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It is a hugely offensive word to use, and could lead to escalating a situation that might otherwise have stayed fraught but peaceful or even diffused.
He didn't start the physical fight but if he'd not shouted might there have been a different outcome, I.e. no physical fight?
rhb-
I think it’s one of the most vile, hateful, inflammatory insults anyone could utter. Don’t let the limitations of written word and my attempt at brevity give you any impression other than my utter condemnation of that word and its use.
He’s carrying a rifle and shouting that level of verbal abuse, but does that legally create sufficient provocation or reasonable fear imminent deadly threat for the recipient to attack him and try to take the rifle?
^I don’t know, the jury will decide. It’s a key fact in why it all went to shit, but attacking someone physically in the US is a pretty thick line to cross.
Eseman
Dunno what your going for but you’re making me wonder if I misread anything.
Again, dunno what you mean, but ‘fighting words’ and sufficient provocation are a thing. Is that a fighting word? I’d say very strongly yes, but is the provocation sufficient to chase him down and attack him, knowing he’s armed? Legally, that’s a harder sell.