Tanto, I don't think anyone's disputing that. All I'm saying is that if you want to learn to parry and move off line, there are lots and lots of arts out there that will teach them even better, and they'll teach them in conjuction with a whole litany of other fight-applicable skills. If fighting is really the aim, people are better served learning a fighting art. If enjoyment is the aim, then whatever. But it doesn't make sense to go off and learn a whole art just to drag out a few cherry picked concepts that can be found all over the place, already distilled and custom tailored to fighitng with modern weapons and tools. To reiterate:
I think sword arts have tons of value, across a whole broad spectrum of areas. I just don't think they are practical for self-defense.
Besides - even if it was legal to carry a sword, don't you suppose it'd be a bit cumbersome and odd-looking? Imagine trying to sit down to a meal at a local restaurant ... Shit. Freaking sword's in the way...
|