It’s not everyday that you receive an email from a Special Agent of the FBI.
It started:
“The reason for this communication is to provide you with a judicial update regarding the case of United States of America v. WILLIAM ………….”
Where did this all begin?
Around 7 or 8 years prior I had met William for the first time. There was always something unusual about him but I just thought he was maybe a little lost.
Over the years it became apparent that there was something very wrong with him and he needed help.
I had met him as we had attended the same event in upstate New York, a health and fitness camp that brought together a wide group of people from around the world This was an event I attended every summer for around 10 years.
William became a volunteer of the event and a friend to the organisers. It was unclear to me why they were continuing to allow this young man to go to the event. He was already showing signs of having some serious problems mentally and causing issues with the attendees.
He was messaging people from the event during the rest of the year and was increasingly becoming threatening and suicidal in his messages. There were reports that he was taking heroin and other hard drugs.
Eventually, the organisers were forced to ban him.
William became resentful and started to send threats to the organisers. They gathered evidence and reported him to the authorities (including evidence from myself). They were concerned that he may actually follow through on some of his threats and potentially show up with a gun at the event.
I never took his threats seriously myself but the organisers saw it a different way and reported him to the authorities. He was recently found guilty of a few charges and incarcerated.
Where does Aikido come into this ?
After the event there was often a large picnic style gathering in Central Park.
One year I was taking pictures with people at the end and turned my camera towards William.
He shouted and became angry very quickly. Clearly he did not want to get his picture taken.
He happened to be topless at the time and was sensitive about his appearance. He, for some bizarre reason, had attempted to get some plastic surgery on his chest to increase the size and look of the muscles there. The operation was botched and it left him with large scars.
I was a little taken aback by his anger and not knowing exactly how to react I teased him a little pretending I was taking a picture.
He stormed towards me and raised his hands up to grab hold of me. He was out of control.
Just as his hands came to meet me, without thinking and without much intention I ended up with his fingers in my hands. In Aikido, we don’t generally practise finger techniques but I was in a good position to get him under control if he was to continue being aggresive.
I spoke to him and he calmed down, it went no further.
Just being able to stay relaxed in a situation like that allows us to make a better decision that will not escalate a small conflict into something worse.
Over the years I tried to offer him some friendship and advice but it was clear he needed professional help which he did not seem to get.
He continued to spiral downhill and is now incarcerated. The event had informed the Police and it was taken further by the FBI. Technically he wasn’t charged with terrorism but “Transmitting Interstate Threats”.
Aikido has it’s uses in self defence situations, but the training can help us to stay relaxed and positive in all kinds of situations. In that sense Aikido can help us every day.
Aikido For Glasgow 