AT THIS POINT, three responses are possible. One, the sensei can agree with the junior and, hearing no other requests, proceed with kata practice. This tends to indicate that the dojo is a club, with members participating in a democracy. That might be nice, but it’s not the hallmark of a place devoted to serious budo training.
Two, the teacher or senior students can tear into the junior: “You don’t ever give your opinion before the seniors!” In this case, the junior is humiliated, and he and others get the idea that the dojo is some kind of paramilitary organization where there’s an obvious pecking order and any deviation will result in chastisement.
Three, a senior or the sensei will very quietly, perhaps with a smile, say, “Don’t speak out…
