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Article: Martial Arts for Peace; Black Belt Psychologist Teaches Kids How to Handle Bullies Without Fighting
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- March 5, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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When people learn that my 11-year-old son holds a black belt
in karate, their eyes typically widen in an odd mixture of
admiration and alarm as they blurt out a comment like, "Well, I
guess he goes to bed as late as he wants."
Most Americans seem to think that martial artists are
swaggering, violent people itching to bloody the nose of anyone who
gets in their way. But this Hollywood-fed misperception is virtually
the opposite of the true spirit of the black belt. My son Max, for
example, is disciplined, respectful and polite -- at least most of
the time. Plus, he knows that if he ever gets into a fight it better
be as a last-resort defense or his karate teacher will bust him back
to ...