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Aozora
30th August 2002, 19:23
In the Krappy Karate Katana Kamae thread, I posted an email I sent to Cary Nemeroff. http://www.e-budo.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=12982&perpage=15&pagenumber=9 It has been over two weeks, and I have yet to receive a response, despite the 'prompt' attention promised, as per his website. . I've checked since then, and his page got taken down, although it looks as though he's moved to a different site.

At the risk of sounding like I'm backing down from a fight, I think for the future, I will refrain from this type of mudslinging at what I perceive to be obviously fraudulent claims of skill, sokeship or 'innovative' swordsmanship. It just seems like a waste of time, and I don't want to end up looking like a budo busybody, because I don't particularly care what these guys think of themselves. It doesn't affect me and there's little I can do to prevent others several states away from joining up with these clowns.

Let me say I do feel that some crusades are worth it, particularly those in which the teachers are clearly abusing the students physically, mentally, sexually and/or financially. It seems though that the best way to promulgate truth is to work had to make sure your own brand of swordsmanship is legitimate and that you are constantly practicing to improve yourself within it. Aside from that, shouting matches over the Internet seem to do little except provoke a steady stream of invective from those too insecure to let their arts speak for themselves. Far from being intimidated by this, it has in turn provoked my deepest apathy (can one be more or less apathetic?) towards self-aggrandizing idiots.

None of this is to say that I think e-budo is a waste of time, or that the content is exclusively of the aforementioned invective-type. I've certainly learned a lot as to what sort of garbage the human mind is capable of inventing or extrapolating from exiting, valid systems. It's just that I want to devote the time I spend online to better pursuits--ones that will enhance my own practice and self-control.

PS. I debated whether or not to put this thread on Bad Budo or not, but chose sword arts due to the content of my previous post. Moderators: Please let me know if this needs to be moved.

Thanks,

Chidokan
30th August 2002, 21:39
I suppose if you keep 'exposing' the frauds some of their students will spot them on here, so keep it up! At least the genuine people who actually wish to learn a proper art may be helped to find a good local dojo.
How about a 'Good Budo' thread as well? Let's advertise the good guys for a change instead of the fakes and conmen!
Alternatively could we have a list of recommended clubs advertised here? All clubs to be vetted by the readers before being added of course...

Tim Hamilton

Aozora
3rd September 2002, 19:24
Sounds like a good idea on the surface, but I see a couple problems with it:

1) The semantic battle that would ensue over what even qualifies as budo, much less good budo would be, IMHO, epic. Parts of that battle have raged for a long while now (i.e. 'do' vs. 'jutsu', batto-ho vs. iai, the soke wars, et cetera ad nauseum)and I have no wish to be responsible for the thread that begins the Battle Royale.

2) The truly 'bad budo' folks would crawl out of the woodworks to get their names on the list, while some of the 'good guys' would surely get left out from negligence, lack of interest or simple oversight. Pardon the Cajun French, but that ain't me.

It isn't that I think your idea is categorically bad, Tim. I think it would be better if people started individual threads on a case-by-case basis, i.e., Guy Power seems like a great teacher, or I learned more budo history from Karl Friday's last book as in any two of the last budo books I've read or John Ray sensei is embodiment of all that is good and holy in budo (see? the shameless self-promotion has begun already ;)).

It could just be me though...

Chidokan
4th September 2002, 23:26
Maybe we could submit the good guy nominations into a thread and if they don't get ripped apart or are well 'defended' maybe put them in a "Hall of Fame". Hey, we could put the losers into a "Hall of Shame" as well! how about just name the associations instead of people?
I nominate the local thai boxing self defense aerobics class for ladies for the second category. Now that's what I call 'classic budo':D
We do have some good people over here in the U.K. who take things seriously and do their best to 'spread the word', problem is I'm a bit biased towards my own area and clubs I'm in, but here goes:

Eikoku Roshukai - a small group dedicated towards learning MJER, senior teacher Iwata Norikazu sensei. (see Colin Hyakutake's site)
The Kendo part of the British Kendo Association. Not had much to do with the rest of it (jodo/iaido)..

Tim Hamilton

ScottUK
5th September 2002, 00:38
Hi Tim,

The BKA's iai? V. good - the politics within can be a bit irritating, but what can you do?

I can only speak of the MJER iai, as I do not know enough about the MSR aspect heavily represented within the BKA - maybe I can talk one of them into commenting on here?

The MJER iai of the BKA has a strong lineage, as does yours (tied to Oe Masamichi, rather than the later headmasters) - the teaching standard is very good - regular practice with the Japanese - strong links with the ZNKR (good thing or bad? :D ) etc.

I understand Roshukai's standpoint on seitei iai, but my own is a little different:

I practice seitei iai for my peers (gradings/taikai etc), but koryu for myself (I only practice shoden and chuden so far). I find the koryu very interesting, more easily flowing but I have to continue with the seitei iai - that's how I started, and that's how the grades are measured....

I'll come to your seminar in Nottingham - my knees are almost healed now after the last lot of Eishin Ryu.

Best wishes,

Scott

Chidokan
6th September 2002, 21:48
I must admit I struggled with learning essentially two different iaido styles, so I stopped doing seitei, as it was designed as a bit of a 'con job' to get people to do iaido instead of kendo before all the old ryu became extinct! Some of my teachers still do it, because they are Japanese and that is the system of grading. When I said why waste your time doing that instead of 'real' iaido, most of them laughed and said " because we are japanese!" I only have a limited amount of training time (as do most working people) so I made the decision to drop seitei.
The problem is now that the seitei style is getting out of hand, and rather than getting people to practise koryu, they focus on passing the grades, ignoring koryu. There have been a few articles in the Japanese kendo mags complaining about this, one of which is from a 'panel member' who helped set up seitei iaido gata!

Tim Hamilton