Darren Raleigh

Good question. This is what brought be back to aikido.

The following is from just me - not the Burning Bush, just my aikido:

On the mat, you cannot hurt uke. Ever, ever, ever. Once to take control of a person you are responsible for their safety and have to give them back in at least as good a shape.

In the world, my larger goal is to stop the cycle of violence. Sure, I can hurt people. I've done it. But if I return violence for violence given, it just goes on. Sure, Street-Uke may not hurt me, but if I mess him up he may return with his brothers, or if he can't he'll just pass it along to someone that he can pound on, who will pass it on...but if I take it, control it, and ground it out, it's gone, never to return.

Sure, it's not easy. I know better than many how satisfying it feels to walk away from the body of your would-be oppressor. But that's a short-term solution and ultimately it is self-defeating.

My aikido is not just hyper-efficient fighting. My aikido is the solution to violence. And as Professor Tolkein so eloquently taught, you cannot use the weapons of the enemy.

Non-violence is not weakness - in fact you've got to be much, much stronger to nullify violence than you would to just break the threat to your person or tribe.
I don't know if I'd be able to do that yet, but I will be. Until then, if someone brings me violence and I can't save myself and him, I will be responsible for that, too. So I train.

I'll get off the soapbox now. Thanks.