should schools teach a universal form of martial arts

[Daniel Sullivan]

if you were hungry with no opportunities in sight no future what so ever and you and your family were starving what would you do ? i bet like all humans WHAT EVER IT TOOK !

Unfortunately, most criminals do not become criminals because they are trying to survive or feed their families. The vast majority of criminals did not need to turn to crime; they chose to.

There are plenty of white collar criminals who bear this out. They may not be violent, but they damage the lives of others.

Most criminals are criminals because they either cannot control themselves for whatever reason (anger management, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, etc.), laziness, greed, or a combination of the three. Some just enjoy the thrill.

Daniel

 

[shihansmurf]

The aspect of MA that can help prisoners are common to other activities and programs, activities and programs that do not teach fighting skills.

This is pretty well the best reason for not having martial art programs in prisons. If the positive aspects of martial art training can be instilled by other means which do not happen to include improving the capability of performing act of violence on the part of people that have demonstrated an disregard for societies' laws then why would we not choose those options? Realisticaly if a criminal has already shown that they lack basic respect for conflict resolution and problem solving that doesn't involve breaking the law why would we want to arm them with a skill set that hands them the option of either perfoming violence well or better than they did before?

Mark

 

[MJS]

elementary - basics

jr hs - intermidiate

hs - a lil bit more advanced

As nice of an idea as it may be, I really don't see it working, for the reasons already mentioned. I havent read every post here, but the few that I have, have pretty much echoed my thoughts. The school systems are probably better off teaching what they do already.

 

[kaizasosei]

I've been searching for a while now, a little unfair of me. I have not been able to find it again to quote properly, sorry. But i believe that children should not smoke for the good reason that it stunts their growth. I'm thinking it probably does serious stuff to everyone but to kids it's hazardous stuff.
Same goes for alchohol if it drunk to the point of losing conciousness.

I gather however, it is better for society if kids smoke than if they are up to no good.

Actually i completely misread the title thinking that all martial arts schools should teach some kind of universal ma.? and i was sorof stumped on that

Actually i took judo in an african elementary school. i didn't realize that it was so special considering that in japan many martial arts are practiced in schools and universities.

 

[MJS]

Wrestling.

I'd say its as close to a universal martial art as you can get. Pretty much every culture has developed a form of sport wrestling at one point or another.

It's also very non-violent compared to most traditional styles, due to the lack of strikes and submissions.

That said I don't think it should be a required part of school, just a optional sport.

Yup, that seems to be the only thing taught today. For the reasons that you mention, ie: the non violence, I think that is why its survived as long as it has, although usually only taught in high schools and colleges. I've yet to see an elementary level school offer that type of program, at least where I live.

Usually once we reach college level, I have seen some martial arts clubs in existance.

 

[MJS]

they teach prisoners boxing so why not MA

They do? Where? When I worked for the DOC, any type of boxing or martial arts practice was not allowed. Now, what someone did while they were in their cell, ie: shadowboxing, etc., is different. But out in the open, nope, never seen it. Why would you want to give people, many of which are already violent, skills to become more violent?

 

[MJS]

thats your point of view , who knows MA might change peoples lives in there maybe it can be used as a form of rehabilitation ma works wonders for all human beings just because there criminals doesnt mean MA cant & wont make a change in there life. how many people did samurais & ninjas kill decapitate poison ambush etc. how many horrible things have you done that no one knows about and you do MA ?

Ummm...yeah, but like I always say....rehab is a 2 way street. There is no magic rehab program thats going to turn peoples lives around. If someone expects a prisoner to be rehab'd, then the inmate needs to have the desire to want to rehab himself. Some people, IMO, are beyond help.

 

[Milt G.]

elementary - basics

jr hs - intermidiate

hs - a lil bit more advanced

Hello,

No... I feel that the martial "arts" should be more diverse depending on and influenced by system, practitioner and teaching style.

I like "buffets". I like to have choices. Even if I go back to the same "dish" time after time, as I do.

I doubt there could ever be a "universal" martial art. Too many personalities, thoughts and opinions. In the Kenpo community alone it is difficult for all to "concur" on everything. I do not think a "universal" martial art could even be decided upon. My idea of "universal" may be different then others ideas of "universal".

Thank you,
Milt G.

 

[James Kovacich]

Unvisersal martial arts can easily be taught without it officially being a universal system. They are not the same, although they could be. For about a decade or so theres been a sloppy cardio version of it in health clubs across the America. Now it's pretty much mainstream.

Is it martial art training, yes, is it good, no, but it is universal. Basic martial arts can be done better than the cardio stuff and without styles being an issue.

