Fighting For Hornor

Fighting For HonorDave Thomas,8th Dan

AKS Assistant Chief Instructor

As instructors, we tell our students that martial arts is for self-defense only. It is a tenet that all martial arts styles share regardless of system or geography. The karate practitioner, regardless of rank, is to walk away from a potential fight if at all possible.

That is sometimes easier said than done when some cretin tells you that he heard you take karate and karate guys are just shadow boxers who couldn't hurt a loaf of bread. You have spent years honing your skills training your body for just such an occasion and this bully wannabe has belittled your pain and hard work. Time to take that reverse punch for a test drive. Here is an opportunity to show him what a side kick looks like up close and personal. Not so fast.

The question the police are going to ask is did he put his hands on you? Better have a good answer. It is not going to help your cause to say he hurt your pride, he impugned your honor.

During the 1700s, the country of Prussia (now Germany) was losing many of it's young nobles. They were being killed when they would duel to the death to save their besmirched honor. At times their honor had been tarnished by the most trivial of circumstances. It had gotten so bad that Frederick II, King of Prussia (1712 - 1786 aka Frederick the Great) outlawed dueling. Any young nobles that felt they could only salvage their honor with a duel had to personally petition the King.

Two young men sought an audience with their King. They explained there was some egregious transgression between the two of them and only a duel to the death would rectify the situation. The King reluctantly agreed to the duel and told them to meet at a specific field at 6:00 am two days hence.

When the young men showed up with their seconds, their King was sitting on his portable throne next to a gallows. They asked why was he there? He said "I'm going to hang the winner!"

Your honor is best demonstrated by how you live and conduct yourself. By living up to what you teach your students, not always easy but it is always honorable.