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Last year we were debating stuff in class. We had to do essays, with our arguments and possible rebuttals. I did my argument on Martial Arts. Most people think it's what starts fights. In my opinion, it isn't. It's not the knowledge that starts the fight, it's the misuse of it. For example: If some random kid plays GTA, and then imitates it's stunts in real life, he's ********. It's not the games fault (it was made for entertainment), it's the idiot who brings it into real life, by imitating it.

Here's my essay (I understand if you call it childish or short, I wrote it in the beginning of last year [Grade 8] sweatdrop ) :

Martial Arts, the fighting knowledge movie stars use in their theatrical fight sequences, is often something that people want to learn how to do. Martial Arts, is the knowledge of fighting. It has been around for 2000-5000 years. People should learn it to know how to defend them-selves. If people want to take a Martial Art that helps them stay fit and learn how to fight, then my advice to them is: All Martial Arts help you stay fit, but Kickboxing is particularly really good for developing abs. An estimated 18.1 million Americans participated in some form of martial arts at least once in the past year. Included in that estimate are 9.4 million adults, 5.5 million teenagers and 3.2 million kids. Some of the number of people who don’t take Martial Arts think that it is what starts fights in real life.

I’m absolutely sure that anyone who has taken Martial Arts will agree with me when I say that, anybody who teaches Martial Arts will always emphasize that the knowledge that they give you is not for starting fights, but for defending yourself if a need ever arises.

I myself take Kung-Fu and Kickboxing, for which there are punching bags and a fighting ring, in the back. Once every week after our class we get to go in the ring to test out our newly acquired knowledge. The purpose of that, is to train us to defend ourselves (and to prepare for future tournaments). The punching bags also help you take out your anger. Someone on the other side of the debate (someone who thinks that Martial Arts is the cause of fights) might think that: After testing your knowledge out in the ring, you might just go to school tomorrow and use you Kung-Fu to beat up the next person who tries to bully you. A possible rebuttal from my side might be: It is not the knowledge that starts the fight, it is the misuse of the knowledge that starts them. It is taught to you for self-defence, not to beat someone up. Some one might then say that a not-aggressive person (person who starts) fights like me will hesitate to hit someone if I’m in a fight, so Martial Arts is a waste of money. A possible rebuttal from me might be: That is what the ring is for, it teaches you how to defend yourself during a fight. I now will not hesitate for one second to hit someone after they have tried to harm me.

In conclusion I say that people should participate in some Martial Art. It helps you stay fit. It teaches you how to defend yourself. It also teaches you discipline/self-control. For the people that still think Martial Arts is dangerous and the cause of fights, I say: Go to some Martial Art school, and watch what they do. Observe them, and what the teacher explains to them. How to use it, when to use it, and why to use it. In my opinion, if you do that much then your opinion on the matter will probably change; maybe some more than others.

Martial Arts is the Art of fighting. One martial art might focus on striking; another might focus on grappling, another might focus on both. I guess if you know all of them (which is practically impossible, unless you train with the shaolin monks ninja ), you're almost untouchable dramallama .

There is no best martial art. It's all a matter of opinion.

@Love: Tell me what's wrong with the GTA example.

Trust me, street brawling gets you nowhere. If you're just holding on to each other with one hand and slugging with the other, no damage is being done. You have to take a step back and make them play your game. Make them fight at your pace. Almost everyone knows how to street fight. If you know a different style, then use it to your advantage.

@Missy Wyvern: If you can't do nothing by scaring them, then I would suggest let them attack, and use their force against them. Aikido is good for that type of thing. It's a defencive martial art that uses the strikers force and balance against them. For me running is the very last resort wink .

(1) I agree with the first 2 paragraphs that you wrote 3nodding .
(2) Like I said it, was something I did the night before, and I had to rush it. xp

One last thing: what does eloquence mean sweatdrop ?