Hey, How About a Nice Hawaiian Punch?

This weekend I got to thinking about the whole "Boys should never hits girls" rule. I dunno why. I know that personally, I've never had any second thoughts about it. I've always contended that if push came to shove, I'd do it. Now before you start thinking "Why, Kirk, you brute!" let me explain. I'm not saying that I condone spouse abuse, etc. Lord knows TV's Cops has made domestic violence a household name. What I'm referring to is if some chick was being a complete psycho for whatever reason, fully knowing that she's a woman, and that men don't hit women, so she's all over you scratching, throwing things, outta control. As a last resort, if you can't bow out of the situation without a confrontation and it came down to it, would you sock her one in order to defend yourself?

Now I've seen movies where women have done things to men and the men just "turn the other cheek" all in the name of being dashing and whatnot. I also have experienced plenty of women who start shit they can't (or rather, won't) finish, then sic their boyfriend/husband on you to finish what they started, which I personally think is total bullshit. I remember one time, when I was working at a video store and some woman came in and had some sort of problem, I told her what I could (or couldn't) do for her and she got irate, went and got her husband out of the car and sent him in to take her place in the bitch department. Nothing changed. I told him the exact same thing I told her. That shit just don't work with me. Bullying may have worked when I was a kid, but it don't even work with me now. I can be just as stubborn a prick as the next person. Mature, I know.

When men hit women (regardless if it's in self defense), they have to deal with the whole judgmental thing from others who weren't in the situation. Yet, when women hit men, it's 'cause they're "tough" or upset and we're taught as a society to make allowances.

So, I pose this question more to the men out there than to the women: Would you stand let a woman scratch, hit, throw things, etc. without retaliation, or would you clock her one? This is more of a society mores thing than a legal one, so let's not get too bogged down with the legal ramifications. Of course, the women out there (the majority of my readers) are welcome to comment as well. It's all hypothetical anyway. I realize it's a weird topic, but I'm just curious.