RULES? IN A KNIFE FIGHT?

 By Phillip Starr

One of my favorite lines in the classic film, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, occurred when the two return to their infamous “Hole in the Wall” gang after a botched train robbery. Newman finds that one of his gang members wants to take over the leadership. He's a huge, bulging fellow who challenges our hero to a knife fight...and he's holding a large bowie knife.

Butch says that before they begin, they've got to get the rules straight. The challenger is no intellectual giant and responds, “RULES? In a knife fight?” And Butch proceeds to beat the bejeezuz out of him as he explains the rules. It's a hilarious scene but also worth some thought because, as we all agree, I'm sure, there are NO rules in a knife fight. Or any other real fight, for that matter.

I remember back many moons ago when kicking to the groin was considered very “unfair” in a schoolyard fight; in fact, it was understood that kicks of any kind weren't kosher. It was considered unfair and something only a brute would do... and if one of the participants said that he'd had enough, the whole thing was over. Brandishing a weapon of any kind was considered cowardly. Alas, times have changed!

Over the years, (especially those spent as a state police officer) I learned more of the truth of it. The object isn't necessarily to “beat the other guy.” The object is to ensure that I get to go home afterwards. That meant ending the conflict as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Our martial arts ancestors understood this very well. It isn't a question of winning; there are no gloves or groin cups, no referees or judges, no roped-off ring, no points awarded, and no trophies or prize money. It's a question of survival, of not losing. Only one of the participants will be going home (maybe). There's no sporting aspect to it, no “playing fair.” Rules are a convention that works only if ALL participants adhere to them.