Thread: Final defence
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Old 10-27-2002, 05:00 AM   #1
DaveO
Dojo: Great Wave Aikido
Location: Alberta, Canada
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 543
Canada
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Final defence

Friends:
This concerns a judoka, not an aikidoka; but I believe the lessons here are germane to some of the arguments we've had here.

Please read this news story:
http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-10-27-0012.html

I would like to hear your views on this matter, and share my own.
In my opinion, this story teaches several things. 1st; even considering the million-to-one chance of such a thing happening, it demonstrates how a sudden violent situation can occur anywhere, any time. 2nd, it demonstrates to me just how Judo - often considered a 'soft' and 'gentle' art - can be used to deadly effect when required. (We can apply this lesson to Aikido by extension.) 3rd, I believe firmly that the judoka had no intention of killing his attacker; he simply used maximum available force - certainly (IMO) justified under the circumstances. In this situation; my sympathies are not in the slightest directed towards the dead man; IMO he got what he deserved. They go rather to the survivor who was forced to kill him to save his own life.
Those are my own opinions; I'd like to hear yours.
Thanks, all.

Answers are only easy when they're incomplete.
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