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Old 08-09-2006, 01:18 PM   #4
Don_Modesto
Dojo: Messores Sensei (Largo, Fl.)
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,267
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Re: How aiki are we?

AIKI, harmony of spirit...

We're not talking about harmony as the accomodation of disparate needs and aspirations in a tacitly democratic framework.

We're talking about the nail which sticks up getting hammered.

That's Jpn harmony, anyway. Certainly it was in 1942 when aikido was named.

The harmony of foxes keeping the population of rabbits down. The rabbits don't like it much, but then, they're not defining the term. Tough luck for them.

Aiki is invoked in too cavalier a manner to dun people when they stick up for themselves in a salty manner. If the term harmony has been used to cover the Jpn marauding across China in the 30's, I don't think we have any worries about our sundry mix 'em ups here qualifying.

Don J. Modesto
St. Petersburg, Florida
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