Black belts must register?

[Tiger_N2_Dragon]

The further I get into my martial arts training, the more I realize how much garbage one must weed through to find the truth. From time to time I have heard rumor?s that upon being promoted to the rank of black belt you must register your hands as lethal weapons. Therefore, I have heard people say, they know the material but, didn?t take the belt test for this reason. I know some of you will find this funny but, when you get up after falling out of your chair laughing. Can you tell me if this is true or not? If this is true, I apologize for my ignorance but, can you tell me what agency I must register with? Tn2D

[administrator]

There is no registry of this type. In the 1960s, sit-coms like: Get Smart and I Love Lucy, would make mention of this for a comic gag. Somehow, the martial arts world bought into this and continues to spread the urban legend. However, it is not true.
Kevin Lamkin
Site-Administrator

[profesormental]

Hi!

It is not necessary, but there are associations here in Puerto Rico that did such registries... I know black belt friends of mine that have done so... Mainly some Karate associations... I don't know if the practice has stopped, but I do not think it is law.

Anyway, it would mean that if you punch someone, or even slap them , it would constitute assualt with a deadly weapon... not very useful to defend yourself...

in court.

Juan M. Mercado

[warrior-scholar]

So it seems as though the individuals TN2D is speaking of are either not being truthful or are being registered by their instructor/association. Caution: Beware of instructors promising to teach you super-secret forbidden methods of fighting that qualify you as a registered deadly weapon. By the way, why weren't his legs registered too? Definitely wasn't TKD or any of the other fine kicking arts if only the hands were registered. :p

[Dragon77]

You know, even lethal weapons do not have to be registered as lethal weapons; so why should your hands and feet?

Here is an interesting article I found on the subject:

Martial Arts Myths & Misconceptions
Black Belts Having To Register As Deadly Weapons

By Jonathan Maberry

This is one of the oldest American martial arts legends, and there is absolutely no basis or reality in it. First off, there is no department or process within the U.S. government to regulate martial arts, which means there is no instrument in place to identify persons practicing fighting arts, and no governmental method by which practitioners can be evaluated. Such a feat of regulation would cost millions, if not billions, and would be an invasion of civil rights. Actually there is not a country on earth where martial artists are required to register themselves as weapons, deadly or otherwise.

This myth has its roots in two different aspects of mid-20th century history. In post-World War II Japan traditional martial arts were made illegal, and records were kept of those persons who were experienced practitioners of the arts. This was a bit of anti-Japanese backlash following the war and lasted only a few years. It has not been repeated, and it never spread beyond the borders of Japan.

The other root is planted in the soil of the rich and often outrageous history of professional boxing. In the Joe Lewis era (the boxer, not the karate master), it was a common publicity stunt to have police on hand during a press conference to ?register? the boxer as a deadly weapon. Understand, this was just a publicity stunt and carried no more legal weight than receiving the Key to the City actually means you can open any door with it and just walk in.

In court cases involving violent confrontations, lawyers and judges may advise the jury to bear in mind a person?s martial arts, boxing, or military combat training when evaluating the facts of the case. For example, in the Matter of the Welfare of D.S.F., 416 N.W.2d 772 (Minn. App. 1988), the Minnesota Court of Appeals concluded that the defendant, who had "substantial experience in karate," was aware enough of the potential of his blows to deliberately break the plaintiff?s jaw. But that is a lot different from legally stating that the person in question is a registered or licensed ?deadly weapon?.

Pat Priore, a police chief from Pennsylvania and former SWAT team hand-to-hand instructor, remarked: ?I have been in law enforcement for 16 years and I have never observed this practice in my department nor any other department. Occasionally that old bit of nonsense pops up...but we in the law enforcement community regard it as a joke. I?m amazed that so many people still believe it.?

What I find truly disturbing, however, is that I have encountered a number of students who showed me ?registration cards? they?d gotten from their instructors. These instructors, mind you, charged them a hefty fee to be registered; and the students who, with good will, believed what their instructors had told them, completely believed that they were now registered as deadly weapons. Not only is this fraud, but it is dishonorable behavior as well.

[Aramil]

I didn't read the article but also, if this were to be put in place...wouldn't you register your entire body? I've seen that people in karate and TKD often commit themselves to very high and unnessisary kicks. Also they don't utalize very usable weapons like your elbows and grappeling type things.

TKD also since I have trained with an instructor to see his views seems to think it is better to throw three crapy round kicks thrown with only your leg rather than rethrowing the round kick with your hip. In doing this you have almost the same power that your first kick had.

And I have read that Tae Kwon DO juDO karate-DO. WIth this ending which in translation for some reason makes them just sports and not martial arts.

Which with judo, TKD I can clearly understand this...but I can't remember the exact defination as to why. Can someone help?