Civil Unrest

The murder of George Floyd is a tragedy.  It should have never happened, and all the other violence and murders committed by the police should never had happened.  And it hits close to residents of Louisville.  Things need to change in our city, our state, and in our country.  That is certain. However, violence is never the right response to violence.  Sometimes it may be the only response to save yourself or a loved one, but that does not make it right. 

I debated whether or not to say anything on social media, the website, etc.  At first, I thought, it is not the responsibility of a business to speak out against something that is not directly affecting that business.  I thought of the business as a separate entity, an entity that is apart from racism, police brutality, and I felt like any business should only promote what it offers to its customers.  And I think that holds true with most things like political leanings etc.  But when it comes to something that affects our communities, like what has been happening, I think it is the obligation of businesses to speak out against anything that will hurt our communities.  These issues we are having with the police, and with civil unrest is affecting our communities. As a martial artist you need to stand up for the weak, that includes the persecuted who may not be weak, but who are weaker or in a more vulnerable position to the people who are persecuting them.  So as a martial arts school we need to stand up and push for change.

Change first comes from within.  You must discipline yourself, then fix the things in your family, then maybe look at the community and see what you can do there.  But it starts with yourself.  That is where our role in the solution to all these societal problems comes into play.  Training kung fu will help you to become disciplined and it will help you protect your family, protect the weak.  It will make you a better person and thereby start the change that is needed in our society.    

Protest, if you feel you must, but protest peacefully first.  Write a letter to your councilman or councilwoman, and to your congressman or woman.  Create petitions, get them signed by as many people as you can, then send them in to City Hall.  Attend a City Hall meeting, make your voice heard that way.  Vote.  Do the things you can to create the change you want in the right way.  Your community needs you in this way.  This is being a responsible citizen. Before you add to the violence be sure you have done everything you can in every other way to decrease the violence. Make violence your last resort not the first thing you do.