Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated.” - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Defend vs. Protect

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

As a karate-ka whose intent in training, practice and the application of karate for self-protection I wanted to find a term or phrase that would convey what I wanted and this one, self-protection in lieu of self-defense, seems to fit the needs. In the use of self-defense is is simply dangerous to make use of the term in any form because self-defense is very much a legal term.

Legal terms tend to get one in a lot of trouble especially if they don’t understand how that effects what they may perceive and intend for self-defense using karate or any other discipline that physically is used to stop an attacker. Self-defense defenses are not what most would assume would be used as karate defense defenses. 

So, as an example I decided to find definitions of varying forms of the word defend and protect. Here is that:
  • Defend: resist an attack made on (someone or something); protect from harm or danger.
  • Protect: keep safe from harm or injury. 
As another example, I decided to also provide definitions of defense and protection. Here is that:
  • Defense: the action of defending from or resisting attack. military measures or resources for protecting a country. a means of protecting something from attack. 
  • Protection: the action of protecting someone or something, or the state of being protected. a person or thing that prevents someone or something from suffering harm or injury.
Finally, as example again, I decided to do research and provide a definition of self-defense and self-protection. The first is a legal definition while the other is not. 
  • Self-Defense: (Generally) use of reasonable force to protect oneself or members of the family from bodily harm from the attack of an aggressor, if the defender has reason to believe he/she/they is/are in danger. 
  • Self-Protection: It is noted that there are no legal definitions on the term or phrase of self-protection. All searches defer to the legal pages on self-defense with no references that self-protection is or is not self-defense. Nothing in the legal definitions make use of or reference self-protection as a legal term or phrase. Self-protection is “the use of reasonable force to protect oneself or members of the family from bodily harm from the attack of an aggressor, if the defender has reason to believe he/she/they is/are in danger.”
It would be advisable, before you face legal ramifications for protecting yourself using the term, “self-protection” because as I am not an attorney nor any type of legal professional I have to assume there is a possible connection between the two terms that would automatically trigger the self-defense laws. I am merely choosing different terms and phrases so as to NOT suggest to anyone in or out of the self-protection arena and communities that this is a legal explanation of either defense or protection as it applies to the self-defense laws of any state. 

Ask police, ask legal professionals and ask your legal representative long before you use the term with legal first responders in the event you use your skills for self-protection. Actually, do this long before you ever use your skills for self-protection just so you won’t have to endure the costs and ramifications of self-defense defense. 

This is just my view and perspective so the student and practitioner knows that there are better terms to use in training, practice and application of methodologies. This is why I also advocate teaching the gently art of articulation of self-protection measures and skills.  

PoTATo’s and POTaaaTo’s, people might assume that splitting hairs in terminology and articulation is a waste of time but what we say often leads to what we do and what we do also to what we say. In self-protection we want to be “pragmatic” about our approach and that means worrying about, “semantics.” Intended meaning is about context, context can mean going to jail or walking away unscathed. When we say something in our defense we want to use proper semantics to convey our pragmatic, intended, meaning and that has to be exacting because of the one’s listening as they must interpret what you are saying. 

Pragmatics is the intended meaning of what you say and semantics is the literal meaning of the words, sentences and paragraphs that end up in legal documentation. It means that it is both semantics and its context, pragmatics of what you said, wrote and so on. Confusing, well, consider how the words, articulation, you use may or may not effect the listener especially when that listener is deciding on whether you get cuffs or a get off free card. 

If your sensei says that you can choke and break a persons neck and it is self-defense, do you think repeating it in the same fashion is going to go well with a first responder? Think about what is used to articulate the lessons you are training and practice, think about how you use those same terms, will it work with the first responders? 



Bibliography (Click the link)
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