For the past two days, the social media controversy has moved from the violence of war and the peace concert to the violence of the slap on the wrist of Will Smith.

At first I didn't pay much attention to it, given the current situation and the much more serious problems facing our society. But the debate continues unabated - with fanatics and fanatics of both opposing views. And so rather spontaneously I too had some thoughts and eventually took a «stand», as many among us have.

We have - as usual - two opposite poles.

Bully Will's supporters and defenders applaud the «man» who publicly defended his wife's honor and dignity in the heat of the moment.

Opposing men and women condemn physical violence in any form as a way of delivering justice. There is also a section of men - and especially women - who believe that Will did it out of selfishness and self-interest and in doing so insulted his wife's dignity. A woman who was herself able to defend herself and indeed many claim that she herself had no complexes about her appearance.

Personally, I partly agree with all perspectives, because nothing in life is black and white. I don't know the mental strength of his wife. And neither can anyone I believe understand with certainty what motive drove the actor to boiling of the soul and thunderous manual abuse.

And so although I condemn violence in all its forms, I somehow understand - without justifying - its use in some cases, especially if followed by sincere apology and remorse. The apology was given, but perhaps just so he wouldn't lose the Oscar. Who knows.

But I know first-hand that «Language has no bones and bones are broken». And verbal violence - especially in the form of humour - goes unpunished most of the time. Sometimes it goes unrewarded.

Because I was bullied and no one stood up for me in my teenage years. And if my dad was out front, I don't know what he'd do.

Because I have witnessed vulgar humour and insults towards defenceless fellow citizens and no one has been found to put a stop to it.

Because I too would have liked to give a lot of slaps to smart-ass bullies at work against weak and feeble colleagues, but I just didn't dare to do so for fear of losing my job.

And mostly because I am not such an innocent dove myself that I can easily condemn others from my couch shot.

Because I have found myself as an adult in the throes of «spanking» my son for some verbal impropriety towards his grandmother when he was young. And I regretted it bitterly because he was my child, because violence naturally does not rehabilitate and because naturally one loses one's right.

But surely I am not «entitled to speak», let alone condemn ...

So I'm not one of the prosecutors against Will in this case, but I am a conscious «equal opportunity»...