IMO, if someone is threatening bodily harm to me or my loved ones...then I wll try my hardest to protect myself and my loved ones from danger, using any means I have at my disposal.
Let's use an example. Let's say I'm at school and someone threatens to fight me. I ignore the threat and continue my daily business. He starts to get more hostile, pushing me a dn calling me names. Still I'll ignore it, as it is not an immediate threat. But if that guy swings at me in any way, then it is on, and I will fight him until one of us is reduced to a quivering mass on the floor.
Now...my dad taught me that as long as I do not thow the first punch, it's alright to act. So...according to this situation, if he swings and I beat the crap out of him, I am wrong, because I could have walked away.
Now...let's say I walk away from that fight. Later in the day, I find my car vandelized, and even later in the week I am jumped by him and three friends and beaten badly. I'd rather get in trouble then than get hurt later.
Makes no sense, huh?