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Old 06-07-2006, 12:35 PM   #980
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Re: Aikido does not work at all in a fight.

Maciej,

The comments about Steven Seagal's students: Good point, I have made this same argument a number of times concerning many internal martial arts and practicality. I too believe if there were people in reality that could do this, then we would see bleed over into other areas of sports etc.

On making the first strike: Now you get into the whole "pre-emptive strike" issue. An interesting topic one we could tie to current politics for the U.S. Anyway..... You could argue that intent and threat of force was the "first strike" therefore, I think it is possible in a given situation to throw the first physical punch or make the first physical move and still be within the ethical boundaries of aikido.

On the "no middle ground thing" I have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. Although, I am betting that we are talking semantics here. In my view, there is a spectrum or continum of violence or force. on one end there is no action, on the other their is action. You could also label it no action and lethality.

I think this is an over simplistic view of things. It assumes we only basically have two choices "spare a life" or "take a life". When we spare a life we don't really accomplish peace or harmony necessarily.

Assume we negate someone with power and basically say "I could kill you, but I showed you mercy and I spared your life". Certainly a humane choice if you have the ability to control that situation. However, it does not necessarily fix the situation.

Look at current events for examples. The U.S has the ability to dominate most countries, and we can ever so graciously say "We show you mercy and we will spare you small powerless country". It does not resolve conflict as there is no healing process involved.

I am probably not explaining this very well!

Anyway, in theory, aikido offers us the ability to recieve negative energy, and take that energy and go further than sparing the life, but returning that energy and empowering that person to standback up on his feet.

So, to me, there is much more at stake that simply choosing to use lethal force or not using it. That is what I did in karate! In aikido I think there is a "middle ground" a "return of energy" or a "healing process" that happens after the initial assault that allows us to understand or reconcile or rebalance...depending on how you look at it!

It is what distingushes aikido as a philosophy and a martial art. It is not because it is the ultimate in self defense or practical fighting skills!
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