Reading the local news this morning and seeing another story about a local mugging. Unfortunately, these stories are becoming all too common. Possibly due to the economy and possibly due to an unraveling in the social fabric.
What bothers me the most, though, is this: Why does the news hardly ever report on people fighting back and defending themselves. Is it because one the medias axiom "If it bleeds, it leads" or is there another, perhaps darker, motive?
Contrary to popular belief (or should is say, misconception?), fighting back is not only beneficial, it is, more often than not, successful. Don't take my word for it, pull up the Bureau of Justice statistics which you can easily find online and see for yourself. Even if your attacker is armed with a gun or knife, you stand a better chance of survival than if you don't resist. Don't assume that a violent criminal is a person of their word when the lead you to believe they won't hurt you if you meet their demands.
I would recommend you read the works of Gary Kleck, a Florida State University criminologist who has studied the relationships of resistance to violent crime.
Don't take your martial arts training for granted. Don't be a snob. Some people state that arts like TKD have no practical real world applications. Phooey. The reason that there are these arts and that they have been around for a long time is because they tend to work. The ROK Army, one of the toughest in the world, trains in TKD and the current USMC Martial Arts program was developed because a General remembered back to his Vietnam tour and found himself impressed with TKD he saw practiced by some troops.
Now, I am not saying that TKD is the only valid self defense method; each art has its merits, whether it be MMA, Kung Fu, Jujitsu, Aikido, Hapkido, etc. It's just that any of these arts, no matter what they are, are nothing unless you have the proper mindset. You should have the Warrior mindset and exercise self control. When you throw a roundhouse kick, focus on form, aim and power. When you practice a wrist lock or armbar, develop speed and efficiency and proper technique. In a real situation, you won't have time to perfect your form.
If you are attacked, respond with every fiber of your being and with full resolve; the bad guy definately won't hold back. Don't put yourself in dangerous situations, unless you can't help it, and be aware of your surroundings. Jeff Cooper, the famous firearms instructor and founder of the "Gunsite School" developed a color code system that is quite effective. The colors are white, yellow, orange and red. Most people walk around in condition white when they should be walking around in yellow or orange.
Self defense does not mean walking around like a bully. Just because you have training does not mean you need to go around and pick fights or get into unecessary altercaltions-this is not the way of the martial artist (we should seek to avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary)-we should, however, when the need arises, seek to defend ourselves and others to the last full measure.
Just some thoughts on the subject.
