Bruce Baker

It is great to get good press about Aikido for a change!

Of course, in other situations there can not only be bad press, but dangerous results!

One of our dojo's early students, with great talent and promise, was almost killed during a hand to hand session in his Army training when an instuctor with black belt in a karate discipline could not counter any of the Aikido throws and counter moves. In fact, a vicious side kick from the ground almost killed this gentle person because of the instructor's arrogance!

If that wasn't enough, a local policeman knew he was taking classes, after he came home from the Army, and started to hassle him until ... one day ... he physically confronted this fellow and started to grapple in an attempt to put handcuffs on him just to show that police officers could do what they wanted when they wanted. Worst thing for the police officer was that it was in the local bank with witnesses who watch the officer try in vain to grapple while being thrown off with kokyu.

There was laughter from the women watching, then three officers came to arrest the man out side the bank for resisting an officer, who did the provoking and attacking? Sometimes the best thing to do is ... walk away.

This man, today, is feeling the injury of the Army, almost twenty five years ago, and refuses to practice Aikido because of these bad experiences.

I don't mean to bring you down, or bad mouth martial arts, but we also have a responsibility to know when to use our art and when to walk away? Not all of our chances to use a Martial Art are fortuitus, and beneficial? But when it is, like in this case ...

Isn't it all worth it?

Let's not forget those who kept Aikido alive while we had yet to live our lives, and learn this Art, Aikido.