A few folks wanted me to comment on all this book burning nonsense. Here’s what I think:
Germany, May 10, 1933
“Where They Burn Books, Eventually, They Will Burn People, Too.”
- Heinrich Heine.
What else? Oh, yes. Martial arts! I’ve been in an e-mail correspondence with a reader about martial arts DVDs. Somewhat random but if you want to see some well-produced DVDs you should check out the newer stuff from Paladin Press, or anything from Martial Skills.
Speaking of breaking joints, I just happened to notice this book over at Paladin press.
This book isn’t about sport fighting, flashy moves or how to become a better person through a martial art. It presents realistic grappling techniques designed to control and restrain through the application of pain to the joints. Its purpose is to provide today’s modern warrior – the self-defense oriented martial artist, combat soldier or law enforcement officer – with easy-to-apply techniques that first restrain and then, if taken to their maximum potential, inflict severe physical injury, including torn ligaments and tendons, broken bones and even paralysis or death in extreme cases.
Makes me wonder what Thanksgiving dinner is like at the Christensen house.
Another reader wants to know which is better: Kung Fu throws or the floating Judo-type throws?
It depends.
I think they both have their place in self-defense. For me it always comes down to what I have a realistic chance of delivering in a live situation. Given my height, high center of gravity, and small frame, this usually means the Kung Fu throws. (also seen in Chin Na and Penjak Silat)
If you are under six foot, stocky, and in shape then the Judo-type throws might be for you. My problem is that I stand 6′ 2″ so most people are shorter and heavier than me. This translates to me having a harder time sinking low enough to successfully execute a Judo-type throw.
Video at THIS LINK.
-BCP
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I very much agree on the book burning issue: it’s barbaric, low and sickening and a complete negation of reason and culture. Even if you don’t agree with what is written in certain books or it’s even complete rubbish you don’t destroy texts that survived centuries and to whom so many people dedicated their lives to study and preserve. I do think the unanimous condemnation of all the institutions that matter in the US (goverment, the army, religious organisations…) is typical of the best America has to offer: religious tolerance, respect for culture and other people(s), civility and high mindnedness that springs from a free society with free speech, free elections and a broad education. What a far cry from the uncivilized, uneducated, backward masses shouting ‘Allah aqbar!’ while burning American flags (an equally important symbol to Americans as the koran is to muslims) in certain muslim countries… Surely a moral victory for America. That stupid preacher’s arguments are bogus: two wrongs don’t make one right and even though I support the demand of moving the mosk away from ground zero (even though the great majority of muslims aren’t violent or terrorists this is just too delicate an issue and the construction would probably be seen as a victory by many in the muslim world) it’s no excuse to stoop to the level of book burning (the comparison with nazi-Germany is just too obvious) and even though he recanted (at least that’s the last thing I read about it) the idea itself is just repulsive and would likely constitute a declaration of war in the eyes of many muslims and would sour up international relations even further.
Funny thing: I didn’t know the Heine quote yet I used a similar vein of reasoning in a forum for a local political magazine in my country. WW2 and the holocaust is a blemish on Europe’s reputation and even though we moved forward so much during the decades since the great war it’s still there (as it should be: ‘he who doesn’t know history is doomed to repeat it’, Santayana) as a reminder of the incalcuable destruction and human suffering fascist ideas, racial supremacy, relgious intolerance and totalitarian, militaristic states (many in the middle east still are) can wreak on humanity and the world.
The European Union as the manifestation of a free, tolerant and united Europe with respect for different cultures and religious minorities is an awesome political creation and I fully support this idea since it’s such a source of pride for EU-citizens (at least most of them, some just don’t seem to get the bigger picture and realize the current difficulties are transient), it clearly did much in terms of security and prosperity and it’s a shining beakon of hope to the world and especially to those who live in under-developped countries with violence, civil war, hunger and corruption aplenty. We really should move towards even more political and social unity and a unified army and federal goverment as in the US political model although the idea of the nation-state is still strong in Europe today, especially in France, Germany and Great-Britain. I’m not sure about Great-Britain: surely they’re a part of Europe geographically and culturally (two of my favourite cultural icons hail from that island: Shakespeare and Purcell) but if they refuse to fully support the European political evolution (they didn’t adopt the euro either) sooner or later they’re going to have to choose in which basket to put their eggs: Europe or the US.
Forgot the mention the immortal Davind Hume, ah well.
You make a good point concerning the types of throws and their suitability: I agree but I’d like to add a lot depends on the exact circumstances of the attack… If he attacks you from behind with a bearhug it’s completely natural to do a hipthrow since he’s already near you and you’re already with your back to him, dito with a forearm choke from the rear: from the initial body twist and elbow strikes the single point shoulder throw (ippon-seio-nage) flows so easily, especially the dropping variety (seio-otoshi) and he’ll basically be at your feet and at your mercy in no time (even though I know breakfalls I really wouldn’t like being thrown hard on a hard surface). For pure self defense I wouldn’t try to push the issue and select techniques that take a lot of work to get (e.g trying a hip throw against a straight punch): surely it’s possible and it’s good for your technical ability to train as many applications as possible but practically speaking it’s better to stick with the techniques that flow naturally from certain situations. I don’t know how they throw in kung-fu but in silat a lot of throws use the principle of attacking the balance with hits and without much body contact: I’m not sure about some of the throws that force you to go to the ground yourself but many are very effective and useable and it’s said they offer an advantage when fighting against grapplers since less or no direct body contact (manipulating the limbs primarly) since he can’t hold on to you and pull you to the ground although encountering trained grapplers is a rare event, especially in a street confrontation, and if by delivering strong hits first it’s entirely possible to negate much of that danger.
One more thing: for SD it’s quite necessary to tinker with judo-throws (basically opting for the JJ variant) to aid negating differences in size and weight and to stop him from countering. On the street muscling your way into a throw isn’t an option and if you give the opportunity he’ll likely not hesitate to put a thumb to your eye if that means he can win.
Was in Berlin in the square where they used to burn the books. They have cut a small (about 3 meters square) hole in the pavement and put empty white shelves in it, then covered it with glass so people can peer down into it. It symbolizes the missing books and is a very powerful statement. You wonder how something like this could have ever happened.
SMK – I believe so. Sobering for sure!