The Loyal Opposition & The Practice of Aikido

• Main Author: Jonathan Miller-Lane
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad de León 2012-07-01
• Series: Revista de Artes Marciales Asiáticas
• Online Access: http://revpubli.unileon.es/ojs/index.php/artesmarciales/article/view/302

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Discussions regarding martial arts often focus on the unique manner in which different styles respond to a set of common attacks. Indeed, it is in these unique responses that most martial arts distinguish themselves. However, this paper examines the role of the aggressor during training; specifically, in the martial art of Aikido and draws an analogy between the role of an aggressor during Aikido practice and the actions of a member of the loyal opposition in a democracy. A commitment to a set of rules that govern and protect the participants and a commitment to maintain a rich, creative tension mark both the vibrant interactions of an Aikido dojo and democratic life in a multicultural society.</span></span></span></p>