Letter to the IMAF, Inc.

[Mao]

Thanks.

Dan

 

[Guro Harold]

Congratulations to you Dan. Job well done!!!

 

[Mao]

Thanks Pal.
Are you going to Chicago?
Dan

 

[Guro Harold]

Hi Mao,

Unfortunately, I will not be able to go to Chicago. Hope to train with you and Whoop soon. One another note, have been really busy arranging first IMAF, Inc demo at my job. David and I taught about 25 people the Professor's art. And just completed hosting my first FMA seminar with Master Dionaldo, with 31 people in attendance, please see the FMA thread for more details about that.

Palusut

 

[Mao]

Yeah! You go Palusut!! Great turnout for your first FMA seminar! You should be proud. Good work! I hope we see you soon.
Till then, my friend.

Dan

 

[ace]

Magic Legsssssss:cheers:
:roflmao:
:roflmao:
:roflmao:
:roflmao:
:roflmao:

 

[arnisador]

Never a response to or acknowledgement of the letter?

 

[Rich Parsons]

Originally posted by arnisador

Never a response to or acknowledgement of the letter?

Paul has had some computer problems and has not been online in while. I will talk to him in person and see if he would like me to respond for him. It is not that Paul is being rude and ignoring this thread, he just has not be able to get online
recently.

Best wishes and regards

Rich

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Rich Parsons

Paul has had some computer problems and has not been online in while.

Now that you mention it I recall that Mr. Hartman mentioned this to me. I have to call PAUL this weekend anyway so I can ask him if he ever received a letter or acknowledgement from the IMAF as of his last check of his e-mail.

 

[Cruentus]

Sorry to ignore all of you. I'm going through a really tough transition period right now, so my online time have been severely limited. I really won't be able to respond to posts very often, so my response here will be long, to hopefully cover any area's that I've left open, so to speak. If you need to talk to me I won't be able to converse here, but you can get my contact info from the WMAA website. Hopefully I'll be online again within the next couple of weeks. I know many of you miss me (although many of you don't)!

To answer Arnisador's and Rich's question, no I have not gotten a response from my letter. I only got an answer (which I posted here previously) third party. It's really ashame, too. I may of been confrontive at times here on the internet, but I thought the letter was pretty fair and non-confrontive. If I had recieved a response then it would be a lot easier to regard the group with a bit more respect as leaders in Modern Arnis. It would be a lot easier to patch up relationships. But I am instead ignored, as I have been all along by many of the current IMAF, Inc Leaders. To readers who may not know me or my background, this behavior predated Remy's death all the way back to my early teens when I was ignored and quietly belittled by some of these same individuals. When I was just a kid, I feel that some of my seniors, due to jealousy, egotism, or maybe just for superiority reasons tried to hold me back. I felt discouraged by "rank". Well, it was all for the better. Unlike some, I made the decision a long time ago to forget about rank and to focus on skill. I never was a rank collector or an @$$ kisser, and because of that I have learned to train diligently, I had earned more opportunities for 1 on 1 w/ professor then most realize, and I have earned more opportunities to train with some of the best Modern Arnis/Filipino Martial Arts instructors the world has to offer. For that, I would give up any rank I could ever attain.

I went to visit a IMAF, Inc. sponsered seminar last week. My friend/aquaintance was hosting one in Sterling Hieghts. I don't know if the instructor wants to be quoted here, so I won't mention his name, but he can own up to it later if he wishes. He mentioned a few points that I thought I would address here.

1. "I think you have overstepped your boundries" The only boundries I have is to respect others who show me the same. It would be easier to show respect if I wasn't ignored.

2. "How dare you call the MOTTS your peers!" I swear that is a direct qoute. Fair enough, though. Some of you may wonder why I have called them my peers in other posts. I have been in MA for 13 years. Yea, I know I'm still a baby, but that is the same amount of time and longer then many of the IMAF, Inc. leaders. Many people are my Senior in Rank, and almost all of the Modern Arnis "players" and instructors are my Seniors in age. That is not the point. We all were classmates in the same classroom under the same instructor. So in that respect, we are peers, and that is what I ment. As for skill, I'll only admit that any of the MOTTS are better skilled then me when it is proven to me. That means if I train with them, they attend the symposium and I see them there and what they have, or whatever. It hasn't happend yet. So, if any of you are waiting for me to say they are my seniors in knowledge and skill, don't hold your breath.

