What is your opinion of the Guardian Angels?
Do you think it’s a good overall way to use your training to help others??
What do you think is the best way to use your training to help others???
If you don’t know who the Guardian Angels are:Guardian Angels
Badger
Gaurdian Angels
My conceptions of them are tied up with growing up in NYC in the late 70’s thru highschool in the 80’s.
Back then they were perceived of as more of a gang, and they had severe problems with an image as radical vigilantes. Not quite as bad as the guy(I forget his name) who shot the four guys on the subway, but I think that the cops at the time didn’t like them at all.
I think using your martial arts to empower a neighborhood is a good thing. People should not be afraid to go out at night in their own neighborhood. I just think you have to be careful of crossing the line yourself, I’m sure for many of the Guardian Angels organizations around the country do not have this problem, or they would not still be a viable oraganization.
I think using your training to help others, especially kids is the best way. Encouraging a healthful lifestyle and instilling self confidence and respect are life lessons that fewer people seem to be leaning these days.
The Angels
Back in 1989, I was the training instructor for the Philadelphia chapter of the Gaurdian Angles. At that time the were located in the Germantown section of Philly. The area was not that bad but to see problems you would only need to go about one or two blocks in any direction from Germantown Ave and Washington lane.
During this time of my life, I was some what of a radical who enjoyed the chase of crossing hands with anyone. One of my main concerns as an instructor for the angels was what they were up against. To find this out, I decided to do some patrols with them. What I discovered was very frightening. As soon as a confrontation starts some of the Angels would run and hide on peoples porches or under stairways. To be honest the only time I did not see most of them run and hide was when groups from Baltimore and Port Charles came to Philly to patrol with us. The night before the big incident was a terrible night. We had several people to help patrol the Germantown section but because of Philly’s reputation this out of town angels were frighten to death. Some of the guys from out of town seen me working out and training at the HQ, so they all wanted to patrol along my side. However, we broke up into several groups of 5 men teams. I lead the team I was with. There was one group of Philly Angels that was patrolling the NW side of Germantown. These guys were more hardcore and did not mind getting into a good fight. It just so happened that they got caught up and radioed that they had a code red. All the groups rushed to add them but we were so far away that by the time we got there the fight was over and the thugs were gone. No one was seriously hurt, just a few busted lips and some bruises. The next day was the Puerto Rican parade in which we marched during the celebration. When we returned to G-town we went on another patrol. as we were aprox one block away from HQ, a big fight broke out with some corner thugs. Code Red was called and within 2 minutes chaos broke out. We had several vehicals come from all different directions. Fortunately they were Angels and the thugs were taken down with no problem.
One month later on the day of my gung fu brothers funeral I was on my way home. I ran into a group of angels that I trained as we were going around the corner, we ran into a group of thugs. This thugs must have recognize me from a previous situation. They surrounded me and started to attack. Although I was very young at that time, I did not panick and I was able to handled the situation with some difficulty. However the angles stood there and watched as a fought. I realized that several more people where joining in on the fight as the angles ran and left me to fend for myself. When the oppurtunity occured, I turned to run. As I was running, which was not very fast, I pulled my hamstring and they group caught up with me. At first it just was two guys that caught up. They were easy to take care of. As I looked down the street, seveal more caught up. Some had sticks. The only thing I could do is duck, turn or block the sticks with my arms. I had another chance to run, in which I did. I made it to G-town Ave and was running towards Washington Lane. As I crossed Washington Lane the *******s tried to run my over with the car. I made it to the other side. When I looked at the guys in the car, the laughed and drove off. I was so furious that I ran to the HQ and challenged everyone at there. Their excuse for leaving me was that they seen a guy with a shotgun so they ran to call the cops. I find that to be BS. After that I had no more dealings with the Angels.
What I believe to be the problem with the Philly chapter, is that everyone joins the Angels to be a part. It has nothing to do with protecting the hood. This guys would never train when it was time to. When a situation occured they ran like roaches when the lights come on. The attitude of this members were more like a gang and nothing else. Some of the guys had personal problems with me because they were look upon as great fighters by there peers. In order for me to be the instructor, some of them challenged me but all of them got the hell beat out of them in the process. I’m not saying this to boast about myself, but to say that there training in martial arts is not that efficient or effective. If you are not a martial artist, a few weeks or months of general self-defense will not prepare you for what is going to happen on the street. I was fortunate that I had trained in martial arts from a very young age and did not fear fighting. So to be out on the streets fight the so called bad guys was nothing and it meant nothing. Especially since the average thug is not trained to be a real fighter. However there are some that don’t train that can still give a trained fighter a run for his money.
