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by Bruce
Patterson
 Even
though the wording of the Code of Conduct may vary from one martial
art system to another, the purpose and essence of the Code remains the
same for all martial art systems. The Code of Conduct is the rules of
acceptable use of martial art skills. It is important to understand
the culture in which the martial arts first developed in order to better
understand the Code itself.
Personal and family honor
is valued much more highly in Asian culture than in other cultures.
To disgrace or dishonor one's self or one's family was considered the
"ultimate sin" and essentially unpardonable. You have probably
seen movies where the Samurai warrior commits hari-kari for some dishonorable
act. Hari-kari was considered to be the ultimate act of honor. A person
committing hari-kari was admitting the wrong they had done and was taking
responsibility for that wrong in the ultimate act of taking their own
life to make amends for the wrong done by them.
Warriors were not the only
ones to take this view, but the common people usually did not resort
to hari-kari. Many probably would have done likewise except that their
family depended on them so completely that their death would have placed
the survival of the family in severe jeopardy were they to resort to
such measures.
As society changed, the act
of taking one's own life as an honorable act of atonement thankfully
has died out. But the martial artist should understand that to act in
an honorable manner is still desirable and expected by their peers in
the martial arts community. The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to
serve as a guide to achieve that goal.
Here then is the Martial Arts
Code of Conduct in a more complete and defined form.
No martial artist may knowingly,
willfully or deliberately seek out or provoke a confrontation.
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If
a martial artist becomes engaged in a confrontation, the martial artist
must make every attempt to disengage their self from the confrontation without
resorting to physical conflict providing that they are able to do so safely.
A
martial artist may not permit their pride, ego, honor or desire for respect
to cause them to remain in a conflict from which retreat or escape is possible,
for these things will not aid them or give them comfort in a hospital bed,
wheelchair or the restrictive confines of a casket.
If a martial artist is unable
to disengage their self from a confrontation safely and no other recourse
exists (as a last resort) but to physically defend their self or another,
the martial artist may only use the minimum amount of force absolutely necessary
to render the attacker(s) unwilling or unable to continue the conflict.
Where the martial artist is reasonably
certain that the intent of the assailant(s) is to inflict serious personal
injury, crippling injury or death to the martial artist or another under
their protection, the use of crippling or deadly force may be used, however,
such force may be used only as an absolute last resort and limited to the
absolute minimum amount of force necessary to protect their well-being or
life or the well being or life of another.
Likewise, where the martial artist
is defending their self or another under their protection against multiple,
armed assailants and the martial artist can not reasonably be expected to
successfully defend their self without the use of crippling or deadly force,
such force may be used with the same limitations as above.
No martial artist may continue
to engage an opponent who has, by word or deed, expressed the desire to
end the conflict.
Likewise, no martial artist may
continue to engage an opponent who is unable for any reason to continue
the conflict, the legal definition for doing so is "excessive force."
The martial artist must take it
upon their self to know and remain within the laws and statues concerning
self-defense where they live before such time as they may be needed as the
laws vary from state to state. Finding out about the laws after the fact
could be too late to prevent legal problems.
Good
books to read about this subject include The Art of War by Sun Tzu and Bouncer's
Guide To Bar Room Brawling by Peyton Quinn. Also check you local library
in the section containing legal books or ask your librarian for assistance. |
