This is why this list is so great. I've studied tomaya-ryu iaido ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyama-ryu ) for years now. You think finding Black folks into FENCING is hard? Try finding someone who's into (let alone advanced) in samurai arts. Might I suggest that you take up kendo? It gives you an all around training that is great for what you're looking for. True samurai tradition is to get proficient with anything...a stick, beer bottle, postage stamp, all deadly weapons. And then if there's nothing around, hand-to-hand whoopins.
Daryle On Feb 22, 2007, at 2:41 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I loved everything about fencing: the drills, the balance and > finesse needed to wield the blade, the feeling when the blade and I > were more like one being than two separate things. I learned the > basics of sabre and epee fighting as well. I almost lean toward the > schools of Chinese kung fu philosophy that ability with weapons is > possibly more admirable than empty-hand fighting. Almost. When I > *finally* get around to taking martial arts, one of my main goals > is to become proficient with bladed weapons--knives as well as > swords--and especially, a staff. > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > I fenced in high school and a little in college too! There are so > few > > Black fencing enthusiasts, I always get excited with I meet one. > > > > Tracey > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Although I joke about him carrying a sword--and as someone who > fenced > > > in college and owns a foil, I can't talk--speaking personally, > if Man > > > must bear weapons I'd prefer swords to guns. Sure, the idea of > a guy > > > getting skewered in the gut is disturbing, but so is the sight > of a > > > hollow point entering same gut--and the exit wound it leaves. > And I > > > know the images of recent years of some of our African brothers > > > literally hacking each other to death with machetes might give > some > > > pause. But I contend that's nothing compared to the sight of > men too > > > young to drive, spraying hundreds of bullets indiscriminately: > boys > > > literally wielding the power of small armies. At least with bladed > > > weapons you have to get up close and personal, and the collateral > > > damage is kept to a minimum. And a potential victim might stand a > > > better chance defending himself against a sword-wielding maniac > than a > > > hail of bullets. > > > > > > Perhaps we should all became modern-day Don Quixotes like this > guy, > > > wearing blades on our sides, carrying out ritual combat with > rules. > > > Maybe the Crips and Bloods and other gangs should settle their > > > problems with their leaders dueling at dawn. Maybe if people > had to > > > fight duels with agreed-upon weapons and seconds standing at the > > > ready, a bit of civilization would come back to warfare? Yeah, > right.... > > > > > > **************************************** > > > Sword seized after man mistakes porn for rape > > > OCONOMOWOC, Wisconsin (AP) -- A man says he broke into an > apartment > > > with a cavalry sword because he thought he heard a woman being > raped, > > > but the sound actually was from a pornographic movie his upstairs > > > neighbor was watching. > > > "Now I feel stupid," said James Van Iveren, who has been > charged in > > > the case. "This really is nothing, nothing but a mistake." > > > According to a criminal complaint, the neighbor told police > that Van > > > Iveren pounded on the door and kicked it open without warning > February > > > 12, damaging the frame and lock. > > > "Where is she?" Van Iveren demanded, thrusting the sword at the > > > neighbor, the complaint said. "Where is she?" > > > The neighbor told police Van Iveren became increasingly > aggressive as > > > he repeated the question, insisting that he had heard a woman > being > > > raped. The complaint said that, with the sword pointed at him, the > > > neighbor led Van Iveren throughout the apartment, opening > closet doors > > > to prove he was alone. > > > The neighbor later played for police the part of the DVD he > believed > > > Van Iveren heard downstairs. > > > The radio station WTMJ identified the neighbor as Bret Steighorst. > > > Van Iveren, 39, of Oconomowoc, was charged with criminal trespass, > > > criminal damage and disorderly conduct, all while using a > dangerous > > > weapon, and is scheduled to appear in court March 5. Together, the > > > misdemeanor counts carry a maximum sentence of 33 months in jail. > > > Van Iveren said Tuesday that he heard a woman "screaming for > help," > > > grabbed the sword, bounded up the stairs, kicked in the > apartment door > > > and confronted the man who lived there. > > > "I intended to hold it behind my back and knock. But I froze and > > > instead, what happened happened," he told the Milwaukee Journal > Sentinel. > > > Contesting his neighbor's account, Van Iveren said he didn't look > > > anywhere in the apartment except the front room, and that he never > > > threatened the neighbor with the sword. > > > "I had the sword extended, but that was all," he said. > > > Van Iveren, who lives with his mother in the downstairs apartment, > > > said he did not call police when he heard the noises because he > does > > > not have a telephone. He said he barely knew the upstairs tenant. > > > Police seized Van Iveren's sword, which he said was a family > heirloom. > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups - Join or create groups, clubs, forums & > communities. Links > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
