Will Smith Assaults Chris Rock

 https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/30/will-smith-chris-rock-oscars-slap   I would likely attribute Smith's motivation for slapping Chris Rock to the so called "culture of honor" . A notable historical example of this sort of thing would be that of the Caning of Charles Sumner .  Even so, by the standards of this mindset, aggressive and harsh though it be, those of equal social status must be first called out, not attacked without prior notice. There are rules concerning such affairs of honor . By sucker striking Rock, Smith not only inflicted bodily trauma but also inflicted humiliation, and degradation upon Rock's manly honor . I don't feel that it can be said with any certainty whether or not Chris Rock had known beforehand about Jada Pinkette Smith's alopecia. If he had, I think that his wisecrack was especially out of line. But be as it may, there is no rightful justification of the initiation of violence in response to verbal insults. All persons deserve the right to feel secure , and no one has the right not to feel offended. This is the price of living in a free civil society.