Originally posted by Kenpodoc
Thanks Doc.
I 'll never understand why people spend so much time fretting about who is wearing Red and how much. All the Parker Black Belts I've met are good, but I'm sure there were some crappy ones. I have noticed that the volume of red on the belt has nothing to do with whom I would choose to study.
Mr. Parker was a dynamic charismatic man who made everyone of his students feel important. I'd rather that they shared what they learned, quit fighting about who was most important and let me decide what I want to learn. Mr. Parker's greatest contribution to American Kenpo was to not leave a single successor. In doing so he has allowed the art to flower in his absence.
Jeff
You're right of course. There are a lot of really bad black belts in American kenpo, (more bad then good) and unfortunately many of them were sanctioned or even directly promoted by Ed Parker. Some of them pretty high ranks. Everyone treats American kenpo as some sacred religion.
As much as we would like to think it's "pure," there were many aspects to his different versions, and one of those many components was quite simply a business. Ed Parker made a living and took care of his rather large family and bought everyone of his children a house, and took care of them in the family business.
For anyone to claim to be his successor is just wrong. Those that seem to do the most squaking about "who has what" are those who come from the business side of the art because all they have is their ranks, and they defend it vehemently and their "business lineage" relationship to Ed Parker.
The truth is, he was good man, a good father, and a great martial artist. But just like any other business that deals with and depends on the public to survive, huge compromises are made for the sake of keeping the business viable.
The mentally sound "real old timers" before the seventies, never ***** about rank or care who got what or when and don't impose double standards in some "keeper of the truth" religious zealot fanaticism. They know the chef's proof is in his cooking.
Ed Parker in reference to his own students said it best. "Just because the red shows, doesn't mean that you know."
That says it all for me. So study with whom you wish, learn what you like, enjoy what you're doing, and recognize there is more than one church in town and maybe yours really isn't the shiznit. You can't mold kenpo in your own warped image, so just do your thing and stop worrying about others. If you spend at much energy on your own kenpo as you do what somebody else is doing, maybe you wouldn't have time for such sniping.
Lastly a word about Dennis Conatser. Clearly one of the most intelligent guys around who understands the motion interpretation of kenpo as well as or better than anybody. I saw Ed Parker as much or more than just about anybody.
I remember and saw Dennis Conatser when he first began coming to the house. From then on he was either there or talking with Parker on the phone more than anybody else I know. So say what you will, but Dennis won't open his mouth unless he knows what he's talking about.
And when somebody drags a name into a discussion Dennis will call and talk to the person personally before responding. In many cases he does have first hand knowledge of what went on, and has no agenda or "image" to protect. If I had to choose who to believe in a discussion, I'd go with Dennis without hesitation.
For the record: Everyone wasn't necessarily on good terms with Parker when he died, and in fact many were pushed out because of their own selfess actions. You'd be surprised how he really felt about a lot of people.
KenpoDoc, obviously that last rant is not directed at you, I just needed to get it out.
Unfortunately... It smells like the truth. :shrug:
