Sure, but you are talking about specific case, you talking about great distance and moving target. This is no sytuation when you can use sword, this is not even comparable. But at close distance even kids with AK 47 can kill someone, thanks to high rate of fire, skills are no longer so important. This is whole idea behind Kalashnikov - you can have an army of armed people in relative short period of time. You can't do this same with swords - fencing require a great deal of trening and experience.
Let me clarify. Any great distance doesn't have to be sniper distance. Even 30-40 feet away you are trying to line up your iron sights and anticipate your foes movement. tech like the red dot sight make close shots immensely easier, but shooting another armed combatant without getting shot yourself is kinda like playing a high stakes game of chess.
Anybody with a firearm can kill somebody. Those kids with the AK's probably kill more unarmed people or kill people from ambush (or take advantage of people who won't harm children or at least hesitate to do so.) then they kill in straight up combat. The fact is if you gave those same ten kids machetes or short swords and had them run up on a single guy with a sword, good chance one of them stabs him in the back.
I won't argue that it takes more effort to come to a basic level of combat efficient with a sword. You need to try not to cut yourself as well as to cut opponents who are in blood splattering distance. But does that make it more honorable? I think it is the man you need to take into account, not the equipment.
But this not the point. We are not talking about honor of the fighter, we talking about which fighting method is more honorable? In case of sword fight you have chance to defend yourself, in case of so called gun "fight", no. When you stand in the open and your opponent is pointing gun at you, you are dead. Not, much fighting, don't you think? This concern not only guns, but also other types of distance weapon, for example in middle ages only peasant would use bow or a crossbow, no self respecting knight would use them.
Actually there is no direction to the topic as to what fighting method is more honorable. Coolii simply wondered if swords were more honorable then guns. I take it as many others have and that it does not matter what you use, it matters on how you use it. Give the joker a gun and he is dangerous. Give him a sword and he'll have honor and stop his evil ways? Nah. He'll be an evil murderer with a blade.
There is still a lot of what if in battle. If I am standing in the open and my foe can take advantage of me with gun or sword, I'm dead. It may be harder to sneak up within sword range, but if he gets close enough and I am either unarmed or unable to draw my weapon, I am dead. A whole martial art, Iaido, is based on a quick sword draw and taking out your opponent in that initial draw. I wonder why somebody felt a need to develop this art. Maybe it was because some dishonorable swordsman was bumrushing his enemies rather then say, challenging them to duels.
In a gun fight, you have to take many things into consideration. Cover, concealment, armor, weapons, ammo, and other factors. Sure most gunfights do not assume that two people with comparable levels of skill, equipment and standing on an equal battleground is going to happen. Does that make those involved unhonorable? Nah. What makes those involved honorable or not is what they hold inside.
In effect the weapons have changed through the ages. We went from using crude rocks and spears to swords and bows to firearms on the field of battle. Someday we might be shooting laser death beams. I don't think it is your choice of arms that makes you what you are. It is how you use them.
If Joe from the street wants to learn Iaido or fencing or how to defend himself with only his hands, any of those disciplines will probably help him develop character and honor. The same could be said of the discipline of firearms marksmanship. Of course you still could get an unhonorable swordsman or gunfighter. It all depends on what he does with his training and equipment.
I guess I'll leave off with this hypothetical situation.
When a psycho who has seen one too many samurai movies loses it, and attacks with a blade, I am just glad I can defend my wife and myself with a pistol.
And I am glad I'll sleep like a baby after, knowing I acted with honor to save lives.
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