Affiliations
Back in March and July of this year when my integrity as a martial artist was being attacked on forums such as E-budo.com and Bullshido.com I was ridiculed for comments I made regarding my affiliations with certain Martial Art Associations.
Basically, the ridicule came from a disclaimer I made which was posted as follows:
First of all, I’m not doing anyone any favors by joining their group. I’m just a small fish in a big pond.
Then again, hardly any of these organizations have done me any favors by being a member in their group either. In fact, the only benefit I have received by being a member is the knowledge that I should be extremely wary of affiliating myself with any organization, period.
The sad fact is that in the “business” end of the martial arts there are many instructors with over-inflated egos who are only out to make a buck. In addition, there are many others who judge you by the company you keep.
Of course, it was because of these reasons that I was open about who listed me as a member of their group. “Hiding’ the info, which is readably available to anyone searching for it, would just have looked worse. I have nothing to hide and put the info out there myself.
However, by doing so, I realized I had to put a disclaimer since I often don’t agree with many of the practices martial art organizations seem to perpetuate (meaningless ranks, promises to help increase enrollment, upper level training, etc.).
I realize that to the reader this topic may seem as old news and that I’m beating a dead horse, but things have happened recently to remind me that one can in fact become a member of an organization without ever requesting it.
About two weeks ago I received a large envelope from Germany. I thought it was from my mother who is there on vacation (lucky her). However, what was inside surprised the hell out of me.
The first item was a letter of introduction written by Mr. Siegfried Boedeker, informing me I was now a life member of the Nippon Yawara Ryu Aiki-Ju-Jitsu Renmei.
Now, I have no idea who Mr. Boedecker is or what his organization is all about. Nor do I believe we have ever met. In fact, I doubt he would be able to pick me out in a room if we happened to cross paths. This was absolutely something I never requested, and I have no idea how they got my address.
Now if the membership to his organization wasn’t a big enough surprise, the promotional certificates that came along with it were even better.
I’m proud to announce to the world that I am now an 8th Dan Hanshi according to the World Ju-Jitsu Aiki-Bujutsu Federation.
Furthermore, I have attained the level of Grandmaster 8th Dan Hanshi according to the Yawara Ryu Aiki-Ju-Jitsu Renmei, and I now have a lifetime membership with the group.
If these “awards” weren’t enough accolades, I’m also an Honorary Grandmaster 8th Dan Hanshi in the European Assocation of Daito Ryu Aiki Bujutsu.
Now what does all of this mean? Like I said, I have no idea who Mr. Boedeker is or what these organizations are all about. Then again Mr. Boedeker didn’t ask me for a dime. I’m assuming my life membership is free and all these things were gifts for all my hard work and effort through the years. But this is hard work and effort Mr. Boedeker would have absolutely no clue about since he is no more familiar with my history than I am of his.
Is it a scam, or is Mr. Boedeker just trying to organize a “fraternal” group of like-minded people? I don’t know and I suspect I will never know. I further suspect it’s most likely a combination of things.
I truly believe many martial art organizations started off with genuinely good intent, but unfortunately lost their directions along the way.
Certainly, if it weren’t for the promotional certificates I would tend to give Mr. Boedeker’s group more validation. However, promoting people one has never met, never trained with, or never seen in action is really a big warning sign to me. A BIG BIG WARNING!
All kidding aside, and without wanting to insult Mr. Boedeker, my point with all of this is that it is possible to become a life member in an organization without requesting it. It is possible to be promoted by people one has never met. And that’s were the danger lies.
If this group has a posted membership on the Internet, and my name is on it, people will judge me by the company I keep. However, in this case, as in others I’ve already listed on my web page, I have never met these people, never trained with them, never taught for them, and in all but two cases never requested a membership with them.
This of course leads back to the original disclaimer I posted regarding my affiliation with various groups.
Mr. Boedeker might be a great practitioner of the martial arts. His group may be legit. We might even be on the same page when it comes to our views on the martial arts. The truth is that I don’t know; and until I do know for certain, how could I ever blindly endorse him or his group? Yet, I am now officially a member of this group.
Until I meet the man, train with him, teach for him, and see for myself what he has to offer and what I think of him as a person I will continue to state:
So judge me by the company you think I keep. Or, if you really think you’re the better person, take the time to get to really know me before you mock me to the world.
And before you wise guys make the obvious point of why I don’t write back and decline all of this, who says I haven’t? More importantly why should I feel the need to do so? I know what these promotions are worth. So do my students.
[Editors note: For the lineage groupies: It appears that this "Aiki-ju-jitsu" and "Daito Ryu" certification traces lineage from Mr. Boedeker through Cliff Witcher and Martin J. Rogers of "Zen Ha Daito Ryu" (a.k.a. "Zen Kenpo Ryu") and thence to John Williams of "Saigo Ha Daito Ryu." Saigo Ha Daito Ryu does not descend from Takeda Sokaku but traces its lineage back to an older generation of the Takeda clan.]
