Phony Beware

[Herb Weller]

Life is never what we think it is. I am probably much like yourselves, a hard working American who fell in love with the martial arts as a kid.

Sometimes I feel cheated. I never had the opportunity to study under some of the greats you have. But none the less I continued to study and like all who stay involved I slowly moved up in rank over the years.

42 plus years of training - and in my mid 60's to boot. Broken bones, hip replacemts, and knee replacements, those I can live with. Broken heart, and now a broken spirt, those I can not. I am sad to see where the martial arts have ended up since I first walked into Grandmaster Robert Trias's dojo at 15 years of age. At that time it was American martial arts history being made. There were no sensei's from across the waters, only Americans who sweat and had ingeneuity.

Not so today. As most of you call them, McDojo has taken over. Somewhere along the road I got sucked into the hype and put my reputation and faith into the king of McDojo. It was a huge mistake and I will regret it the rest of my life.

I am sorry if I have offended any of you. I came home the other day to find my dearest friend, Jackdog, laying dead on my bedroom floor. Later the same afternoon I get a call telling me that my rank is worthless. I guess things just caused me to boil over. I wanted to figure out some way to help others who might find themselves in my position.

In any event, I can tell you that I have placed this in the hands of the Attorney General. If I have accomplished nothing other than to light a small fire, the word is on the street. If you are selling underserved rank, I am the guy who is out to get you. I will bring Uncle Sam down on your head like nothing you have seen before.

Keep it clean and keep it honest.

Thanks to all of you honest martial artist.

Herb Weller

[Mike Haftel]

Good luck. While I can empathize with your situation, this isn't the place to be laying out threats of legal recourse.

[drosera99]

Ahhh......

This clears up a lot. May I ask what organization did this? I'm just curious as to whether or not I know anyone. If that's not a question you can or want to answer I understand perfectly.

[Herb Weller]

Dear Mike Haftel,

You state:

"Good luck. While I can empathize with your situation, this isn't the place to be laying out threats of legal recourse".

I am no longer concerned about my own personal situation, I am concerned about the other 9,999 organization members who may have been taken. And I disagree with your above statement. I honestly believe this is the perfect place to warn others of bogus organizations who are only interested in getting your money.

What other means would you suggest a person take to get the word out? I would truly like a reply to that question.

Anyway, as to the name of the organization, when I receive an official response from the government I will be happy to post it.

Thank you.

Herb Weller

[Mike Haftel]

Dear Mike Haftel,

You state:

"Good luck. While I can empathize with your situation, this isn't the place to be laying out threats of legal recourse".

I am no longer concerned about my own personal situation, I am concerned about the other 9,999 organization members who may have been taken. And I disagree with your above statement. I honestly believe this is the perfect place to warn others of bogus organizations who are only interested in getting your money.

What other means would you suggest a person take to get the word out? I would truly like a reply to that question.

Anyway, as to the name of the organization, when I receive an official response from the government I will be happy to post it.

Thank you.

Herb Weller

Most of the people on this forum have the knowledge and common sense to spot fruads in the martial arts. Like I said, you are preachng to the choir.

For example, I did a little background checking on the arts and sources cited on your website and came to my own conclusions. I didn't need some "accredited expert witness" from thousands of miles away to inform me.

Try Bullshido.net they have a forum dedicated to outting B.S. in the martial arts. Although, I'm pretty sure the same thing will happen over there as what happened in your original thread...

Again, good luck to you.

[Mike Haftel]

Also, your plan to have an "outside, third party, [study] the curriculum and programs offered at a martial arts school, and after finding the school meets stringent rank standards, grant the school a quality rank stamp of approval" is a futile effort. No legit school of budo would allow such a person into their dojo. Honest and sincere studnets of the arts have a hard enough time gaining admision to legit school of Japanese Budo, let alone someone wavig around "seals of approval" from a website and the state of Indiana. Nobody, I don't care how good you are, can study the curriculum of an art they have never had experience in and, in a few short hours, speak on the behalf of the validity of that art and its practitioners.

