I have refereed a couple of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournaments in the Rocky Mountain region and one performance I have witnessed is instructive and inspirational for everyone on many levels.
A one legged man entered a recent tournament and was placed in a bracket with 15 other competitors at about 175lbs. In jiu jitsu everyone is equal on the mat. You are weighed and your skill determines your bracket and then you fight. Points or submission determines fights. A submission is a polite way of avoiding unconsciousness or serious injury at the end of a match when one combatant executes a technique that breaks limbs or renders their opponent unconscious in 3 to 10 seconds. You tap out or submit thereby avoiding injury or a humiliating seizure. You also are recognizing your opponent's skill.
This one legged man from Montana won his first three matches by submission and along the way dominated his opponents. He adapted his handicap to the rules of engagement and established position and submitted with strangles and joint locks. At one point he popped up to a position referred to as knee on stomach, except he didn't have a knee. I gave him the two points for stub on stomach and watched him transition to mount. He finished his opponent shortly thereafter. He fought and won even though he was missing a part of his body that to me seems indispensable to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In the finals, he matched up with a marine and was doing well, when the marine caught him in a tricky arm-in-Ezekiel strangle. He tapped out, recognizing a superior man caught him.
This helped me redouble my training. At forty, I was feeling old and rickety regularly sparring kids that could be mine. I now know my jiu jitsu can be as good as I can make it. The one legged man had a lesson for me.
For everyone who feels they can't get it done. The one legged man shows you how hard work and a creative mind produces results. The question becomes, will you do it or won't you? Will you put everything you have into the effort? Excuses are just that.
For Democratic candidates, the one legged man teaches you the importance of fighting until your opponent taps out. This means either you render them unconscious or break them or you make them tap. When you have your opponent in a difficult position, you finish him. There is mercy to an extent, but only insofar as your opponent is willing to save themselves. We are self-aware enough to recognize our failings and weaknesses; it is time to make the Republicans understand theirs.
I saw a one legged man at an ass kicking contest, and he kicked ass.
26 Days to go!