I want to also say that the situations that I experience does not reflect the original or the present Angels of NYC for I never might or seen them in action.
Peace
\
Je Lei Sifu
Takes me back
Hey, I got jumped at the corner of Green & Chelten when I was 15 years old. Three of us waiting for the bus and we got attacked by about 15 kids. I had just started my TKD training 4 months before, my kick caught air but it kept the main guy back for a bit, then someone jumped on my back and I booked it, kids hitting me as I ran by. I made it to the corner and some older guys helped me get my bookbag back. Afterwards I noticed all of the hits I had sustained were behind the ear. This is off-topic but you reminded me of the area. A bad one but not Philly’s worst neighborhood, not even close. That was my last fight BTW.
I saw something on TV about the Guardian Angels founders, I think he told some big lie or something. Don’t remember what the scoop was, it’s probably out on the internet somewhere.
-FJ
I don’t know much about the Angels…have only seen them once in this area, they stood on a few street corners locally a few years back when some psycho was serial raping. Gotta give it to them for that…even raising public awareness is a noble deed in my view.
I think I heard something a while back about Curtis Sliwa claiming to have been attacked and shot several times but it was discovered that the wounds were self-inflicted? Does this sound correct to anybody? But either way, he used to make appearances on some show on FoxNews a while back and I have to say, I kinda liked the guy.
Touched By a Guardian Angel
But, pending litigation, I’d best not discuss that.
Did it have that sweet “Lucky Charms” accent?
Sounds like a great way to get stabbed or shot.
I am not so much of a team player and would enver consider walking the streets literally looking for trouble.
If I see someone doing something stupid and taking advantage of another human being, I help out. Happens very rarely where you intersect with this behavior and its not just somebody being loud and obnoxious.
The Angel’s HQ is a couple blocks from my crib here in Manhattan. Generally speaking, they don’t look very intimidating, and I never actually see them patrolling, eventhough on my block there are fights, dealer, hookers…I can’t figure out what it is exactly they think they are guarding.
I didn’t know they still existed. Drugs/hookers, what are you, on the westside, somewhere between either 12 and 16th or 38th and 45th?
How have you been. Seems like lately allwe do is battle on ehere do to our different perspectives. No harm, no foul.
Anyway, I was neer your hood last weekend at SF. The music was so so that night. I almost got into a fight with a retard, but played it cool, put my hand up in the universal gesture of “take it easy.”
I always regret that, but its my nature. The guy deserved it though.
Anyway, I’m thinking of checking out Exit Friday night after training. The music is good and the asian chicks are rediculous as always.
Hiya EF -
I’m on 47th btw 9th and 10th. There was a wicked aweful fight right infront of my place the other night…I had to call the cops (sorry guys, but I’m not stepping out into the street to bust up to guys that look like they outweighed me by 100 lbs each ). Plenty of street walkers out there to..sometimes I chill on my fire escape and watch them pick up Johns if I’m bored (and usually intoxicated).
I only go out to clubs as an invited guest now (I have several dj/producer friends..it cracks me up that the latest gig one of them got is Saturdays, main floor of the Limelight. What a kick to here crazy obscure techno over that sound system.). I haven’t been to SF since 1996. Exit is a cool spot, but the fact that they split up the club is annoying and can lead to uncomfortable situations. Somehow I don’t think the Guardian Angels have that spot covered.
How have I been? Busy. Always busy. With work, training, my upcoming marriage…it’s a lot to think about. And I have agreed to help a training sister with her black belt exam as her uke. That means I must practice when ever I can with her, and perform the 273 techniques on the exam with her. At least I’ll be coming back from my honeymoon (20 days in Hawaii, I plan to try surfing for the first time!) and should be well rested.
Why am I always heckling you, you might wonder. I have heard myself say things that sound a lot like your writings, and writing back with my comments is alot like confronting my former self. Honesty from one MAist to another. You may continue to say things that sound to me like fingernails on a chalk board, and I will continue to sound like a MA hippie :D.
Good luck with the hottie asian chicks.
-Lyle