Thursday, August 12, 2004 Taneo: The Golden Rule rules By Paul J. Taneo Free-for-all
AS ONE of the volunteer marshals who maintained the peace during the proceedings related it, this is what happened. (All names have been disguised to protect the guilty.)
LPL was seen swaggering around the venue before and during the performances of the various martial arts groups.
While Lionheart was talking with event organizer Mr. Trey, LPL poured water on his hand and splashed it into his face the way a cannibal does with blood before feasting on captured meat. The water not only hit him, some sprinkled into the face of marshal Lionheart and Mr. Trey.
This was done in plain view of everybody. No one complained…yet.
LPL then strode towards Lionheart and Mr. Trey but his path was blocked by a pretty young thing. LPL warded off the mestiza teener aside who staggered backward, almost falling to the floor.
Lionheart, in a chivalrous spur of the moment gesture, walked towards LPL and purposely bumped him on the shoulder. LPL, outweighed by Lionheart by about 50 pounds, must have felt it but he didn’t say anything. Not even an ouch.
Lionheart got his message across: “Be a gentleman, friend.” And more importantly: “Don’t mess with me. I do the messing around here.” Lionheart chose not to pursue the matter.
As he texted me later that day, he said, “I kept my cool so I won’t be shamed.” Nice job and good thinking.
Now boys and girls, what is the moral of the story?
Let me tell you in clichés.
“Don’t chew more than you can swallow.”
“This town ain’t big enough for the both of us.”
And maybe most appropriately: “When in Rome do as the Romans do” or you’ll get burned at the stake or fed to the lions.
LPL committed other indiscretions that day. One other martial artist, actually one of Lionheart’s students, was setting up props and as LPL passed by from behind, he was accidentally hit on the chest by an errant elbow. LPL blurted out: “No power.”
While another wushu practitioner, a longtime bogeyman of local martial arts who has reportedly turned over a new leaf and discovered the true meaning of the word humility after a couple of beatdowns and choke-outs, was doing forms for the audience, LPL was spotted mock-imitating the former’s moves backstage.
This is the kind of behavior that gives martial artists a bad name. The martial arts gathering and exhibition was intended to show the good side of the martial arts beyond the messy politics, infighting, crass commercialism and fake skills.
But if all alien martial arts experts that we import behave like LPL, we are better off sticking to western boxing and billiards for our medal aspirations.
A fervent hope is that LPL acts like a real martial artist and a gentleman and be more discreet in
his ways on and off the stage. Those who saw him perform were impressed by his moves and agility – leaping an almost-impossible height into the air. He wouldn’t have been imported to teach his art if he wasn’t any good. But goodness is measured in ways more than talent. And even if you are the best at what you do but are rotten to the core, you are only good in your own mind.
Now, who was it who said “shape up or ship out”? You can be better, man.
Besides, for your own good, ethically and physically, you’d better do as the great Chinese philosopher Confucius (real name: K’ung Fu-tzu – ain’t that a coincidence?) had so eloquently articulated: “Do unto others what you want others to do unto you.” It’s not called the Golden Rule for nothing.
If that doesn’t work, just between you and me and whoever gets to read Free-For-All today, Lionheart told me: “But if I had not promised to be a good marshal, we’ll be in the papers tomorrow. Kept my cool so I won’t be shamed.”
Good decision, Lionheart.
Postscriptum Department: Lionheart is a semi-retired streetfighter with a 10-0 win-loss record. The slate I made up. He has admitted though to sowing his wild oats but has found true love and only does his banging in the gym on the punching bag and the mat nowadays.
Peace.
(sports@sunstar.com.ph)
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