| "Will my child become more violent from | | | | worse violence. |
| learning karate, jujitsu, or another | | | | All you have to do is watch the news, |
| martial art?" | | | | cartoons, listen to the radio, or read a |
| In a word, "No." Children learn | | | | newspaper, to see things worse than |
| self-control by practicing martial arts; | | | | unsupervised hand-to-hand combat. So, |
| and the code of conduct that is | | | | the self-defense methods taught to |
| enforced, within the studio, is carried | | | | children actually pale in comparison to |
| outside into every day life. The | | | | school shootings, bombings, wars, and |
| average martial arts school works with | | | | drive-by shootings. |
| parents, and academic teachers, toward | | | | Karate was created by unarmed civilians |
| the goal of optimum student success. | | | | on the island of Okinawa and was taught |
| When you see a Karate demonstration team | | | | in secret among family members for their |
| perform, that is not an indicator of the | | | | personal protection. The philosophy, |
| life skills taught within the Karate | | | | within a martial arts school, will not |
| class. It is the "flashiest" component | | | | always be the same, but the seeds of |
| of Karate training, presented to capture | | | | violence are not sown within a martial |
| the public attention. Ten minutes of | | | | arts setting. |
| kids using ancient weapons, breaking, | | | | All you have to do is look around you to |
| and working in synchronized | | | | see more, and far worse, violence than |
| choreography, is more interesting to the | | | | learning self-defense - integrated with |
| public, than a lecture, by me, about | | | | constructive life skills. The fact is a |
| dealing with bullies without violence. | | | | martial artist is not a "street |
| However, let's take a closer look at the | | | | fighter." If that were a requirement, |
| ten minutes of flash. The next time you | | | | we would recruit the toughest kids in |
| see a martial arts demonstration team, | | | | North Providence. |
| remember those children have to practice | | | | As I explain to the children in my |
| those techniques over and over again. | | | | Karate and Jujitsu classes, "Never |
| This requires self-discipline, goal | | | | forget the word, "artist," means to be |
| setting, perseverance, and each child | | | | creative, to be an innovator, and to |
| being a team player. | | | | think for yourself." Children who learn |
| There is no room for a "one way" | | | | martial arts are more apt to be well |
| personality on any martial arts | | | | adjusted and defuse a potentially |
| demonstration team. Such a personality | | | | violent situation. |
| would work against a good public | | | | On top of that, most children who study |
| performance. In a typical Karate class, | | | | Karate, or any other martial art, will |
| all of the above-mentioned life skills | | | | not be "trouble makers." The children |
| are learned and much more. | | | | we teach from the Greater Providence, |
| Children learn much more about violence | | | | Rhode Island area have learned enough |
| on the television, playing with video | | | | about leadership, in our Karate and |
| games, and dealing with daily life, than | | | | Jujitsu classes, to think for |
| they will ever learn in a karate class. | | | | themselves. |
| Even if a Karate teacher was the classic | | | | For parents, the gift of martial arts |
| "evil sensei," that you may have seen in | | | | training to their children has many |
| the Karate Kid movie or on Kung Fu | | | | rewards, right now, and into their |
| Theatre, most children can think of far | | | | future. |