I have also come to believe in a little "preemptive self defense". Now, I don't mean to jump the guys in the alley first, this is much more effective, and much more difficult and it is something I need to work on.
If one is worried about oneself or others being jumped in an alley in a bad part of town (first, as I said before, stay out of the alley), the next step is to start improving the conditions of the environment so that people will not feel they need to resort to jumping others in the alley.
And I thought stancework was hard.
As a small step in that direction, I had my students, at their last belt test, perform random acts of kindness. Just a small step to improving the environment around them.
More to come.
1 comment:
Wonderful, yes. It turns out if you go to the "bad" part of town you find out it is comprised of people -- regular people: families, children, youth, parents, elders ... All those people wake up each morning and try to find hope in the world, just like everyone else. Do you have a bit of hope to offer? Don't just stay out of the alley, clean up the alley, fix the playground, insulate the homes, repair the cars, fill the backpacks with fruits, vegetables and good things to eat. Dig a community garden, water it, reap the rewards by lower crime rates, healthier citizens and a deeper understanding of humanity. And, while you're at it, stop tolerating intolerance.
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