If someone points their finger in your face...

not making contact with your face, but very, very close, is it okay to swat their finger away?

Well if it is coming toward your face, rapidly, you may swat it away it if you think it's going to poke you in the eye or something. If it is stationary and no danger to you, you may not.
 
Only if you want them to have ammunition for an assault charge.
 
It would probably be an involuntary response for me to smack their hand away. If anything gets too close to my face, I bat it away without even thinking about it (bugs, etc). Probably not a good thing, but I can't help it.

This exactly. Actually, I see nothing wrong with swatting it away, but some bozo might decide that I assaulted him/her and try to bring charges, and it's always possible to find a shifty lawyer who'll take the case.
 

I'm assuming your referring to a dispute between two people. No, I wouldn't swat the person's finger away. That would only serve to escalate the confrontation. I'd step back, make it clear that I won't tolerate being treated that way, and probably get myself out of there.

Exactly what I would do.
 
The correct response is to grab the finger in your fist with the palm of your hand facing them and your thumb pointing down,and then with a quick flick of your wrist bring said finger to the back of their wrist.

Then as they kneel on the ground cradling their dislocated finger you back away.

Not saying I have the lightening reflexes to do this, but I've seen it work and it removes the finger from your face.
 
I can't lie. I more than likely would swat it.

Hopefully:
#1- I wouldn't be in a situation where that would be an issue.
#2- If I did find myself in that type of situation I could get out of it before it got to finger wagging.
 
The correct response is to grab the finger in your fist with the palm of your hand facing them and your thumb pointing down,and then with a quick flick of your wrist bring said finger to the back of their wrist.

Then as they kneel on the ground cradling their dislocated finger you back away.

Not saying I have the lightening reflexes to do this, but I've seen it work and it removes the finger from your face.

Very effective but unfortunately it might also remove you to a jail cell. Unless you are defending yourself from an imminent threat, and a finger in your face is not one you are the one in the wrong.

In the abstract yeah I would swat it, irl I just wouldn't take that chance.
 
Very effective but unfortunately it might also remove you to a jail cell. Unless you are defending yourself from an imminent threat, and a finger in your face is not one you are the one in the wrong.

In the abstract yeah I would swat it, irl I just wouldn't take that chance.
I feel the opposite. Hypothetically I would remove myself from the situation. In the heat of the moment I wouldn't be thinking that far ahead.
 
I think it would depend on exactly how aggressive they were being. If I felt they were extremely hostile then most likely I would getting a little heated myself and would probably knock their hand away. If emotions are lower and they were just being a jerk I would probably just roll my eyes and walk away.
 
Anyone who puts a finger is someone's face is not stable and is not in control of themselves. I would disengage as quick as I could. Hitting the finger would only escalate the matter.
 
I agree with some of the other posters "Swatting their finger away" would only escalate. I would back away and say something or withdraw from the conversation if it was going bad. My reaction would totally depend on who the person was.
 



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