I get it... well, maybe

I am constantly confused by my students.  I will never understand them fully; I don't think I want to either. One of the things that has baffled me: My students are so rude and disrespectful to me. They tell me how much they hate me and my class; they don't stop talking; they don't listen... (Let me say, this is not all of my students - some are fantastic and do what I say.) Here is the confusing part, though; they will defend me like crazy. They will do whatever it takes to get adults out of my room who they don't know (I don't like this, but they think they are helping.). They will tell others, "Don't mess with MY teacher! Watch out!" They are so defensive. I really don't get it. How can they be so terrible, yet defend me like crazy when the time comes?

I finally feel like I can relate to this. I get it... well, maybe. Maybe a little bit. I love my students. Really. I love them a lot. But I'll be honest with you - I'm nicer to some of them than others. If you give me attitude you better watch out, kid. It comes right back to them and often worse. I win (most of the time). I think most of them are terrible. They are gross. I am rude to them. BUT I am defensive. I recently found this out. I become angry and defensive if you mess with or generalize about my students. You know why? They are worth it. They are brilliant and funny and, although terrible, they mean the world to me. They deserve to be defended. Now, I don't know why they defend me but I sure know why I defend them. I understand the shift from awful attitude to defending someone. I just don't understand the reasoning.