Web Dojo
an online service of the Nippon Karate-do/Kobudo Seishin-Kan
April, 2001
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What would drive an apparently nice, soft-spoken 14-year-old boy to commit murder and mayhem? Is it simply that he "snapped" because so many kids teased him about his small stature? Is it because gun-control laws are not strict enough? Is it a failure of the American school system? Or is it something deeper?
The Sheriff, the Mayor, County Supervisors, and the District Attorney all expressed their disbelief that something like this could happen in "our community." They pointed to the parks and parades, and the wonderful youth facilities and activities available in the surrounding area as reasons that something like this should not have happened. But those things are merely recreational opportunities. What led to the tragedy, however, was not a lack of recreation, but deep-seated feelings of hopelessness, powerlessness, and worthlessness.
Nothing would be accomplished by trying to fix blame on anyone for the lack of character development in the accused murderer, Andy Williams. It's too easy to say his parents failed him, or his teachers failed him, or the "system" failed him. Americans seem obsessed with fixing the blame for things. As martial artists, we should be intent on fixing the problem instead.
Could karate-do or iaido fix the problem? In a word, YES!
Traditional martial arts draw upon the philosophy Shimabukuro Sensei and I discuss in our book, Flashing Steel. One of core principles of bushido is to control your own environment, rather than letting your environment control you. When your environment is detrimental, you must change poison to medicine ("Hendoku i-yaku," page 43), rather than continue to suffer or allow a negative environment to destroy your attitude. You have the power to create the environment that you want. In the book, we show that you cannot change the past, or even the present, but you can change the future. So you have hope. And we discuss one of the most basic principles of bushido -- Ika ni shinu ka . . . "choosing how to die." Choosing how to die means recognizing the extremely high value of every human life, and that it is not to be thrown away frivolously. Dying for a worthy cause means living for a worthy cause, as well. And having something to live for -- goals to strive for -- gives your life meaning, purpose, and value.
Yes, I can confidently say that if Andy Williams had practiced traditional karate-do for at least a few months or more, he would have recognized the hope and power and purpose and meaning and value in his life -- and he would not have thrown away his own life or the lives of others in this horrible tragedy.
There is another source of hope, as well. A more powerful source! A source that comes from faith in a power and a purpose greater than anything within ourselves or that this world has to offer. It is a source of hope and encouragement that is sustaining many of the victims of the Santana High School shootings -- the faith that gave many of the Columbine High School victims the strength and compassion to come to San Diego to comfort and encourage those who were traumatized by the shootings here. If you want to learn more about this hope and what it promises for your life, simply Click here.
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