Political Correctness in the Martial Arts

   Face it, we live in an age of political correctness. Before you get any ideas, no, this is not an article excusing racist/sexist/homophobic opinions nor is it ridden with such hidden subtexts. This is rather an examination into the mindset that many martial artists seem to carry. A notion that all arts are infallible, equal and delicate creations of man, that must never be questioned or ridiculed. A notion so dangerous, its time we start examining it.

 Respecting All Arts 

        Here's a concept I've never understood. The concept of respecting all martial arts. It's this politically correct ideology of never speaking out, against or contradicting any martial art. And we're made to believe if we don't respect all martial arts, that we're terrible people and we're terrible martial artists. Basically, we're meant to treat martial arts as if they were people with feelings. I hate to break it to those people that feel the need to treat arts as delicate glass ornaments, but martial arts are intangible concepts, similar to political ideologies that do not cry, laugh, take enjoyment or feel pain. However, there are people behind styles and ideologies, that do cry and feel pain. Is this what they mean perhaps? Respect all martial arts practitioners?
 If what people mean by saying they should 'respect all arts' that they should 'respect all martial artists,' then I would agree to a certain level. Should we respect all martial artists as human beings? Yes of course, everyone should be granted that right. Should we respect that someone has a right to have an opinion or to participate in an activity? Yes again. Do these rights grant them the ability to not have their opinion countered or even made fun of? No. Part of being an adult, means you have to learn to take things like an adult. If you think your old and mature enough to have big grown up opinions, then that means your old enough to be able to take criticism and flack for the things you stand behind. Don't get me wrong, you are not in any way obligated to justify the decisions you make, or the opinions you have, but you can't get mad at others for voicing their opinions.
      The beauty of martial arts in my opinion, is in their ability to defend themselves. If something is good, it has the ability to stand on its own legs with it's own merits. It really doesn't need to be defended. It doesn't need for you to coddle it, and use fraudulent devices to deceive others into believe it is a legitimate art. If you have to go to extraordinary lengths to defend your art, then I would start being concerned in the legitimacy of your art.

Are All Arts Equal? 

   The notion that all martial arts are created equal is a ludicrous concept to me. Even more so than the notion that we have to respect all arts. All martial arts were not created equal. Every branch of martial arts has a distinct method of doing something, as outlined by their head organizing bodies. From how to throw a basic reverse punch to your round house kicks. Granted that there are some schools that may have subtle nuances to how they do things, it's not an immediate overall or revolutionizing way of doing things. If it were, that means they no longer carry out their bodies guidelines and cannot be affiliated with them. Basically what I'm saying is that, I can walk into a random BJJ school in any part of the world, and I'm going to know what to expect. They may set up armbars or triangles a little differently, but I'm not going to walk into this school and see these guys doing somersaults and gymnastics. Nothing should catch me by surprise basically.
  Within these distinct styles, are their guidelines for performing various techniques. These ways are either the efficient way to do something or the inefficient way to do something, granted that there is more than one way to do something efficiently or inefficiently. But what traditional martial artists are basically expecting me to believe is that, all arts do things the efficient way. I don't buy that for a second. If we're all doing something differently, we can't all be right. But what makes an art, an art, is that they have a distinct way of doing something that differs to the next art.