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Good gosh, what is with this stupid way of thinking?? Clearly, the instigator should be punished, NOT the respondent, as everyone has the right to defend him or herself in kind. Just like the time when I was in middle school, and a well-known bully punched me in the stomach, and I punched him back, more like pummeled him like a jackhammer...lol. Did I get into trouble? Of course not. Everyone saw he threw the first punch, unprovoked, so *he* was the one to be sent home, after he was forced to apologize to me. You bet. When he came back, he complained that he got it way worse than me, and I said, "that's what happens when you hit people"...LOL.
The point being, if the defender is being punished, and the offensive douch-bag gets off scot-free, then there's something clearly wrong with that place - if complaining to HR, etc, etc doesn't work, then it's time to look for another job - seriously.
And please ignore the "advice" of the posters above - to say they've got it backwards is an understatement ....
Good thing you didn't go to my school. The policy is to suspend both fighters regardless of who started it. You'd have been in equal trouble.
Do you really think all the chest-thumping is necessary? The OP has worked for this same company for over 20 years and inferred that this is the first time an incident such as this has occurred. No need to blow everything out of proportion.
That's the thing, if someone worked someplace for 20 years, and then got punished because of some temperamental upstart mouthing off at them, why in the world would they get sanctioned for what is a very natural reaction? If that'd been me, I'd been putting up the fight of the ages to correct this injustice, and yes, I've gotten in verbal fights at work in which I dished it out worse then I got it, and you bet they left me alone after that from that point forward. The boss never even had to get involved in it either...lol.
Good thing you didn't go to my school. The policy is to suspend both fighters regardless of who started it. You'd have been in equal trouble.
Not after my parents got wind of that - and when my daddy goes on the warpath, you'd better back down...lol. It's a wonder more parents don't sue the schools into oblivion for such unfairness being perpetuated upon their children...
That's the thing, if someone worked someplace for 20 years, and then got punished because of some temperamental upstart mouthing off at them, why in the world would they get sanctioned for what is a very natural reaction? If that'd been me, I'd been putting up the fight of the ages to correct this injustice, and yes, I've gotten in verbal fights at work in which I dished it out worse then I got it, and you bet they left me alone after that from that point forward. The boss never even had to get involved in it either...lol.
Probably the reason why you've had so much difficulty in the workforce while the OP has been steadily employed with the same company all these years.
Do you really think all the chest-thumping is necessary? The OP has worked for this same company for over 20 years and inferred that this is the first time an incident such as this has occurred. No need to blow everything out of proportion.
All the more reason why the OP should not have been the one and only one spoken to about what happend and what was done. The other employee got off with nothing said to them and not even written up for instigating the whole thing by being the first to start it.
Well, you can thump your chest all day, you can whine about it all day, in the end, none of that is going to change the outcome.
The fact of the matter is, this crap does happen, there's not a damn thing you can do about it unless you are actively seeking ways to make things worse for yourself, so the best thing to do is, indeed, walk away.
I would not throw 20 years down the tubes because I had a self righteous attitude get the best of me. That ignorant ass that "started it", doesn't deserve to take my job from me.
Probably the reason why you've had so much difficulty in the workforce while the OP has been steadily employed with the same company all these years.
So, that's how it is in the year 2012, you just have to sit back and take it - the bullies get to reign supreme, the rules are applied in an arbitrary standard, you're not allowed to stand up for yourself lest you don't get fired, ad infintum. Not my cup of tea, that's for sure. I like the old skool better, so I'll just stick with that, thank you very much.
If this means being a misanthrope living in the woods of the far north making furniture and woodcrafts all by my lonesome self, so be it. To be honest, that kind of lifestyle looks more and more appealing to me with each passing day.
So, that's how it is in the year 2012, you just have to sit back and take it - the bullies get to reign supreme, the rules are applied in an arbitrary standard, you're not allowed to stand up for yourself lest you don't get fired, ad infintum. Not my cup of tea, that's for sure. I like the old skool better, so I'll just stick with that, thank you very much.
If this means being a misanthrope living in the woods of the far north making furniture and woodcrafts all by my lonesome self, so be it. To be honest, that kind of lifestyle looks more and more appealing to me with each passing day.
You're allowed to stand up for yourself as long as you accept the consequences of HOW you do it.
And, this may come as a bit of news to you, but you can NOT control everyone; no matter how much you may despise how people act, you cannot control them. All you can do is control yourself.
Most people are a right pain in the butt to deal with but you either learn to deal with them or you lose. You may live in the woods, frankly I agree with you there, it'd probably be a WHOLE lot more peaceful, but I also know that I have more than myself to consider so, I do what I have to do, no matter how much swallowing my pride may **** me off.
Swallow the pride, or lose your job of 20 years. HMMMMMMMMMM...I wonder what the right choice would be.
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Clearly, the instigator should be punished, NOT the respondent, as everyone has the right to defend him or herself in kind. Just like the time when I was in middle school, and a well-known bully punched me in the stomach, and I punched him back, more like pummeled him like a jackhammer...lol. Did I get into trouble? Of course not. Everyone saw he threw the first punch, unprovoked, so *he* was the one to be sent home, after he was forced to apologize to me. You bet. 
When he came back, he complained that he got it way worse than me, and I said, "that's what happens when you hit people"...LOL.
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