Respected acts outside the ring?

[SFC JeffJ]

What act or acts performed by a well known Martial Artist outside of competition do you respect the most?

For me, it'd be when O Sensei changed the name of what he taught from a "jutsu" to a "Do" in order to keep his students from being sent to die uselessly in the caves of Okinawa. I really hope I'm not told that is just an apocryphal story.

Jeff

(edit for grammar and clarity)

 

[w.kaer]

JeffJ-
I am not familiar with the story. What is it?

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Late in WWII, when it became obvious that the next move of the U.S. military was going to be taking Okinawa, the Japanese army took many high ranking students of various styles and sent them there to help combat the U.S. Marines. They took them from the various "Jitsu" or "jutsu" schools. By changing what he did to a "Do", O Sensei saved many of his students, as a Do wasn't considered to be truly combative.

Most of those sent were waiting in the extensive natural and man made caves, expecting the Marines to come and clear them out. However, the Marines just blasted them or bulldozed them closed.

I often wonder how Japanese Martial Arts would be today if it they weren't sent down there to die.

Jeff

 

[chinto01]

I often wonder how Japanese Martial Arts would be today if it they weren't sent down there to die.

Jeff

I wonder that myself since so many senior students were killed during WWII. Also think of what other things were lost as part of the martial history on Okinawa. Book, pictures, notes the material is limitless.

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

 

[Miles]

What act or acts performed by a well known Martial Artist outside of competition do you respect the most?

I respect Chuck Norris for his Kick Drugs Out of America program. He used his celebrity and martial arts to do something extremely positive for the youth of the country.

Miles

 

[matt.m]

Chuck Norris does come to mind, however I have also heard that Steven Seagal is an active environmentalist as well.

 

[terryl965]

I respect Chuck Norris for his Kick Drugs Out of America program. He used his celebrity and martial arts to do something extremely positive for the youth of the country.

Miles

I agree with Miles on this one.
Terry