if some of the gun laws pass ...

[suicide]

do you think MA and others systems of self defense will have a big comeback %-}

 

[Bruno@MT]

do you think MA and others systems of self defense will have a big comeback %-}

I am not going to start a debate on gun control (go to the guns forum for that) but many countries manage to implement gun control laws without having the country overrun by violent criminals, or the government turning into a tyranny.

If some of the gun laws pass, then there will be wailing, and the gnashing of teeth (not to mention an even bigger run on ammo and guns), but when all is said and done, I don't believe it will have a significant effect on the society. So I don't envision a long term effect on the popularity of martial arts.

People who would turn to martial arts on their own would have done so anyway. Those who don't have the personality for the long term commitment might start, but will give up once they realize they need years of commitent to achieve something.
The might be a short term increase of MA students and McDojos, but nothing lasting imo.

 

[elder999]

do you think MA and others systems of self defense will have a big comeback %-}

"Comeback?" From where? :lol:

 

[Bruno@MT]

Btw, you seem to really like that pirate smilie, no?

 

[astrobiologist]

I think there may be a few too many confounding variables here. That said, I honestly don't believe we would see much of a noticable change in interest in our schools due to a change in gun laws.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

do you think MA and others systems of self defense will have a big comeback %-}

I am inclined to doubt it. If anything, you may see a proliferation of knives.

Most people who purchase a gun specifically for self defense or home defense do so after something makes them feel a need to have the perception that they are protected. The whole point is to carry what they perceive as an equalizer that renders differences in strength and fighting prowess moot. Such people rarely put the time into learning the use of the weapon, and are thus unprepared to actually use it. But they perceive that they are now safer. This perception is purchased and instantaneous. They now have a gun to flash at a bad guy with the assumption that the bad guy will be scared and break off the attack.

If guns were suddenly not available, knives would be the next choice. They're easily purchased and carried and seemingly simplistic to use. And it gives them something to flash at an assailant or tresspasser.

By contrast, people who take up a martial art generally do not do so out of an immediate need for self defense. Even rudimentary self defense skills take time to develop. If I am afraid that I will get mugged tomorrow, I will want something that works right away.

The only people who you would likely see take up martial arts as a result of a total ban on firearms are those who spend hours training to use their firearms and understand that the mere ownership of a weapon does not mean that one knows how to use it effectively. Of course many of these people will likely already know an unarmed MA of some sort.

Lastly, even if guns were completely outlawed, determined criminals will still obtain them, which puts the average person right back at square one: bad guys have guns so unarmed martial arts is no longer a perceived guarantee of safety. You might see a spike in the numbers of new students, but they will drop off quickly as they find out that MA is a fairly long road to anything resembling effective self defense against an armed assailant.

People in general, particularly in the US, are after a quick fix. Martial arts are not a quick fix.

Daniel

 

[searcher]

It won't help load up schools. Most people try MA training until they find out you have to sweat in class and that you are training to hurt the bad guy.

If anything, I see a run on baseball bats. Sorry Daniel, knives are third in line, IMO.

 

[Big Don]

No one I know can parry a bullet or block a slug. I don't care how awesome a fighter you are, you can't hit that guy 300 yds away without a rifle...

 

[chinto]

Folks I see the wheels coming off if they really tried to heavily limit, worse yet ban gun possession to the citizens of the USA. I rather see before that the people into that kind of thing trying to control who is allowed to learn or teach martial arts... just look at NJ where i understand some of the liberals keep trying to do so by law there. Like any place, make guns illegal and most will keep them illegally. and try to control martial arts teaching and study and it will also be underground and done 'illegally"

Oh in the case of the USA, ban guns and It will be very very ugly. I hope and pray that the politicians realize that! I really do hope and pray that!

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

If anything, I see a run on baseball bats. Sorry Daniel, knives are third in line, IMO.

I could see that, particularly since it takes very little in the way of training or technique to hit someone with a baseball bat.

The reason that I said knives because they are much more easily concealed than baseball bats.

In the same vain as baseball bats, large 'tactical' flashlights of the 4+ d-cell variety are also a possiblilty.

Daniel

 

[KenpoTex]

I don't think it would make much of a difference...

The people who view firearms and knives in the correct context--as just one part of their martial-arts "toolbox"--are already training in the other methods. Those that view the weapon as a talisman to ward off bad guys, or as the only option for delivering deadly force probably won't do anything differently.
On a side note, I see this latter group as being the same as the partial-artists (oops, I mean "martial-artists") who won't train with modern weapons. The people in both of these groups are limiting their options by refusing to train in all the pertinent disciplines.

 

[Aiki Lee]

Seeing gun violence up close and personal, I can attest to the need for some gun control. The murdering psychopath who killed five niu students was found to have been on medications and had been hospitalized for delusional and paranoid thoughts. Yet he "passed" the test to obtain a fire arms permit.

I don't think guns should be taken away; but I do feel there are a lot of people who shouldn't have them.

After this event took place, I tried very hard to get a safety and awareness class instituted into NIU, but most people just brushed me off. A lot of people asked about self-defense seminars and whatnot, but no one wanted to implement how to identify dangerous situations. The shooter reportedly walked onto the stage in the lecture hall and the teacher stared at him not knowning why he was there, before the psycho blew a bunch of poeple away. If there was a class for freshman or something that taught people how to recognize a bad situation, I'd feel a lot better about my school.

But the truth is, everyone thinks they live in a shell. Most people do not think something like this will ever happen. Most people simly don't think this kind of stuff is important.

 

[Guardian]

No, I really don't. In todays society, a law or two doesn't really change all that much. My view here.