Janet Rosen

I used to break up incipient fights as part of a street patrol. I was at the time 19, 20 yrs old, 5 ft 2" female. Sometimes I'd literally jump in between 2 drunks who were just facing off--still at the point of words and maybe some posturing--and the shock of a small woman appearing out of nowhere was a start (smile). Often a clear verbal reminder that the outside world exists seems to suffice--a little reality checking like "you don't want to do this because the cops are looking for an excuse to mess with folks on Haight Street" or "why don't you take it down the road until you cool off" would do it. Like John said, agreeing is a good tactic, and refusing to get into the specifics of the arguement is ESSENTIAL. The merits have nothing to do with it, the result of fighting is all.