What's happening to our humanity if we don't permit self-defense?

As children you're spanked, you're helpless, you can't fight back, it would only get worse. If a dog's hair is pulled and a dog bites, the law doesn't acknowledge instinct. If you're not permitted to defend yourself from abuse, how human are we?

What's happening to our humanity if we don't permit self-defense?

That is not the question. What is happening to our humanity that it leads to self-defense? Permission is just a justification/rationality to an cause and effect.

We have to address the cause first, to get the effect that we want.

In your case, the cause seems to be suffering. And your specific effect of this cause is the immediate stopping of the source of the cause. (There are other effects, but you specify self-defense, so a retaliation of violence with violence).

Most of today's "humans" seem to comply with this violence for violence theory of cause and effect. This will perpetulate the circle of violence, and thus that is our "humanity" for the present generation of "humans".

What's happening to our humanity if we don't permit self-defense?

You might want to reassess your statement on self defense after reading some legal texts on the topic.

What's happening to our humanity if we don't permit self-defense?

But then how human are they?

Good against evil!

If I obeyed what evil could portray in me: Shoot first ask questions later.

If I obeyed as God would have it to be: Love them. Do not kill.

What's happening to our humanity if we don't permit self-defense?

good point, within limited definitions of "self." The question is, how do you define self, and is that self under any threat at all? Can it be destroyed, your genuine self?