There is ever so much more to be addressed in the study of karate than
basics, kata, kata application study and kumite.
As stated in the Isshinryu Code of Karate
The eye must see all sides
The ear must listen in all directions
Patrick McCarthy’s translation of the Bubishi
See what is Un-seeable
Expect what is Unexpected
Ken Penland translation of the Bubishi
The
eyes must watch all four directions (Left, Right, Up and Down). Do not become so
engrossed in your own techniques that you fail to observe your opponent’s
actions. This will cause you to lose.
The
ear must listen in all eight directions (Left, Right, Up, Down, Forward,
Behind, Left Angles and Right Angles).
Eight
Important Phrases of ‘Karate’ from Karate Jutsu (Funakoshi Ginchin) translated
by John Teramoto
.
The
eyes miss nothing.
The
ears listen well in all directions.
Each a different way to suggest what amounts to the same thing.
Of course pretty words, but IMO something rarely addressed in our
studies.
I would suggest two real world situations that highlite the problems.
The first occurred when the statue that was to be
presented to former President Ronald Regan was smashed when an individual just
walked out on the stage and smashed the statue.
Now Ronald Regan as a former President was under
Secret Service protection, however they did not really observe the attacker doing so as
it occurred. Surely not the same level as a sitting President, but IMO the attacker kept
his focus on the statue and no one observed his focus as they were focused on Regan’s
speech.
Thus his actions did not registered as they occurred.
A similar but different situation occurred a few days
ago.
NY Governor Candidate Lee Zeldin was attached while he
was speaking on stage. The attacker casually got onto the stage, approached the
candidate to attack him with a weapon-ized key chain. Showing no intent that
this was an attack, he took hold of the candidate, but was wrestled to the
ground and restrained before something more serious occurred.
Again I suggest his focus was not showing intent.
Falling beneath others focus and allowing him to approach the candidate.
I believe these events suggest how difficult it can be
to simply observe what is happening.
IMO something to think about.
I am following this piece with accounts of the two
attacks I described.
Man Rushes Reagan
on Stage, Smashes Statue
L.A. TIMES
ARCHIVES
APRIL 14,
1992 12 AM PT
FROM ASSOCIATED
PRESS
LAS VEGAS —
An anti-nuclear activist rushed the stage while former
President Ronald Reagan was giving a speech Monday and smashed a large crystal
statue that Reagan had just been given. Pieces of the statue hit Reagan in the
head, but he was not hurt.
The
activist then tried to speak into the microphone as Reagan, appearing angry but
unhurt, stood beside him. Secret Service agents quickly grabbed the protester
and hustled him away.
The
81-year-old Reagan was jostled during the scuffle. He later returned to the
podium, picked up a piece of the broken award statue, then finished his speech
to the National Assn. of Broadcasters.
“I
think I’m going to go out and see who that guy is,” Reagan said at the end of
his speech.
Reagan
later told reporters: “He hit me with a fist, but it just bounced off.”
The
protester was identified as Richard Paul Springer, 41, of Arcata, a small
college town in Humboldt County, north of San Francisco.
Secret
Service spokesman Carl Meyer said Springer wore the badge required to attend
the broadcasters’ convention, but he did not know whether Springer had a
legitimate reason to attend the meeting.
After
making his way to the stage, the assailant ran to the podium and picked up the
two-foot-high, crystal eagle statue, raised it over his head and smashed it on
a pedestal. Meyer said the statue weighed 30 pounds.
Flying
glass hit Reagan in the face and upper body, but apparently did not cut him.
Springer
is the founder of the 100th Monkey anti-nuclear group, said Lisa Law, a group
organizer. She said Springer came up with the idea of staging a weeklong series
of events protesting nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site. Hundreds of
anti-nuclear protesters are in Las Vegas this week for the demonstrations.
Law
said Springer participated in a morning demonstration at the Department of
Energy building in Las Vegas, then left.
“He
didn’t tell us he was going to do it,” she said. “We are as shocked as you
are.”
Richard "Rick" Paul Springer (c.
1951 – 2010) was an anti-nuclear activist. He was best known for his arrest
after smashing a crystal statue in front of former President Ronald
Reagan at a luncheon in 1992, and his subsequent imprisonment on
various charges.
On April 13, many
participants traveled to Las Vegas for a demonstration at a U.S.
Department of Energy office,
during which 24 people were arrested.[1][2] The same day, Springer walked onto the
stage of a National Association of Broadcasters luncheon in Las Vegas, Nevada, while former President of the United States Ronald Reagan was addressing the attendees. On stage,
Springer smashed a 30-pound crystal statue that had earlier been presented to
Reagan and then attempted to commandeer the microphone into which Reagan was
speaking. He was quickly swarmed by special agents of the United
States Secret Service and
dragged off-stage. Springer had accessed the luncheon using a press credential
issued by Indian Voices, a Native American affairs
newsletter. At the time, the Secret Service did not have a policy of examining
the press credentials of persons attending appearances by former presidents.[3]
Springer was arraigned and released on his own recognizance
pending trial.[1][3] The
following week he was interviewed by CBS
This Morning about the incident, and explained that he was hoping to
raise awareness about the dangers of nuclear testing. In the interview,
Springer went on to say, "I certainly must offer an apology to Mr.
Reagan", explaining that he was committed to non-violence
and regretted any concern
he had caused for Reagan's safety.[1][4]
The following February, Springer pled guilty to a misdemeanor
charge of interference with the Secret Service. Springer was due to surrender
himself to begin serving a four-month jail sentence over the incident on June
2, 1993. Instead, however, he sent a fax to a Nevada television station saying
he would not surrender himself to authorities until the United States
government began adhering to all treaties "calling for the cessation of
all nuclear weapons tests in all atmospheres for all time". Springer also
sent a letter to the U.S. District Court for
the District of Nevada denouncing the United States as an
"oppressor nation" and alleging mistreatment of the Shoshone. Five
days later an arrest warrant was issued for Springer.[1]
Springer was apprehended two months later and charged with
Failure to Surrender. In his subsequent trial, he pled not guilty, stating that
a higher moral law required he continue anti-nuclear activism rather than go to
prison. His first trial on the new charges resulted in a hung jury; however, he
was convicted on a second attempt and sentenced to prison, being released in
1995.[5][6]
Lee Zeldin, New York GOP gubernatorial candidate,
attacked at campaign stop
New York Rep. Lee Zeldin was unharmed after the
incident
Garden
City, N.Y.: Republican Party nominee for New York State Governor, Lee Zeldin,
speaks at the party's convention in Garden City, New York, on March 1,
2022. (Photo by Reece T. Williams/Newsday RM via Getty Photos)
After the attack,
Zeldin went back on the stage and continued talking, according to the report.
The Monroe County
Sheriff's Office told Fox
News that it is "aware of an incident at the speech of gubernatorial
candidate Zeldin this evening. A suspect is in custody and Major Crimes is
investigating. We will update as further information becomes available."
Katie Vincentz,
a spokesperson the gubernatorial campaign, said that Zeldin and lieutenant
governor nominee Alison Esposito are safe following the attack.
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