Roger Siggs Menkyo Kaiden Daito Ryu?

[Brian Stokes]

Hi All,

I am requesting information on a Roger Siggs who presently claims to be a Menkyo Kaiden of the Daito Ryu. Is this in fact the case?

Thanks

Brian Stokes

[dengle]

There is only a few people on the planet that he could have gotten it from.
Who does he say awarded it?

Don Engle

[dengle]

http://web.gccaz.edu/~rsiggs/about.htm

About Me
Roger is a sinister and heavily armed globalist illuminati who seeks to infect the entire world with the values of personal liberty and several property. Amongst his many crimes is a sense of humour and the intermittent use of British spelling.

He also belongs to varied groups made up of social individualists, libertarians, extropians, futurists, 'Porcupines', Karl Popper fetishists, recovering neo-conservatives, crazed Ayn Rand worshipers, over-caffeinated Virginia Postrel devotees, witty Frédéric Bastiat wannabes, cypherpunks, minarchists, kritarchists and wild-eyed anarcho-capitalists from Britain, North America, Australia and Europe.

Seriously however, my primary 'day job' is that of a Systems Administrator for Glendale Community College. I work for a department called the Innovation Centre. Our 'mission statement' is to assist members of the college community in finding, developing and implementing effective educational applications of technology. What does that actually mean? In my case it means I spend a lot of time researching and learning how to better apply student and faculty time through technology. My primary responsibility is the development and maintenance of the Instructional Palette, an integrated academic learning environment for student and faculty to use both on and off campus. Students and Staff have access to shared workspaces, discussion groups, email, software, storage space and additional items based upon their course registration and needs. I'm also an adjunct faculty member in the Physical Education Department, where I teach fencing and martial arts classes.

During the 'rest of my day' I'm one of the Rectors (group leader and instructor) of the Phoenix branch of the Tattershall School of Defence and a fencing/martial arts instructor here at Glendale Community College, offering instruction in the Italian schools of swordplay as well as Unarmed Combat and German Swordplay.

I have been training in the martial arts for over 25 years, and been awarded black belts or instructor status in several Eastern martial arts. Most notably I received a Menkyo Kaiden license (license of full transmission) for the instruction of Daito-ryu Aiki-Jujutsu, for which I'm both incredibly honoured, and more than a bit apprehensive about, and I've recently received my 1st dan in Judo.

The majority of my current research and training is focused on the Western Arts and the development of the 'Joining Cultures and Methods Way', combining Asian and Western martial arts into an integrated system of self-defence and combative theory. To this end, I have focused on the Close Combat dagger and grappling methods, and the Italian fighting arts, in addition to my studies in Asian Martial Arts. My formal training in the Arte of Defense and Western Martial arts began approximately 11 years ago, and had focused primarily on Italian 16th-17th century Rapier technique. I am a former member of the Society of American Fight Directors, and bring a broad base of teaching experience in the fields of combative application, research and historical interpretation in addition to my martial arts background.

In addition to the coursework and classes here in Phoenix, Arizona, I teach at a number of events across the United States throughout the year. Please contact me (roger.siggs@gcmail.maricopa.edu) for more information or if you have any questions.

[dengle]

http://www.aclockworkmango.com/about/

"Roger Siggs is nothing more than a pseudonym for a cabal of evolutionary thinkers bent on wresting control of the world away from those least prepared to have it- and then auction it off on eBay."...

[bwhite33]

http://web.gccaz.edu/~rsiggs/links.htm

quote>>>

"The Daibukan is the organisation founded by Shihan Ohgami, my instructor. Although I am no longer affiliated with the Daibukan, it remains the best place to receive training in Daitoryu."

<<<guote

edited to add quote marks

[kenkyusha]

As he is listed as a shibu contact for the Daibukan here in the 'States, he could probably put this to bed one way or another.

Be well,
Jigme

[bodhihuss]

Did anyone see a mention of Ohgami receiving a Menkyo Kaiden from his teacher, Takuma Hisa? On the Daibukan website, Hisa is described as having received a Menkyo Kaiden but Ohgami is not. I though only a Sensei with a Menkyo Kaiden can award a Menkyo Kaiden. Am I wrong about this? Am I missing something on the Daibukan website? If not, this would be a good question for Mr. Siggs.

[bwhite33]

Ohgami Sensei answers emails sent to his site.

I tried contacting Mr Gabelhouse about Ohgami Sensei's book, and got no response, bounce backs if I remember correctly.

