| Gichin Funakoshi is generally regarded as the Father of | | | | probably 25% more massive than this guy, so his |
| Modern Karate. | | | | "choosing me off" was almost comedic. |
| Among his contributions is a list of 20 core beliefs that | | | | We stood face to face, with about two feet |
| every karateka should subscribe to. | | | | separating us, and I could tell he was waiting for me to |
| At the very top is this one: "There is no first strike in | | | | make the first move. |
| karate." | | | | But I came to my senses after having weighed the |
| The idea is that karate is about self-defense, primarily, | | | | idea of defending a lawsuit or worse, a criminal charge |
| and only secondarily is it a fighting art. | | | | in court. |
| Funakoshi didn't want to spawn generations of bullies. I | | | | Also, I heard a little voice inside say, "Don't make the |
| think it is right to say he wanted to sire gentle men and | | | | first move!" and I heeded it. |
| women, people of refinement; in a word, civilized folks, | | | | Anyway, I think I grumbled, "This isn't worth it," and he |
| and not just more barbarians. | | | | told me to never darken their doorstep again. |
| Before unleashing fury and destructiveness a person | | | | Many moons later, after studying karate, I learned |
| must be sure it is the right thing to do, that he isn't | | | | about Funakoshi's aphorism: There is no first strike in |
| making a mistake, and that he has exhausted better | | | | karate. |
| ways of reducing conflict. | | | | And a few things came to mind: |
| But what if you KNOW someone is coming for you or | | | | (1) I was pleased I de-escalated and walked away. It's |
| your family or your nation? What, then? | | | | one of the only ways to "win" a fight. |
| Can you strike, peremptorily? | | | | (2) I always wondered if this guy had karate training, |
| Funakoshi is silent about this, at least from the reading | | | | and he was forbearing because of Funakoshi's |
| of him that I've done so far. | | | | philosophy. |
| But a story comes to mind. | | | | (3) I did act rudely, and things hit a flash point because |
| I was exhausted one late afternoon after having flown | | | | of me. |
| to Houston, probably for the 40th time in as many | | | | In any case, I lived to "not fight" again, and so did he, |
| weeks, so by the time I reached the rent a car | | | | presumably. |
| counter at the outskirts of the airport, I was in a terrible | | | | Fighting should always be the last resort, and only |
| mood. | | | | when we have no other choice. And as far as that |
| They didn't have the make and model I had reserved, | | | | question I raised above, I think we should be so attuned |
| a convertible as I recall, and being used to getting | | | | to our potential enemies that we can see the stirrings |
| everything I wanted on the road, I blew a gasket. | | | | of hostility in them before they ever become an overt |
| The manager felt I was being verbally abusive, and I | | | | threat to us. |
| told him, more or less, when I needed his opinion I'd give | | | | By doing so, we can avoid difficulties before they |
| it to him. | | | | become unavoidable. |
| He asked me to step outside to "Settle this" with him, | | | | Moreover, we should always be aware of how we're |
| and I recall saying something to the effect that "I'd be | | | | coming across, and restrain ourselves and struggle to |
| delighted." | | | | be polite, especially when we're convinced we have |
| I hadn't been in a fistfight since high school, and I was | | | | the right to act otherwise. |