Clark Kent
<B>News Bot</B>
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2006
- Messages
- 7,128
- Reaction score
- 6
The way it was, it is, and should be... a rant
By Nakiko - Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:40:47 GMT
Originally Posted at: FMATalk
====================
Aloha,
I'm not sure where to begin so I'll dive right in....Things definatley are not the way there were, sad the way they are, and far from what they should be. I'm not talkin the state of FMA or anything, but rather the prevelant mentality of our society, and the "give me" attitude backed by labeling and crying descrimination.
What started it all is my aquaintance of a guy that moved here from the mainland(Con-US) about 6 months ago. He works near one of my job sites, and we struck up a conversation that led to martial arts. He seemed like a cool enough guy, and told me about his Tae Kwon Do background, and when he asked about my experience, I mentioned a few styles, including eskrima. He asked who the good teachers were in our little town, and I refered him to the standard "rec-center" teachers. The he asked who were the "real good, oldtimer" teachers. I mentioned to him the name of a friend of my family, and stated that I thought he was one of the best around, but further clarified that he has no school, and doesn't teach anyone outside of his family and close circle of friends. And I also clarified that is is more of group of friends practicing and not a paid sort of situation. I even told him that although he is a family friend, that I only trained with them a couple of times by invitation, but that I was never invited to formally learn(think 3 training sessions in about 9 years, and I think it was just to get in fresh blood for thier bull-ring practice hehehe)
Anyway, last week I find out that this "new aquaintence" had sought out the family friend, gone to his home and asked him if he knew anyone who taught eskrima. To this, Tata refered him to the local rec-center, but this new guy persisted and said he wanted to train "back-yard underground style". Well Tata said sorry, can't help you. To this the new guys said, why are you lying? I know you teach, why won't you teach me? Is it cause I'm white? Are you racist? With that Tata closed the door on him. When the new guy told me what he did, I got pissed and told him what he did was inappropriate, and uncalled for. He went on to tell me that the "Old Guy" had no right to refuse him just because he is white(He himself said that Tata never used the word white, but he could tell), and that this is America, and started to wonder outloud if Tata was even a citizen.
That was the last straw, it took so much not to take him down right then and there, needless to say we don't talk much anymore. First of all, Tata IS a citizen, and Hawaii was illegally overthrown by the American government in 1893, when our last queen was imprisoned in her own palace(bet most didn't know that, but I digress).
That led me to be even more disgusted with all of the "equal rights" stuff and the hyper application thereof. If you own a business and get paid for teaching, or have a formal club, then many descrimination laws apply to you. No wonder so many people go underground to teach. But then a lot of the experienced underground guys get a bad name from newbie teachers that teach underground because they don't have a large enough following to open a formal school, while rideing the coat-tails of the "underground" hype. I guess this is one of the time where the phrase "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sure applies.
What happened to the good old days where the instructor chose you? I think that is a sign of a great teacher, to be able to read your personality and essence, and use that to determine if your teachable in his style.
I have no answers at the moment(too perturbed), just a rant. Thank you for the vent session. Now I need to apologize to Tata, although I didn't send the new guy there, I am responsible since I mentioned him by name(How is that for new guys detective skills? I only mentioned Tata by his last name, and there are a bunch of people with the same last name here). So I need to make ammends.
Aloha,
Nakiko
Read More...
------------------------------------
FMATalk.com Post Bot - FMA Feed
By Nakiko - Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:40:47 GMT
Originally Posted at: FMATalk
====================
Aloha,
I'm not sure where to begin so I'll dive right in....Things definatley are not the way there were, sad the way they are, and far from what they should be. I'm not talkin the state of FMA or anything, but rather the prevelant mentality of our society, and the "give me" attitude backed by labeling and crying descrimination.
What started it all is my aquaintance of a guy that moved here from the mainland(Con-US) about 6 months ago. He works near one of my job sites, and we struck up a conversation that led to martial arts. He seemed like a cool enough guy, and told me about his Tae Kwon Do background, and when he asked about my experience, I mentioned a few styles, including eskrima. He asked who the good teachers were in our little town, and I refered him to the standard "rec-center" teachers. The he asked who were the "real good, oldtimer" teachers. I mentioned to him the name of a friend of my family, and stated that I thought he was one of the best around, but further clarified that he has no school, and doesn't teach anyone outside of his family and close circle of friends. And I also clarified that is is more of group of friends practicing and not a paid sort of situation. I even told him that although he is a family friend, that I only trained with them a couple of times by invitation, but that I was never invited to formally learn(think 3 training sessions in about 9 years, and I think it was just to get in fresh blood for thier bull-ring practice hehehe)
Anyway, last week I find out that this "new aquaintence" had sought out the family friend, gone to his home and asked him if he knew anyone who taught eskrima. To this, Tata refered him to the local rec-center, but this new guy persisted and said he wanted to train "back-yard underground style". Well Tata said sorry, can't help you. To this the new guys said, why are you lying? I know you teach, why won't you teach me? Is it cause I'm white? Are you racist? With that Tata closed the door on him. When the new guy told me what he did, I got pissed and told him what he did was inappropriate, and uncalled for. He went on to tell me that the "Old Guy" had no right to refuse him just because he is white(He himself said that Tata never used the word white, but he could tell), and that this is America, and started to wonder outloud if Tata was even a citizen.
That was the last straw, it took so much not to take him down right then and there, needless to say we don't talk much anymore. First of all, Tata IS a citizen, and Hawaii was illegally overthrown by the American government in 1893, when our last queen was imprisoned in her own palace(bet most didn't know that, but I digress).
That led me to be even more disgusted with all of the "equal rights" stuff and the hyper application thereof. If you own a business and get paid for teaching, or have a formal club, then many descrimination laws apply to you. No wonder so many people go underground to teach. But then a lot of the experienced underground guys get a bad name from newbie teachers that teach underground because they don't have a large enough following to open a formal school, while rideing the coat-tails of the "underground" hype. I guess this is one of the time where the phrase "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sure applies.
What happened to the good old days where the instructor chose you? I think that is a sign of a great teacher, to be able to read your personality and essence, and use that to determine if your teachable in his style.
I have no answers at the moment(too perturbed), just a rant. Thank you for the vent session. Now I need to apologize to Tata, although I didn't send the new guy there, I am responsible since I mentioned him by name(How is that for new guys detective skills? I only mentioned Tata by his last name, and there are a bunch of people with the same last name here). So I need to make ammends.
Aloha,
Nakiko
Read More...
------------------------------------
FMATalk.com Post Bot - FMA Feed