[dengle]

Although he is a fantastic teacher, as far as I know he did not receive Menkyo Kaiden.

I did email his dojo using the email address on the web site. Hopefully someone will get back with an answer.

[dengle]

He never met Roger Siggs.

I chose not to publish the email reply that he sent to me. But that is the gist of it.

[dengle]

http://web.gccaz.edu/~rsiggs/links.htm

Since my last post this web site appears to have been disabled.
Perhaps it's being updated.

[bodhihuss]

Good work, Don. I guess that answers Brian's question.

[Brian Stokes]

I have heard from Mr. Siggs. He has withdrawn all claims to a Menkyo Kaiden of the Daito Ryu.

Brian Stokes

[JNavarro]

A man's questionable credentials clarified on e-budo in 13 posts, without insults or mudslinging. Good job everyone.

[bodhihuss]

Do I hear "We Are the Champions" playing in the background?:D

[Nathan Scott]

A man's questionable credentials clarified on e-budo in 13 posts, without insults or mudslinging. Good job everyone.

Agreed. Nice.

[Brian Stokes]

Hello all,

"No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - this was a phrase one of my students had on his instant messenger. Recent events have made this sentiment all the more telling to me.

Many years ago, I made a statement in the interest of getting a point across. Whatever my intentions were at the time, it was a lie. Because I never went back to change that, and it has snowballed since then, in a manner I never fully thought through. That lie has since come to haunt me, and potentially ruin my career here in the WMA community.

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a Menkyo Kaiden of the Daito Ryu. (The Japanese equivalent of a master's license.) My reasons for saying so were multiple and ultimately unworthy of the person I've been working to become. My work in other arts has not changed, nor has my qualifications in them. This doesn't change the quality or validity of the material I've presented to many of you over the years- but it does regrettably lessen the respect that you may have held me in. I'm sorry for deceiving so many of you for so long. I screwed up, both as a younger man and on a daily basis since then.

Because of this, I have placed my friends, colleagues and students in a horrible position. This was not their fault- no one knew my secrets but myself- and no one but myself is to blame for my actions. This was a surprise to them, and they should not be held accountable for my mistakes.

I know that a simple email or internet posting cannot replace the trust I have stolen from all of you, I hope to begin the process of rebuilding myself by starting back as best I can.

To that end, effectively immediately, I am resigning as a member and Vice-President of the Tattershall School of Defence. Additionally, I will be leaving the editorial board of Western Martial Arts Illustrated.

I'm sorry for the deception, I'm sorry that I didn't' trust my friends and companions well enough to believe in their estimation of me and I'm sorry to have possibly affected the rise of WMA with my actions. I apologise to the Daito-ryu community and Ohgami Kenkichi in particular, my own teachers, and the rest of you who I have let down or betrayed.

If you have any questions about myself, my previous experience, or my ability, please feel free to contact me directly.

Roger Siggs

***************************

WMA = Western Martial Arts


Posted by Brian Stokes

[Woody]

Let the healing process begin.

[Jitsumania]

Many men are prone to temptation and deception. Many fall into this web and continue to spin the web untill it ensnares them to the point of no return. Even though I do not agree or condone at all the deception Mr. Siggs engaged in, I do admire the fact that he is willing to own his behavior, come clean to others he has hurt and is willing to hold himself publicly accountable for those actions. I am with Woody, Let the healing begin. Others should learn from this mans actions. Good luck Mr. Siggs.

[Trevor Johnson]

A man's questionable credentials clarified on e-budo in 13 posts, without insults or mudslinging. Good job everyone.

I'm amazed that we didn't get a bunch of his students or him on here mudslinging. There's hope yet!

[bwhite33]

It takes a man of character to admit a fault, and much more character to admit a "lack of character". Here's hoping all will look past the incident and focus more on the later character.

[Nathan Scott]

Wow, truly impressive. You just won my respect back. Good luck with your future studies.

Regards,

[JNavarro]

It takes a man of character to admit a fault, and much more character to admit a "lack of character". Here's hoping all will look past the incident and focus more on the later character.

I second that. Good luck Mr. Siggs in your future endeavors, and may you be as honest then as you are at this time.

[dengle]

on in the deception even years after the have been outed.
They have no regard for thier students, the art, the truth or anything.

In reading other sites, it seems that Mr. Siggs is an accomplished and respected fencer. Perhaps this Menkyo Kaiden was just his one inflation of an otherwise excellent resume. If so, it likely will not hurt him all that much.

I also say thank you for stepping up here, as I have in an email to him.