Are the times a-changing?

Thursday, October 13, 2022

Are the times a-changing?

Every day I see continual sudden attacks.

People being attacked from behind, with no warning.

Groups of people invading store after store.

Sudden attacks of individuals who work in those stores.

Instant and random knife stabbing attacks.

Cars being used as weapons.

Instant instances of passengers going postal in planes.

More and more drive by shootings where police officers are victims.

Or random individuals being struck by bullets and they were not the target.

Rapes becoming more and more common.

I do not believe it is only the result of the current constant news coverage of what is occurring.

All of which makes me wonder if karate as a tool for self defense meets the actuality of what is actually happening.

Personally I believe in karate study for life.

However, is what we are training for what is actually happening.

One time when I lived in Scranton, I met a guy who had been a student of Frank Van Leten.

At that time he lived in NYC and was so concerned about violence In the city he described that when he walked outside he constantly carried a rolled up newspaper in his hands so if he was attacked he could always jab tbat newspaper into an attacker for surprise.

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2018/09/frank-vanlenten-in-official-karate.html

Of course our Bando short stick training could work the same way.

I did not teach kids weapons, but one New Years sleepover training at the Boys and Girls Club in Derry, for one time I showed he kids a piece of the short stick form using rolled up newspapers.