should self-defense classes really be open to EVERYBODY ???

nope. but i'd love to hear about it. sounds very interesting.

 

no, in no way. im just singling out women and girls from a certain social background (I guess thats the political corecct term for it, I might also say "SCUM" if this makes it any clearer what I mean). I would have ABSOLUTELY no problem if, say, women who study together with me at university would tell me that they take selddefense classes, because in this case it would be credible that they intent to use it for the sole purpose that the name implies - self defense !

 

Okay, I really was going to read all of the posts, but damn this is a long thread! Anyway, I'm a martial arts student and like Willow_Jon, I don't know of any student who will just go out and pick fights. Sure, we learn how to fight, but more importantly, we learn why it's important to avoid fighting as much as possible. Also, we're taught to respect everyone, including people we may not necessarily like. Why do you think we bow to each other before sparring or taking turns practicing pinning/throwing/submission/killing techniques on each other? It's a sign of respect and mutual trust that we don't actually end up killing each other instead of helping each other master the art. Martial artists who go around picking fights can be stripped of their rank and even be kicked out of the dojo.

Also, Philippine law is particularly strict on martial artists in that if it is proven that a martial artist used excessive force against his attacker and ended up maiming or killing him, he (the m.a.) can also be charged.

 

One of the senior students told me about this guy who took exam for 2nd dan black belt at the same time as they did, and the teacher failed him. When he asked why, the teacher said that he still had too much anger and hatred in him. He had to retake the exam the following year.

 

this is EXACTLY the way it should be, if every instructor would act like this teacher, I guess nobody would say anything against martial arts or self defense classes !

 

I understand your point and I feel some very rare empathy toward what you've written. Bear in mind that a teacher can no more control the behavior of a student outside the class environment than you can control how people post in your threads.

 

A "certain social background" is NOT grounds for denying anyone from joining a martial arts class. Sure, there are bound to be people who will eventually abuse the skills they will be learning, but there are others who will not - REGARDLESS of social background. We don't have a way of separating the wheat from the chaff before accepting a student, because we don't prejudge them. We let them in, let them learn, observe their behavior and personalities and THEN we act accordingly. What you're suggesting promotes prejudice, hatred, and fear, all of which are not things we encourage in Aikido.

 

Yes, but keep in mind, this guy was a 1st dan black taking an exam to advance to the next level. This wasn't some guy wanting to take lessons who ends up being refused by the sensei because of his "social background". This was a guy who had already been practicing the art for years - and that's why he was refused promotion: because after all that time, he still had a lot of anger and hatred.

 

this is the very reason why people from which you already know that they have a criminal or pre-criminal behaviour should not be given additional instructions how to hurt other people most efficiently !

 

by the way, please take a look at the poll, at the moment its only about 40 percent for legitimate cases !!!!!

http://www.hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246412

 

hookers are scum. they need self defense classes most of all. im scum. i do jujitsu n restraints and sum military debiliatations.i love tossing drunks around and breaking fingers and arms n junk.since i get jumped alot its fortunate i do or id of been kicked to death many times over by now.scum make the world beautiful by contrast. be glad we exist.

 

maybe we have different notions of scum, judging from your pic I would describe you as a punk, not as scum. MY definition of scum is if kids and youths ranging from say 7 -13 use the opportunity that a man they hate (for the sole purpose of his superior intelligence) cant defend himself because of an injury, for threats to attack him once more - including from a 9 YEAR OLD GIRL the repeated order to her dog "to bite them off" !!!!!!!!

 

well did you end up okay in the end GLM?

 

I did, and I guess I can say that Im more a man than most posting here (at least in THIS forum). but, if this is where you are heading with your question, this is surely NOT due to those I wrote about in the post above, if they would have had their will I might even not be a man AT ALL right now, the "magic word" that saved me from them was POLICE !

 

how did you get yourself into this mess?

if you are saying "to attack him once more "

this is not the first time

so why return to the scene of the crime, so to speak.