Basically, the ridicule came from a disclaimer I made which was posted as follows:
While a member of these organizations it does not mean he involves himself in any of their politics, supports or justifies their positions on the merits, abilities, or skills of instructors related, or not related, within their organizations, or believes one organization has more validity to represent the arts than another.The people discussing this matter were under the assumption that I have the type of ego where I felt I was doing these organizations a favor by being a member of them. They were also under the assumption that I paid to be a member of these groups.
First of all, I’m not doing anyone any favors by joining their group. I’m just a small fish in a big pond.
Then again, hardly any of these organizations have done me any favors by being a member in their group either. In fact, the only benefit I have received by being a member is the knowledge that I should be extremely wary of affiliating myself with any organization, period.
The sad fact is that in the “business” end of the martial arts there are many instructors with over-inflated egos who are only out to make a buck. In addition, there are many others who judge you by the company you keep.
Of course, it was because of these reasons that I was open about who listed me as a member of their group. “Hiding’ the info, which is readably available to anyone searching for it, would just have looked worse. I have nothing to hide and put the info out there myself.
However, by doing so, I realized I had to put a disclaimer since I often don’t agree with many of the practices martial art organizations seem to perpetuate (meaningless ranks, promises to help increase enrollment, upper level training, etc.).
I realize that to the reader this topic may seem as old news and that I’m beating a dead horse, but things have happened recently to remind me that one can in fact become a member of an organization without ever requesting it.
* * *
About two weeks ago I received a large envelope from Germany. I thought it was from my mother who is there on vacation (lucky her). However, what was inside surprised the hell out of me.
The first item was a letter of introduction written by Mr. Siegfried Boedeker, informing me I was now a life member of the Nippon Yawara Ryu Aiki-Ju-Jitsu Renmei.
Now, I have no idea who Mr. Boedecker is or what his organization is all about. Nor do I believe we have ever met. In fact, I doubt he would be able to pick me out in a room if we happened to cross paths. This was absolutely something I never requested, and I have no idea how they got my address.
Now if the membership to his organization wasn’t a big enough surprise, the promotional certificates that came along with it were even better.
I’m proud to announce to the world that I am now an 8th Dan Hanshi according to the World Ju-Jitsu Aiki-Bujutsu Federation.
Furthermore, I have attained the level of Grandmaster 8th Dan Hanshi according to the Yawara Ryu Aiki-Ju-Jitsu Renmei, and I now have a lifetime membership with the group.
If these “awards” weren’t enough accolades, I’m also an Honorary Grandmaster 8th Dan Hanshi in the European Assocation of Daito Ryu Aiki Bujutsu.
Now what does all of this mean? Like I said, I have no idea who Mr. Boedeker is or what these organizations are all about. Then again Mr. Boedeker didn’t ask me for a dime. I’m assuming my life membership is free and all these things were gifts for all my hard work and effort through the years. But this is hard work and effort Mr. Boedeker would have absolutely no clue about since he is no more familiar with my history than I am of his.
Is it a scam, or is Mr. Boedeker just trying to organize a “fraternal” group of like-minded people? I don’t know and I suspect I will never know. I further suspect it’s most likely a combination of things.
I truly believe many martial art organizations started off with genuinely good intent, but unfortunately lost their directions along the way.
Certainly, if it weren’t for the promotional certificates I would tend to give Mr. Boedeker’s group more validation. However, promoting people one has never met, never trained with, or never seen in action is really a big warning sign to me. A BIG BIG WARNING!
All kidding aside, and without wanting to insult Mr. Boedeker, my point with all of this is that it is possible to become a life member in an organization without requesting it. It is possible to be promoted by people one has never met. And that’s were the danger lies.
If this group has a posted membership on the Internet, and my name is on it, people will judge me by the company I keep. However, in this case, as in others I’ve already listed on my web page, I have never met these people, never trained with them, never taught for them, and in all but two cases never requested a membership with them.
This of course leads back to the original disclaimer I posted regarding my affiliation with various groups.
Mr. Boedeker might be a great practitioner of the martial arts. His group may be legit. We might even be on the same page when it comes to our views on the martial arts. The truth is that I don’t know; and until I do know for certain, how could I ever blindly endorse him or his group? Yet, I am now officially a member of this group.
Until I meet the man, train with him, teach for him, and see for myself what he has to offer and what I think of him as a person I will continue to state:
- I don’t involve myself with any of his group's politics.
- I don’t support or justify their positions.
- I make no claims as to his abilities, or the instructors related to the groups he represents.
- I make no claim that his group is any more valid, upstanding, or ethical than any other group.
So judge me by the company you think I keep. Or, if you really think you’re the better person, take the time to get to really know me before you mock me to the world.
And before you wise guys make the obvious point of why I don’t write back and decline all of this, who says I haven’t? More importantly why should I feel the need to do so? I know what these promotions are worth. So do my students.
[Editors note: For the lineage groupies: It appears that this "Aiki-ju-jitsu" and "Daito Ryu" certification traces lineage from Mr. Boedeker through Cliff Witcher and Martin J. Rogers of "Zen Ha Daito Ryu" (a.k.a. "Zen Kenpo Ryu") and thence to John Williams of "Saigo Ha Daito Ryu." Saigo Ha Daito Ryu does not descend from Takeda Sokaku but traces its lineage back to an older generation of the Takeda clan.]
Labels: Essays, The Martial Arts
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