Xavierbreath,
There was also a time when taking babies out of the womb and killing them, two men....acting as a man and a woman do backward (I don't want to get graphic on a public forum but that, as a sanitized description, is what homosexuality is, it's not just two sissy men holding hands as an "alternative lifestyle" like TV and movies portray.), 10 year old kids killing each other, teenagers blowing each other away in school, teachers molesting children, children murdering parents, etc. were all unthinkable and shocking to say the least.
You're right, we do live in a different world....THAT'S THE PROBLEM. Who are we of 2005 to judge people who lived 100 years ago with their problems? Seems to me our situation is FAR worse. As Jesus told the Pharisees "get the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly enough to get the splinter out of your brother's eye."
I'm not saying "go punch somebody in the nose for being a jerk." (as much as they may deserve it
) You do want to evaluate and approach the situation wisely. You do want to be prudent and choose your battles. It's not all about you saving the world, it's about you being a part of the community you live in. You might go to jail for a night and after the smoke is cleared, have to explain yourself in court (that's an extreme point but it can happen) but I'd rather just do what is right and leave the rest to Providence. There have been times I have walked away from a confrontation (not necessarily a violent one) and felt ashamed. There have been times I have walked away and felt it was the wise thing to do. If you see two gang bangers in due rags mouthing off that look like they probably have pistols in their baggy pants and baggy t shirts that is most likely not a situation you want to involve yourself in. (but then again, you might have to. depending on what is going on) If two clean cut college boys are cursing each other out ready to start swinging and making a scene, then maybe you and others might need to confront this. But to just take any given situation and just say "You should walk away and call 911, let your own neck be saved" is a retreatist prejudgement.
Perhaps the original poster was right in getting involved (I wasn't there, I didn't see everything going on. Maybe it was between both those two guys and needed to be left that way, but then maybe it was loud and offensive and disturbing to the whole establishment.), perhaps he wasn't, perhaps his tactics needed some rethinking. That was the point of his whole posting. He did say he was walking by and it was practically in his path as he was walking out of the restraunt. Maybe he and his friend happened by and, by the grace of God, defused a situation that would have lead to two boys going to jail. My dad always told me, do what you think is right at the time, sounds like that's what this fellow did. I'm glad it worked out okay.
I'll close with a final thought from Edmund Burke:
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing."