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.

Legal & Social Justice System

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

We in the martial arts and karate communities tend to train, directly and often times indirectly, for self-defense and that is often without realizing that self-defense means more than what one thinks. We sometimes lean toward the exciting and gratifying effort in action through technical physical skills while the more cerebral academic side gets spotty incomplete consideration and time. 

One of my recent posting brought to mind how often I refer to the legal system as another great battle one has to win to remain safe and secure after applying self-protection and self-defense. I change that to, “legal & social justice systems” because both are now high obstacles to achieving true legal and social validation when we are forced to apply physical skills against an attack and attacker. 

If you actually teach avoidance skills and you have mastered them to the degree possible in training and practice and application and that failed through no real fault of your own then applying those martial skills does one of two things for you as once written by a professional violence expert, “they work or they don’t work!” Regardless, once you trigger your skills that opens the flood gates from BOTH our legal system from the first responder to the prosecutor to the courts and then to both the criminal and civil venues often, depending on its coverage in media, leading to the social justice systems triggered due to the wide spread social ability to reach the masses. 

Social justice is “social justice is based on the concepts of human rights and equality, and can be defined as "the way in which human rights are manifested in the everyday lives of people at every level of society"

In another way social justice “in modern practice, revolves around favoring or punishing different groups of the population, regardless of any given individual's choices or actions, based on value judgements regarding historical events, current conditions, and group relations.” In many cases due to social media the value judgements are emotionally driven by the person or parties who take homage against a perceived rather than valid factual and legal judgement. In short, “I don’t like what you did so I am going to convict and sentence you in the court of media rather than in a court of law following proper, effective, valid and justified legal reasoning, etc.

When we fact these two distinct and dangerous systems we have compounded our dangers resulting in a need, critical needs, too ensure we have all the skills necessary to way battle and achieve success along with all the resulting costs that presents. In short, even when justified and satisfied in the legal system that still costs tens of thousands of dollars the social justice system can trigger the second legal system venue of civil actions also costing tens of thousands of dollars. 

Think also that in social justice that involve group relations (Group Survival Dynamics) the effects of emotions and moods, being strong negative emotions and moods in addition to applied compliance and influence principles, are the driving force over and above and beyond legal laws and mandates that win and induce greater psychological and economical costs to you even if you were legally justified in self-defense defense. 

So, the legal and social justice systems are another hard core aspect and critical requirement to teach if you are providing self-defense and self-protection training because in the end, “IT MATTERS and IT COSTS!” 

Add that to your overall costs of training and practice, the hidden costs when you apply your skills regardless of whether they work or don’t work. Either way, it is there…

For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)

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