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When karate was at its pinnacle such quotes as follows, from Ed Parker of Kenpo fame, are quoted left and right to support a mind-state/set that is just not conducive to staying within the self-defense square (SD Square coined by Marc MacYoung in his book INoSD.).
This quote takes some serious analysis to show that it may not be the best quote to add to you belief system and especially to your system of karate if you teach self-defense. Here is Parker sensei’s quote:
“I come to you with only Karate, Empty Hands. I have no weapons, but should I be forced to defend myself, my principles, or my honor, should it be a matter of life or death, of right or wrong, then here are my weapons, Karate, my Empty Hands.” - Ed Parker
Lets dissect this quote and see what we can see as it relates to self-defense.
“I come to you with only Karate, Empty Hands.” First, what perceptions do the average citizen have to you proudly pronouncing you have karate skills? Given the promotions of media like television and especially the movies made this quote might not endear you to others. It has become such a pariah that many traditional or classical practitioners would rather say martial artist than “karate practitioner.” In other words it tends to have a more negative connotation then positive.
Lets say you had to defend yourself. You claim self-defense and that means you pretty much admitted breaking a law but you are saying you had a good reason but when the prosecutor and police begin digging around they find that you are a karate expert who uses this quote to “sell you wares” to the public in your self-defense dojo. It might be taken as a negative and start to place a perception that you are an aggressive person and so on. Then again, maybe not - wanna gamble on this one.
Oh yea, the fact that the quote might indicate you came to him with your weapons, your empty hands of karate, might that also be prosecuted under a possible “brandishing” charge as well? Does the public and legal system feel they can fool society with a brandishing because when you hold a beer bottle a certain way, when you pull out a knife even if you don’t use it and the same with a firearm they can tag on a brandishing charge along with everything else, why not when you come brandishing your deadly karate hands?
“I have no weapons, … “ Really, in most circles karate practitioners train so that their bodies are weapons but you might say, yea and that is why this statement or quote is good. Maybe not, they may try to promote that karate hands are considered deadly weapons and when, in general, karate is taught they also teach how to harden the hands to be deadly. After all, what about karate’s belief that one punch stopping power is necessary or even required. If you actually sport the calloused knuckles then consider this, they may try to promote that your hardened fists, normal folks don’t have this - not even boxers, are like enhancers such as bottles, sticks or other implements that are also considered, depending on circumstances, deadly when applied in self-defense or as one might say, “Beyond appropriate levels of force applied.”
Remember, movies demonstrate the deadliness of martial arts and in particular showcase empty handed ability against multiple attackers with all kinds of weapons including knives and guns. Hmmm, means that hands may be deadlier than knives and guns.
“should I be forced to defend myself, my principles, or my honor, “ Let me start by saying this reasoning is probably subject to “The Monkey brain.” Defending yourself against what? Isn’t honor something that cannot be place physically in a wheelbarrow, isn’t principles also in that category of cannot be placed in a wheelbarrow. Hmm, if it cannot be placed in a wheelbarrow then it is most definitely subjected to money shit.
“should it be a matter of life or death, “ This may be the only one that will hold water but only if alone. If associated with the rest of the quote, and it will be, then it loses its validity because all the others will simply smother this one into obscurity.
“of right or wrong,” Whose interpretation of right and wrong. Is right or wrong about the monkey or some legal defendable issue. Who gets to make the decision? Can you articulate it so that what you did remains within the SD square? Would the entirety of the quote also invalidate this part if presented by either the prosecutor or defender? Is your view of right or wrong based on something that can be put in a wheelbarrow? Do you really want this one to crop up when the police and prosecutor begin to compile successive charges against you to get a “win.”
Finally, “here are my weapons, Karate, my Empty Hands.” What this might say to the legal system is, “I am escalating this by professing that I will resort to violence simply on the basis of the preceding information in this quote. Add in my deadly ability in karate then I can be perceived as this “Warrior karate man hell bent on using my awesome karate weapons to destroy that evil attacker who experienced a egregious karate skills against his body and so on.
Think of this, with all the stuff used here to justify your egregious karate skills could you be using a level of force greater than the threat? Does this quote, statement, define you as something you are not yet it does it so well you end up in jail and also penniless due to a civil legal process, you are sued? Can you overcome it with evidence that supports your self-defense actions? Do you want to gamble on it being enough?
Yet, this quote is now famous and if you google it you will find about 21,700+ results on a google search. That, alone, says it will be easy for folks to find let alone whatever media promotes at any time.
Hey, if I can think of this shit - don’t you think our learned prosecutors, attorneys, can think of it too?
1 comment:
I find these aphorisms corny, for lack of a better word. I think Parker was just trying something akin to Funakoshi's "there is no first strike in karate" and that's what came out.
I believe he meant his saying to contemplative; a self-affirmation, as it were. Not to be rehearsed and read aloud or even conveyed as a warning. Just my opinion.
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