someone was near enough to me, I’d grab their bat, they’d turn angrily, and I’d smile and say “not with a bat”. And they’d let the bat go.
You also hope that by setting an example, others will also step up. There are a lot of people who want to do the right thing, but also don’t want to get involved. They are ambivilent, and stand on the sidelines. One person jumping in and saying “help me” is all it might take to get more people stepping into the battle.
And maybe you get some of the beating meant for the other person. I think I can take a punch better than some poor 15-year-old. And I probably have better insurance.
And, being a middle-aged white guy, security would be more likely to step in to help me.
And of course, if I HAD a security outfit on, I’d have an air of authority which should help stop the beatings.
Now, I wouldn’t step in if there were weapons visible and being used, not with 15 kids. I would talk to one person with a weapon to talk them down, but a mob can’t be talked to.
Please don’t project your own level of fortitude on others.
I’ve been tested many times in my life in worse situations than that, so I know how I react in such situations.
Don’t assume that everyone is as timid and excuse making as you.