yeagh but...
Most of the posts here deal with details of imagined violence. It may be kind of realistic to do so in some unlikely way, but I can't help but feel a major point of Morihei Ueshiba's teaching is being missed. I have never found any evidence that he felt that what he taught was supposed to be used in physical encounters at all. In fact, Terry Dobson described being prohibited from actual fighting during his apprenticeship.
Warriors pray for peace and train for war. If warriors pray for peace and train for peace they end up dead warriors.
In a real sense I agree with you. Aikido is not really philosphicaly designed for the modern street where there are no rules and people will kill you for your shoes. I think that at the end of the day none of us really want to have to use the martial skills we develop on anyone, but sometimes we have no choice.
In a dog eat dog world I want to be the German Shepherd wearing a bib.
Lance Boggs
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"The man who can most truly be accounted brave is he who best knows the meaning of what is sweet in life and what is terrible, and then goes out undeterred to meet what is to come."
Pericles