can anybody help me?

[Henry South]

dear reader,

 

i am 18 and have just achived my brown belt in shotokan karate.

 

me and a few friends from my dojo (rising dragon henley on thames) were celabrateing this the night after at my apartment. we then went to our local to carry on the celabrations, as i dont drink i was quite happy to drive. however several of my friends were drinking and soon got into the typical bar bragging about how i had just reached brown belt im karate, this soon led to two of my friends being pushed outside to be beaten in there intoxicated state. i intervined with two swift round house kicks and the fight was over, i was remined afterwards that whenever you can just walk away a very simple and important rule of the disiplin we study. was it right to help my friends and use my martial art against two others or would it have been better to try and resolve it peacefully.

 

i would really apriciate any advice.

 

 

 

yours sincerly henry south

[Jiggy9]

Hi Henry,

 

First of all welcome to the boards. Congratulations on acheiving youre brown belt in Shotokan Karate.

 

I commend you for helping protect youre friends from a potentially dangerous situation, I can understand the way you feel about it at the moment.

 

Personally, even though i realise it isnt the best course of action, I probably wouldnt be able to help myself from getting involved in the fight, I find it extremely infuriating when things like that happen. However, in Karate violence is seen as the last resort, "Hitotsu. Kekki no Yu o Imashimuru Koto." Which means one should refrain from violence.

 

But Karate also encourages defending the path of truth...perhaps the ideal course of action in youre situation may have been firstly trying to intervene and talk to the aggressors and come to some sort of peaceful agreement...but i've always found that talking to intoxicated people in an angry/aggresive state is often futile, in which case walking away with youre friends from the situation would have been a good idea.

 

But, if they get aggresive with you without giving you an oppurtunity to calm the circumstances...then maybe two swift kicks were called for.

 

But that's just my opinion...

 

 

[moobrack]

Karate Ni Cente Nashi

 

(no first attack in karate)

 

This is a keyt point for people who study shotokan karate, all the fight and brawls I have been in in the past, I have aplied this rule, I won't fight unles they attack first, if they don't, they aren't worth fighting cos they haven't got the bottle to start it.

 

 

[Angus]

SMASH 'N' BASH'EM!! KILL KILL KILL!!!!

 

Just my humble opinion.

 

Angus 'stay off my blue suede shoes' Argyle.

 

 

 

[Karateka]

The role of a karateka is to use his skill to defend himself and others. Two things could have happend if you didn't intervene. A) Your buddies could have been hurt B) The other guys could have been hurt. You did the right thing.

 

The fact that you ponder over what you did, shows that you are a good karateka. Congratulations on your Brown belt. Wear it with honor, you earned it.

 

 

[NinjaX]

Hey Henry Striking was defintiely the wrong first move, if your friend was in the middle of being attacked then you did the right thing though, otherwise keep cool until you have no other choice

[Bon]

::edit:: Edited September 29, 2002 by Bon

[SaiFightsMS]

What a situation Henry. What would have happened had you not intervened? Friends really hurt - not a nice thought. Two kicks may not seem like a lot to many of a more aggressive nature. But I think in the way we are taught using only the amount of force necassary you did the appropriate thing. Others may have unloaded completely.

 

And while drinking great quantities of alcohol may be part of a macho culture your abstinence is truely commendable.

[Henry South]

thank you all very much for your replys to my post. it has helped me greatly. my friends are fine just a cople of black eyes and bruses. after my time in japan learning the sword i have leant that your greatest wepon is a good friend who watches your back.

 

at that moment i felt like my friends needed a wepon and i was there.

 

i no longer partake in drinking as i dont like to feel out of control of my body. im sure many devote students and sensais feel.

[Angus]

What's this about striking first being the wrong thing to do? Sometimes it is better to hit first than to be hit. It only takes one good hit to KO a person. Bah!

 

Angus