graham christian

Bad rules are bad rules. That's why it takes thought. Crazy ones are crazy ones.

Here's an example for you.

Before making such rules apply similar to yourself. Try writing about your experience without reference to the charachter of the person concerned.

If I were to train with your teacher for five minutes and then write about him, calling it my experience, yet proceed to go on about his charachter and what he probably thought etc. then I would expect others who knew him better to correct me if wrong.

Charachter. Writing as if you can sum the person up. Fair enough if you are willing to be corrected.

You see without charachter reference I would have to say purely what happened to me and thus not justify it by saying so and so was this or that. No justification, nada.

Unless you write for a tabloid newspaper or some such.

Bad rules are bad rules based on fear. Shame more don't understand Takemuso, virtues, that's where the true rules exist. It's not a matter of you mustn't say this or that it's a matter of how.

Niall addressed the point with virtue, respect and without insult. Most people hearing a misplaced charachter summation of someone close to them would do well to learn from such a response.

Tkemuso, a major part of Aikido and indeed the main aspect of martial arts which is to learn self discipline and respect for others. Behaviour.

That doesn't equal to me not speaking up directly no matter what the 'made up' rules are when you find something too far from the truth as you know it.

What's the point of writing something if you don't want comments? You can only demand 'respectful' comments but no more. Unless you just want readership figures in which case it's back to tabloid journalism.

That's it, said my piece. Now where's my cigar?

Regards.G.