Well, I don’t know for sure, but a friend of mine once got a license that proclaimed that he was a “Licensed Bodyguard” as he thought it would be fun. Cost him $15 bucks from the catalog that also sold ID’s that were “Authentic Euro ID’s” and cards that proclaimed “Your status as a SEAL, Green Beret, or Ranger!”
Pretty sad.
Also, I was actively involved in Martial Arts here in Sac for a while, and am still on ther edge of things (work and kids means Tristan doesn’t train). While there is no “I’m a lethal weapon” certification, it is well known that if you get in a fight, you can be treated differently by the law, as you should have been trained to react properly.
Also, (and this is just what I’ve heard) since the cops can respond with the next level of threat, if you show martial arts training while fighting the cops, they can shoot you. Of course, now a days the cops will put off shooting for as long as they can… to much paperwork, to much problems.
AFAIK, there is no requirement to register if you are trained in a martial art. On the other hand, I know one guy from the club I used to go to who got into serious trouble because someone was harassing his son, his son retaliated and hit someone, the person then told the police it was my friend and he was charged with assualt. There was also someone from another local club who was jailed for attacking someone who was annoying him (in a pub) and seriously injuring him.
I know some people who are trained in martial arts and will fight people if they are attacked. There are two different types at the club, those who shy away from fights, and those who are fed up of shying away and will fight back.
I am too scared to fight. One thing that martial arts training has actually shown me is how much I actually don’t know. Before I was oblivious to it all, but now I know that the person who is infront of me (if it ever came to that) could be more well trained than I am (I am not very good at martial arts anyway).
The other point which one of my instructors made was that all it takes is one punch and the fight could be over, training or no training. You square up to a guy and he hits you with a sucker punch, or his mate decks you from behind. That is one of the best reasons to avoid it.
Regarding martial arts, what is so “artistic” about kicking someone else’s ass?
More in tune with the OP, since the law treats trained fighters with a more strict hand than it applies on regular people, shouldn’t there be an standardized qualification that could be use to determine who possess lethal fighting skills and who does no? This, IMHO, would be very important since the allotment of belts is very subjective, depending not only on the judgment of the instructor but on the different qualitative criteria established by the particular martial art in which the belt is being assigned.
Also, assuming an standardized qualification system that proves beyond doubt that you are a mean killing machine, how can it be proved that you used your training-obtained skills in combat instead of relying on your God given ability and genetically superior strength, speed and stamina to kick the living hell out of your opponent?
I’ve been involved in judo as a competitor, instructor, coach, and referee for nearly 30 years, all over California and nationally as well, with just a little sprinkling of international play thrown in (pun intended). I’ve NEVER heard of a judoka registering as a ‘lethal weapon’. Moreover, a friend who runs a fairly successful karate school agrees that the ‘lethal weapon’ thing is new to him, too.
There is a legally recognized prohibition against using excessive force, but as others have noted, that holds whether the force is applied by hand or by firearm. Courts will generally allow any victim to use only the force necessary to repel an attack, but no more. For instance, suppose you use pepper spray on an attacker and he crumples to the ground. Most courts will say that’s appropriate. But if you then kick the bad guy in the nuts as hard as you can, or shatter his kneecap (under the idea that you want to be able to get away more easily, perhaps), some courts will say that’s excessive.
My friend, please be very careful if you’re visiting Washington, D.C. Our cops have a very bad habit of emptying guns into unarmed people.
Incidentally, I have a friend who was a serious scrapper as a young trainee. He brought his fists to a knife fight one night and lost quite badly–about three pints. He remains a very competitive, agressive, confrontational person, but he is also a true artist at gently extricating himself from any social ugliness, dignity intact. I like him a lot better now, and so does everyone else.
**Regarding martial arts, what is so “artistic” about kicking someone else’s ass? **
It’s not so much the kicking ass part, as it is the learning of what to do. Many Martial Arts have a very artistic side to them, with Kata or Hyungs that are almost like a dance to someone who doesn’t know what it is representative of… which of course leads to the age old martial arts debate of wether or not forms are necessary.
I spoke with someone who had been teaching a Japanese style off and on for almost 15 years, and he agreed. I think it’s a UL, which probably got started with the Martial arts movies of the 70’s. Ah well.
Me, I learned just enough that I would avoid most fights. Then again, I haven’t gotten the oportunity… I’ve hurt friends while messing around, but nothing real.
As a 2nd Degree Black belt in Tae Kwon Do…i assure you, YOU MUST REGISTER YOURSELF AS A DEADLY WEAPON, but you have to first pass a safety test that makes sure you know how to handle yourself…and you are not permitted to enter churches, courthouses, police staions, or correctional facilities. JUST JOKING!
ok, all jokes aside…i am a 2nd degree black belt with 10 years of experience, and there are 4 levels of force i use.
Level 1----avoid confrontation, try to talk your way out of it—this level is used before all others.
Level 2----the use of more passive techniques, such as holds, armbars, and joint-locks—used on a person who is trying to pick a fight, but is intoxicated or is offering little resistance
Level 3----more active techniques, including hard punches and kicks to the legs, nose, and solar plexus—used to stop an attacker in his tracks when he is posing a serious threat
Level 4----last resort level, used when the subject is armed with a knife, firearm, glass, club, etc…includes very active and hard techiniques to points on the body that will force an immediate drop on the person. This should be used only as a last resort because the chances of death are high.
Luckily, i have never had to use anything past level 1 in my entire life. Though i am trained for it if i have to…and i have competed in many tournaments throughout the United States.
And as to there being a standard for the courts on the use of force by a martial artist, this would be very hard…because all styles are different…and a 3rd degree black belt in one style could be equivalent to a 1st degree in another style.
Having pals that are cops, I think that the closest thing I think you can get to being registered as a lethal weapon is to take a lot of steroids and also have a long arrest record for assaults so that the police refer to you as a “m$*%! f&(#@” or whatever-the-local-term-is, and they will only come to arrest you with several backups.
One told me that there’s at least one big scary fellow in the St Louis area that is so muscular they have to string two handcuffs together to restrain him, because his wrists can’t meet close enough behind his back to use one pair. He is such a person. - MC