A True Man of Peace

A few years ago, a reporter approached the teenage son of actors and liberal activists Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. They asked the boy if he agreed with the very liberal views of his famous parents. I don’t remember what the teenager said. But after Robbins heard of the incident, he angrily stormed up to the reporter and told him that if he ever spoke to any of his children again, he would beat the living snot out of him. A comedian quipped that night on TV that Robbins would have beaten the reporter right then but couldn’t as he was late for a peace march.

Most non-martial arts have the mistaken belief that martial artists (and many in the military) love violence. They think it’s what attracted us to get involved in the martial arts, or join the military. But those who know the true and horrible costs of violence and war are often the most strongly against it.

An Okinawan man I know loved riding his bicycle, although his busy schedule only allowed him to do so on Sundays. He looked forward all week to his Sunday trips into the countryside, where he could peddle happily through the sugar cane fields, smelling the aromas of nature and feeling the wind in his face.

On one particular Sunday, he was peddling through a very busy Naha intersection on his way out of town. While attempting to make his way safely across, a taxi almost hit him. The driver slammed on the brakes, as did the bicyclist. The driver jumped out of his taxi, cursing and wanting to fight the bicyclist. The bicyclist was a humble man and apologized, then continued on his way.

But this would be his last bicycle trip. Because riding his bicycle had almost caused a fight and gotten someone badly hurt, he gave up riding his bike, to make sure the next incident didn’t end badly for someone.

That bicyclist was Hanshi Morio Higaonna, a true man of peace.

Morio Higaonna and I at Las Vegas tournament.