Yesterday I had the opportunity to serve on a jury for a criminal case that resulted in a unanimous decision for conviction. The prosecutors were clearly prepared, more so than the defense because the latter had very little to argue. Without getting into particulars, there was irrefutable evidence against the accused. That evidence was video, from the officers body cam, to the video on the squad car and at the police station. The defense attorney attempted to sway the jury with his client’s state of mind at the time of arrest along with other factors, but the truth is, it’s difficult to use circumstantial evidence when everything is recorded. And what the jury saw was an individual’s repeated disrespect for a law enforcement officer who clearly attempted to give this person every chance to get out of bad situation. Had the person on trial been a little humble, a bit more compliant, the night may not have resulted in a jail cell.
Now, you can argue that the constitution gives us the right to say what we want to whomever we want. We’re allowed to express our feelings, even and if someone doesn’t agree. Of course, this goes both ways and these days, that aspect of free speech gets lost on more than a few. Anyway, during the trial the accused started off in a much more humble state, even claiming religious affiliations that were not evident on video. And the jury had an opportunity to see a different side to this person during the defense attorney’s questions. But when the prosecutor began to ask pointed questions, the same types of belligerent behavior from the accused popped up again. It got so bad at one point that the judge had to tell the accused to be quiet and answer the questions. The trial lasted several hours but it only took the jury about 20 minutes to make a decision.
One thing I drew from this was the extent that the legal system goes to in assuring a fair trial. Prior to the trial, the prosecution and the judge went to painstaking lengths to educate us on the importance of presuming the accused was innocent until proven guilty and that the burden of proving guilt rested solely on the prosecution. And despite the overwhelming evidence, the video, testimony from the arresting officer, we could have been persuaded a little more had the accused presented themselves differently. The take away is this: humility goes a long way.
I recently received an email from a dude who wants to sell me a martial arts marketing strategy. We get a lot of those. Anyway, his schtick is kickboxing classes…that’s how I’m supposed to fill my mats; with kickboxing classes. I won’t quote him exactly, but he says something to the effect of, “Sorry, but most adults don’t want to wear a pajamas (he actually said that), bow to everybody and feel awkward. And women don’t want to wear clothes that aren’t flattering (he actually said that, too). People just want to get a workout and feel like they’re learning self-defense.” Well, this guy may have had a successful fighting career and perhaps he’s got several academies, but he clearly doesn’t understand martial arts. What he does understand, what most of these guys understand, is ego. Let’s play into peoples’ ego, have them throw on colorful t-shirts or test them every three months for a multi-colored belt, have pizza parties and movie night…ego. Martial Arts Sales Tactics 101.
In traditional martial arts, the number one enemy and the first one to defeat is ego. That’s why you’re supposed to bow when you enter the dojo, bow before you get on the mat, before you train with another person. It is the reason we wear plain uniforms with no patches. And it’s one of reasons that it takes so long to learn. Yeah, I can have kickboxing classes with funky music and teach you some basics that make you feel good about yourself. And believe me, it would be a hell of a lot easier to fill the mats. But I’d much rather introduce people to Budo - the way to enlightenment through martial training. If you have a budo dojo, you have an environment for learning and understanding humility. That’s going to impact individuals a whole lot more than some flashy kicks.
How different would your life be if you used a little more humility in your interactions with people? If you weren’t overly concerned with your point of view, your feelings only? You see, that’s what happens when you take the time to bow. It’s a small gesture, but you have to stop and do something compliant, even if you don’t agree with the action. The word, “compliant”sounds as though we are giving up ground, right? Like we’re giving in, perhaps? If the person I mentioned earlier, the one who is most likely sitting in a jail cell right now had been compliant with the arresting officer…had they been a little humble instead of belligerent…well, I may not have had to sit for a jury yesterday. Of course, we’re all raised a certain way and I suspect this individual didn’t have the best upbringing. All the more reason we still need places where humility is practiced. All the more reason we need martial arts dojos more than kickboxing studios. I know, I’m a little biased.
Can I be straight with you? I’m supposed to sell self-defense. When I put out ads for our dojo, if I don’t have that phrase some where, apparently it won’t land on people. What I’d much rather say is, “Come and train with us. You will be challenged mentally and physically and your ego is going to take a lot of hits. So will your body. And through that process, that long and arduous process, you will learn hand-to-hand combat regardless of the style. More importantly, you’ll learn how to be a better human being.
Dave Magliano
Tatsu Dojo
Jissenkan Budo
Dojo Cho
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