3. "I think your ego has gotten the best of you." Nope. I have no significant rank or title to protect. Martial Arts is not my career, or my livelyhood. What little amount of skill I have, I am willing to back up, but besides that, no ego here. I don't have anything to protect, and I don't really care what people think of me. I just want to do the right thing, and I hope that people will at least respect me for trying.

4. "THEY don't owe you anything. They don't owe you an answer!" That is arguable. I say that if they believe that they are leaders then they need to act like leaders and answer peoples inquires. If you can't do that, then don't claim to be a leader. Let's say that he was right, however, and that the Org. doesn't owe me any kind of response. Fine....but that doesn't make it right. On a small scale, I teach and host seminars, train, and I do my best to spread the art. As an instructor I try to make the time for anyone, whether it's answering a question, helping someone out, or answering another martial artist who I feel might be "hammering" me. I'm not perfect, but I try. Why do I do that? Because it's the right thing to do. That's how you build relationships and spread the art. As simple as that!

Other things were said, and I will address this particular instructor in private, but those were the most important, and I think that it has significance here.

In closing, I won't say that the IMAF, Inc. is a bad group to be around, or that it's members are bad people. On the contrary, I know many people who are members who are genuine, and who mean well. I will say that I am not a part of the IMAF, Inc. myself because I disagree with their methods. I want to take a different approach then they do to the art. The IMAF, Inc. may be a good group for others, however, and I fault no one for it. I wish them luck with their training, and I hope that they find truth. I may in future choose to train with, or link up with IMAF, Inc. individuals in the future. This does not mean that I lend my personal support to the group as a whole, but that I will take it on an individual per individual basis. My focus from here on out will still be on promoting truth, but in doing so I will try to be a positive influence for Modern Arnis as best as I can. I hope you can all do the same.

Thanks for listening.

Paul

 

[Dan Anderson]

Originally posted by PAUL

[BI went to visit a IMAF, Inc. sponsered seminar last week. My friend/aquaintance was hosting one in Sterling Hieghts. I don't know if the instructor wants to be quoted here, so I won't mention his name, but he can own up to it later if he wishes. He mentioned a few points that I thought I would address here.

1. "I think you have overstepped your boundries"
2. "How dare you call the MOTTS your peers!"
3. "I think your ego has gotten the best of you."
4. "THEY don't owe you anything. They don't owe you an answer!" Paul
[/B]

Paul,

I have two questions: Was it a MOTT who said these things? If so, at the very least it's bad PR and bad manners. If not, who is speaking for the MOTTS and does he/she have the authority to do so. If so, again bad PR and and bad manners.

Very Curiously Yours,
Dan Anderson
Founder, Modern Arnis 80

 

[Datu Tim Hartman]

It wasn't a MOTT, and most likely he has no authority.

 

[Cruentus]

Dan A.,

What's up. I happend to be on-line today, although I don't have much time. I thought I'd answer you anyways.

No, it wasn't a MOTT, and I don't know if he /she has any authority. I do agree that it was totally bad PR and bad manners; even though I feel that the behavior is consistant with that of the group, I still left that persons name out of it. I just don't know if the person would appreciate having a conversation between "us" publicized, but I know sometimes the person browses around this forum. If he/she wants to own up to it and explain, that's fine, but I'm not going to name drop if he/she doesn't want me too.

I'm pretty cool with that person, and despite what many think who don't really know me, I'm not out to "get" anyone. I only want people to be truthful.

Besides....I've resently changed my name to Paul "positive" Janulis, so I want to stay on the friggin' positive side! :armed:

Sorry for all the secrecy, but I'm sure you all understand. :shrug:

Gotta go!

Hope to talk to you soon!

 

[bloodwood]

Paul
Seems like a snobbish attitude, and does seem to fit that group as of the last year and a half. The good thing is they are not the only game in town. Comments like those told to you show the, We're better than you attitude, and is very un-Remy like.
I don't think he would approve.

 

[Dan Anderson]

Paul,
I totally understand and if you're cool with the person, great!
Dan