You also say, "No place other than LegalRank.Com are there known accrediting bodies in the United States qualified to meet the accrediting process for martial arts." How are you or LegalRank.com qualified to accredit..oh let's say...someone holding a Menkyo in Musho Shinden ryu Iaijutsu, or Daito ryu Aiki Jujutsu, or a 3rd kyu in Aikido, or a shodan in Kendo, for that matter? I don't think you are.

Someone else stated that your target audience seems to be people involved in the "American Krotty" scene. I think this is apparent. This website is not a very good place to be recruiting followers for your cause.

Again, I can empathize with what may have happened to you and I wish you luck with your cause. But, I have a fairly good B.S. detector.

[Jitsumania]

I am in much agreement with Mike. How can an outside body determine the ligitamacy of an organization(s) with little to no information and /or frame of legitamate reference to render such a verdict. Our Ryu has no Governing Body per se. The uppper level Yudansha ensure that the system is taught correctly, safely, and effectifely with no B.S. added. Issues of importance to the Ryu are decided by Ryu general meetings and Yudansha meetings. This has worked well for us in Victoria Tx. for many Decades. A curriculum is used to avoid watering down and bastardization of what we do. We police ourselves and leave the politics to the politicians. The absolute best way to test your rank/skill is on the tatami with other practitioners. If you get your rear end whooped repeatedly you might want to use the certificate for toilet paper and go study something else. Are we after certificates, belts and governing bodies, or are we after knowledge? The individual practitioner must answer that for themselves.
Your accumilated knowledge over the past 40 years should be more than enough (if you are proficient in what you do) to compensate for your broken spirit IMHO. Your rank may be worthless but the bigger question to ponder may be this.... is your skill level worthless?
Good luck on wherever you endeavor leads you. Today I will let my Shihan(s) and my Uke's validate my skills and worthiness of my Certificates.

[Chris McLean]

Who we are on the mat is what counts nothing can be hidden when in Kumite with another skilled practitioner. Everyone knows who we are there; outside of that how we act and how we treat other people is what really matters.

The purpose of the belt really is to hold up your pants and
The certificate could also make great covering for the bottom of a bird cage.

When Napoleon conquered Europe the Pope presented him with a crown as the ruler of Europe. The crown is not what made him the ruler of Europe. He created himself through his intentions and undaunted willpower. He did not need the Pope's approval.

Rank is the same you are what you are when the dirt in the street says you are.

[trevorg]

"Broken heart, broken spirit" because Jackdog (a dog?) died and Mr Weller was told his grade was worthless. Come ON.

Travel down any road and see what life throws at people. I can tell Mr Weller one thing, it is the martial spirit that has brought me through the most difficult of times, as it has with other MAs who have suffered to even greater degrees.

Be happy with what you have achieved in your life, Mr Weller, and do not go on a mission to clean up the world just because of what someone else says.

A very BIG OSU
Trevor

[dirk.bruere]

Martial arts are about individuals, not organisations. Your rank is what you are, what you've done and what you know. Pieces of paper are there to impress the gullible and ignorant. The only one that matters a damn is the one you get from your own teacher, and even then it matters because of his own accomplishments and not the org he's signed up to. If you really care about organisations and bits of paper, start your own and print yourself a 10th Dan certificate. It will be just as valid as any other bit of paper. Martial arts orgs are not divinely mandated - they are all just people and pecking orders.

[dirk.bruere]

Be happy with what you have achieved in your life, Mr Weller, and do not go on a mission to clean up the world just because of what someone else says.

Alternatively, go on a mission to clean up the world. Everyone needs something to do. Chop wood, carry water. Things only matter because they matter to me/you. Things are only important because they are important to me/you. The universe goes on its way regardless. Just monkeys playing monkey games and taking it seriously, as if it mattered...

Dirk