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I've had a nice time here, but it's time to move along. Enough chit-chat, time to get on with the training. Good luck to y'all in whatever you seek. Remember, sweat is the fountain of youth! Train hard, folks.

I don't mean to offend anyone, but that's what I see. Almost any American will bristle with hostility if you mention the slightest negative thing about the USA. It's like you can't even talk to them about it without being called a terrorist and such. Europeans tend to be more accepting. I don't have examples to give, nor can I explain it, but I've got a politician for a dad and a poet for a mom, and this is how I feel about it.

Bon, I agree that a BJJ/Muay Thai combo is fast and effective street defense. It'll pull you through almost any rough situation. But what I do not tolerate is MMA masochists claiming that traditional arts are useless. BJJ and Muay Thai are in their place, but pit either one of them against a good Aikidoka, and that match is over. And besides that, Aikido will change you. Not only as a fighter, but as a person. You learn to accept people as they are, rarely get angry, learn to control your temper, and understand why people act the way they do. MMA will not teach you that. It is simply fighting, period. Traditional MA is more than just training your body; you are training yourself, and 11 years down the road, it pays off.

Damn, you people are dense... Okay, let's make this very, very simple: What would you fear more, a gun or a big stick? The gun. Why? Becuase with a gun, you can only kill. With a big stick, you can injure or immobilize, without first killing. Therefore, guns are feared in our society. Guns are not DESIGNED to injure. They are only designed to kill. Am I getting anything across, or are you just going to skim over my post and get in line for your turn to run your mouth? I'm losing my patience.

Probably Nei Chia. Effective and powerful, without exerting much power.

I have no doubt that Dux can fight, but so can other, honest, masters. They will teach you properly, and teach the discipline alongside the fighting. Mr. Dux will take your money and teach you attacks. Nothing more.

In application: Even a noble ninja would have to spy, kill, and thieve to uphold his living. Even a noble samurai must accept himself as a killer by duty, even if he is a noble one. Only a monk, of these three, serves the purpose of providing for the community, not only in wartime applications. Ninja and samurai were men of war. They were men of peace, but their principles were not. I have read the Code of the Samurai, under Cleary's translation, and I agree that there were some great and noble samurai. However, very few samurai followed this code; read Hagakure and you will see the path embraced by the majority of samurai. Weapons are tools of evil. Even things hate them. ~Tao Teh Ching The samurai and ninja were effectively weapons, albeit noble ones.

Hehe...the Japanese have a much more systematic fight system then the Europeans and Americans. You see, they still fight based on the old Naha-te methods. One strike, one kill. They do not fake, they do not jab, they do not do anything excessive. They don't even hop or shuffle around that much. They'll just stand there, staring you down, and wait for you to present an opening. That's when they tear through and, in a real fight, kill you. Americans and Europeans have only known Karate in its sport form. From the tournaments and movies, they figure it is something like boxing. They don't realize that Karate is made to kill, not stun or knock out. Therefore, they fake, jab, throw combos, and generally use boxing tact, not realizing that this will get them killed in real fight against a karateka. That is the difference, and that is what makes Karate more than just boxing with low stances. Karate is a killing art modified for sport combat, but it is, at its roots, just that, lethal.

But then again, this is only while you're young. Let's see a 50 year-old grappler with 'raw power'. And how would you define Taijiquan or Aikido. No raw power, no reach, no strength. Remember, go with the instinct. Almost any martial art will get you where you need to be; you will just like some better than others.

Noble? Kensai, I'm sorry to say, samurai were generally bloodthirsty, masochist, short-tempered, egotistical killers of noble birth. Before you reply, read Hagakure, by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, or so I believe his name is. There were a few very noble samurai, but even they lived as no man should. Miyamoto Musashi himself never bathed, combed his hair, socialized, brushed his teeth, married, or anything of the sort. He only went into public to meet with or seek potential students. The life of a samurai is the life of a berserker. You put no value on your life, only on your honor. You kill accordingly, you die accordingly. As a samurai, you are not noble. Proud, but not noble. You lead the life of a killer, an opposition to nature's natural way. It is the exact opposite of Aikido; you would never, ever want to be either a samurai or a ninja, believe me. If you want to use your abilities in a way helpful to the people, what you are thinking of is a monk, most likely a Shaolin disciple. Ninja killed, spied, and thieved for a living. Samurai centered their lives around their honor, their egos, and their tempers. Monks lived by codes of honor, kindness to the people, and unity with nature. I think that's what many people, such as PoisonFree (wants to be a ninja) and you (want to be a samurai) are actually thinking of.

**** happens. America is a good country, with generally good intentions, but it ultimately acts in self interest. I am quite impressed with the militaristic/industrial headlock that America has the world in, but every nation that rises to crush others is eventually crushed in the same way. History makes no distinction between 'good' and 'bad'. Ancient Egypt Babylon Ancient Rome Chin Dynasty Japanese Imperialism Soviet Union British Empire Nazi Regime Catholic Church Capitalist America Ever heard the proverb 'killers die'?

All political issues aside, let's examine the general attitude of the citizens. In all my experience, I have to say that Americans tend to be somewhat paranoid. They are very forceful people, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Europeans tend to be more casual, and just let people have their way. Just get on with life, let the world move along. I would like to see a more accepting and harmonic attitude in America's people. I dunno about y'all, but that's just me.

A low, explosive stance from which you can move around quickly is best. Shotokan back stance is nice, for me at least. Mr. Gwinn: I think there's been a misunderstanding: I was simply saying that Ueshiba made his art as a way of subduing the attacker without harm.

Ok, let's start over. I agree that guns are good and legitimate self-defense. What I wanted to clarify is 'why do people fear them'? Any weapon can deter an enemy. Pulling out a yardstick will deter them the same as a gun will. But what is a gun made for? Killing. Its sole purpose is to kill efficiently. Unlike a cane or staff, with which you can ward off attackers or block their attacks, a gun can either simply deter or it has to kill. It can wound without killing, but it's not made for that. It's made to kill. Of course, swords are made to kill, too. But with a sword, it is easier to control the damage dealt. You can block with a sword. You can strike with the flat of a sword. You can even strike with the hilt of a sword. But a gun? Deter. Shoot. Kill. Most weapons are made to be able to: 1)Deter 2)Block 3)Injure 4)Kill A gun can only: 1)Deter 2)Kill It can injure, but it is not MADE to do so. It is made only to kill your opponent. That's why guns are feared. You could just as easily deter someone with a bokken, and if they still came at you, you could just break their legs or something; you wouldn't have to shoot them. Honestly, when you're firing a gun, you don't aim precisely. In an emergency, you just point at the torso and shoot. Most of the time, you are going to cripple or kill a person. Unlike other weapons, you cannot control what damage you do. This is why a gun is feared, and why, unless you are a soldier or police officer, other weapons are more preferrable for modern life.

If Kyudo is a martial art, why not sharpshooting?