The father's quip suggests that he's the sort of guy who enjoys settling matters with his fists.

Not exactly the kind of guy who instills self-assertion in their children.

* beats guy to a pulp in front of son *

"You didn't want that loathsome disgusting activity? Did you boy?"

........."Uh, no Sir?"

While we shouldn't shrink from coming to the defense of another. Violent intercession ought to feel unpleasant even to the person who was doing it to save another.

Dante