Here'a repost from kenpoTalk:
Don't want to bust any bubbles, but have you noticed that all of the recent seniors are different in technique understanding? Have you noticed (probably not), that the ancients like myself, and a Steve LaBounty that came waay before Tatum, (whose student on this thread has decided Tatum's way is the only Kenpo, even though Tatum doesn't say that) Trejo, Planas, etc existed, are also 'different.' There is a very good reason for this. Mr. Parker put forth more than one philosophy over his lifetime, and some of them evolved concurrently with each other, while others he dropped altogether.
Therefore, Parker himself didn't do things the same all the time, with everybody over his lifetime. So if you dropped into a Chinese kenpo School run by Frank Trejo's former instructor, Steve Hearring, in Pasadena and didn't recognize anything, does that invalidate Mr. Hearring being one of Parker's Black Belts and managing the Pasadena School in the sixties? He will tell you he's teaching Ed Parker's Kenpo as he learned it. How about Chuck Sullivan, (another ancient) who also teaches Kenpo in the Ed Parker Lineage as he understands it. Or Dave German, or James Ibrao, and how about Joe Dimmick or Dan Inosanto, along with Jim Grumwald, and add Me to the list.
More recently (late 60's forward), the business model of Kenpo based on abstract 'motion' became the dominant understanding. However, that business model is built on, and depends upon individual flexibility, and instructor interpretations to exist. THERE HAS NEVER EVER BEEN ONE WAY TO DO ANY OF THE TECHNIQUES FROM THE BUSINESS MODEL. MR. PARKER NEVER EVER TAUGHT ANYONE A DEFINITIVE WAY TO DO OR TEACH ANY TECHNIQUE FROM THAT MODEL.
Mr. Parker produced a business guide (nicknamed the "The Red Book"), that included techniques, forms, sets, and BUSINESS PRACTICES for running a school for the head instructor. The guide was based on the Arthur Murray Dance Studios Business Plan. The Dance Studio chain taught a basic idea of 'dances,' and of course allowed students and teachers to interpret and express themselves through these dances. Like the Dance Studio, (this is where the studio term comes from), this was only a GUIDE for the business franchise owner.
For the business of kenpo, Mr. Parker taught concepts that he felt COULD be utilized in various technique scenarios, presented in the WEB OF KNOWLEDGE. The W.O.K. issured instructors and students had to address various attacks (particular dances), the written techniques that were starting point IDEAS (for teaching), and the written forms and sets that added additional structure.
I was there, and no one was the same when he was alive, so why would you think it would be different now? Students, black belts, and school owners came and went all the time, all taking or bringing whatever their interpretations were with them. Every 'teacher' has always been allowed, and encouraged to develop their own curriculum. Every teacher and student has always been encouraged to, 'tailor, rearrange, graft, insert, delete, prefix, suffix, and add WHATEVER they felt was necessary to insure business success and on the street success. This INCLUDED bringing information from other styles as long as you felt it worked. Parker would send students to other schools to see what they were doing. "If you see something good, bring it back." he would say.
I sat in the back of a seminar with the Old Man while Parker went over several techniques with the group. A couple of green belts were having problems with the understanding Mr. Parker presented. One whispered to the other, "Mr. Parker is teaching the technique wrong."
My point is, what made the business of Kenpo different from traditional arts is, ALL involved were given COMPLETE flexibility to make anything and everything FUNCTIONAL FOR THEMSELVES utilizing Parker's 'ideas' and basic structure. Mr. Parker gave them concepts, with principles of kenpo, and a written guide to use until he saw them again, to teach additional concepts.
It is this flexibility that allowed the 'business' of Kenpo to proliferate, and without it, we probably would not have this discussion. You can't have it both ways. That flexibility has allowed all to exist somewhere in the Parker Kenpo Lineage paradigm without anyone ever being 'wrong.' In Mr. Parker's vision for kenpo, the only 'wrong' is when you did something that wouldn't work for you on the street, and you got hurt. Other than that, it really didn't matter as far as he was concerened.
The key element for a business based on acquiring "self defense skills," is that students believed in what they were taught and that it was fuctional and worked for them. If you were attacked and you survived, then it did its job. When you take a class in self defense and you get attacked, no one will say, "Did you do the technique correctly? Or did you screw up Five Swords?" They ask what did you do to be successful, and whatever it was, and whatever you call it, they say "Cool!"
If you could pass a federal law today that everyone in the Parker Lineage had to do everything the same, everyone would change the name of their art, and keep doing what they're doing.
"Although there are differences and most have a preference for what they are doing, none of the ranking students of Ed Parker I know of have suggested someone else's flavor isn't Kenpo. On these forums we mostly have good discussions and friendly debate and even agree to disagree. But there are neanderthal mentally suspect trolls who contribute nothing but discourse, and stand by waiting to bring a negative so they can get attention. Every now and then you'll get a chimp beating on his chest saying, 'look at me, I'm a gorilla.' My Grandmother used to always say, "Just remember, one monkey doesn't stop the show."
I'll close with a Parker Story.
A young man comes into the school and begins questioning Parker about different scenarios of defense. 'What if a guy throws a punch?' Mr. Parker would answer. 'Well what if he kicks?' Mr. Parker would answer. This went on for a while with the young man conjuring up attacking scenario after scenario attempting to stump Parker for an answer.
Finally in frustration the young man thought for a second, and finally said, "Well Mr. Parker what would you do if it was 3 o'clock in the morning, and you were in a dark alley in a bad part of town, and a guy jumped out and attacked you with a trash can?
Mr. Parker broke into side splitting laughter while the young man had a puzzled look on his face. "What's so funny?" He said. Mr. Parker in his classic demonstrable style, walked over to the guy with a big grin on his face. When he got close to him he leaned forward and immediately stopped smiling and put a scowl on his face. "You don't get it kid. I would be the one with the trash can. Get it?" The young man said, "Yes sir!" and left abruptly with Parker continuing to frown and turn his back. After a moment Parker said quietly, still frowning, "Is he gone?" I said, "yeah he split." Silence for a moment, and the we both burst into laughter. "Man that dude really took off, but I think he understands now." Parker said.
Do you understand?
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Bro John is part of the AKKI, so he should be able to help you out with any questions you may have. 
And I will take from your comments what I can and use it to become a more informed member of the martial arts community. I may never attain the knowledge level of most of you here, but I will enjoy the journey and my body will benefit. That's what I am hoping to get from this. And maybe some day I will have the opportunity to kick some of your butts (in a controlled and safe environment) in my American Kenpo/Non-American Kenpo style. 