 

[James Kovacich]

I spent enough time working in law enforcement to realize that criminals are, first and foremost, predators who have realized that laws are made of paper, and only enforced if the predator in question gets caught.

They are fundamentally unlike you or me. They do not have a feeling of social responsibility, and they cannot be taught it. They are truly amoral, like animals, knowing neither good nor bad but only what they want at the moment.

Whilst martial arts training instills a sense of responsibility in many practitioners, it is a mistake to assume that criminals locked in prisons are subject to the same feelings we are. They are not.

I have never - EVER - met a parole officer who was a liberal, even though many started out that way and they will admit it. They know that all prisoners are liars, opportunists, con-artists, and basically as evil as evil gets. They'll do anything, say anything, whatever they have to do in order to get what they want. They're not humans, they're dangerous creatures who look at us exactly the same way a snake looks at a mouse.

Giving them the ability to fight more effectively is exactly the same thing as handing them loaded guns as they exit prison.

Spend some time around criminals and you will quickly change your tune. The only people who think they can change are people who never spent any time with them.

Criminals are not predators. It's cops like you that makes the public go on the news protesting cops. You're a cop, do a background check on me and eat you own words.

 

[James Kovacich]

So many posts about criminals and prisoners and yet ignorance obviously prevails from lack of experience as one poster suggested they had. There is such a fine line between being a criminal and not. Some are proving that they don't have a clue about what they believe. Ever stole cable TV? Drink undersage and have an accident? The list is endless. Wake up people!

Many many people are rehabilidated. Even some of the worst are rehabilidated even though I would bet my money on it, it does happen. And as being someone who's done enough time to "know" what I'm talking about. The rehabilitation process is a total failure. I asked the courts for help beginning at the age of 23.

I sought help but they turned their backs on not just me but all young people who could of been helped. They go to jail and get more corrupted while inside That is being spoken FROM EXPERIENCE.

I was 30 when I finally got help but it didn't come from the courts. It came from my sisters new husban, a martial art instructor. I never quit the marial arts which I started when I was 13 but I did drift in a bad direction. If anyone, I could of been helped and I did ask.

The courts are a joke when it comes to what our tax dollars are actually being used for.

 

[suicide]

so you did 7 years inside ? what state ? and do you think if there were a way to learn ma in the prison system it would help the inmate tame that anger and resolve problems better ?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

So many posts about criminals and prisoners and yet ignorance obviously prevails from lack of experience as one poster suggested they had. There is such a fine line between being a criminal and not. Some are proving that they don't have a clue about what they believe. Ever stole cable TV? Drink undersage and have an accident? The list is endless. Wake up people!

Many many people are rehabilidated. Even some of the worst are rehabilidated even though I would bet my money on it, it does happen. And as being someone who's done enough time to "know" what I'm talking about. The rehabilitation process is a total failure. I asked the courts for help beginning at the age of 23.

I sought help but they turned their backs on not just me but all young people who could of been helped. They go to jail and get more corrupted while inside That is being spoken FROM EXPERIENCE.

I was 30 when I finally got help but it didn't come from the courts. It came from my sisters new husban, a martial art instructor. I never quit the marial arts which I started when I was 13 but I did drift in a bad direction. If anyone, I could of been helped and I did ask.

The courts are a joke when it comes to what our tax dollars are actually being used for.

Great post!

I think that for the most part, when people use the general term of 'criminals' on these boards, it is the violent, predatory individual that they are referring to. Certainly, I am guilty of using the term 'criminal' in that way.

Your post did make me step back and look at things from a different perspective.

Daniel

 

[kaizasosei]

Hate the sin, not the sinner...



j

 

[James Kovacich]

so you did 7 years inside ? what state ? and do you think if there were a way to learn ma in the prison system it would help the inmate tame that anger and resolve problems better ?

(I need to tone this down to not become a personal attack. More like self-defense in a sense for what I considered offensive)


I never said I did 7 years in state prison. I said I asked for held from the courts and never got it.

I should of made myself clear also. I wasn't quoting about teaching MA in Prison. I was saying that cop "made a foolish statement" for saying that CRIMINALS ARE PREDATORS and thats why I added citazens protest against cops like that (that cop mentality).

In my 20's I had 7 DUI's. I was out of control and did not know how to get help. The courts would not refer me to programs and when my family called them for me they were told that they were more interested in older people.

After my 3rd DUI there was nothing to do but time. My 7th DUI I received 2 1/2 years which I did 15 1/2 months.

I don't know where you got 7 years in state prison from. Altogether I did at least four years of inside time. The '80's were a waste.