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POLITICS AND SPLINTERING
This month I have addressed an issue that is common throughout the martial arts fraternity. Politics and the splintering of groups occurred from day one and continues to do so. Again, I have asked a selection of masters and friends to assist me answer the question, 'What effects have politics and the splintering of groups had on the martial arts?' Contributions this months come from Tatsuo Suzuki, Steve Arneil, Leo Lipinski, Patrick McCarthy, Robin Horsfall, Wai-Po Tang, Tommy Morris, Kevin Pell, John Waite and Dave Oliver.
"I
hate politics. The most important thing in the martial arts is that we all
help each other. Politics can create hatred between martial artists. Many
countries have politics, simply because someone wants to be at the top.
There is always someone who wants to be the leader. Politics is
ridiculous. All martial artists should work together and become one. There
should not be a place for politics in the martial arts."
"I
try very hard to stay out of the way of politics. Politics can destroy
karate and the martial arts. It annoys me when people try to push politics
and destroy such a beautiful art. Unfortunately, there are those people
out there that will always breakaway from their masters and try and think
they are better than everyone else. I don't have time for it all, I prefer
to be busy with the training and the coaching."
"Politics in Modern Martial Arts is rife. Whenever you have the
possibility of more than one individual being in "control" --be it with a
group of Martial
"Groups splintering have no effect on the actual martial art itself. the
art is the art. The standard is only as good as the teacher who teaches
and understands what he or she is teaching. Most karate teachers are good
at their art unfortunately some of them are poor leaders and man managers.
When a group splinters it is usually but not always due to bad
management."
"I think the politics of a splintering group is always contentious to the organisation they broke away from. A lot of martial artists misinterpret politics of martial arts for the methods in which instructors/masters talk badly about others; and often politics is intertwined with ethics and traditions. Politics is important and a part of martial arts but the trivial bitching or nonsensical bickering is certainly damaging to the martial art fraternity. A major problem with a lot martial arts masters is the misuse of lineage or history or traditions or even language as a method of validity to their theories on performance and supremacy. This kind of politics is definitely damaging to the martial arts fraternity – in lay term bullshit!
I presume each breakaway group have their reasons, and is difficult to
know the truth of a specific matter. Obviously partition of a
relationship is a result of dissatisfaction on certain matters, which
either party cannot reconcile. However, if the breakaway occurs as result
of just setting up competition to its former organisation, then I would
consider this to be a poor reason and contrary to Martial Art traditions
or code of honour. But if a student or instructor feels he or she is
being ripped-off or constantly humiliated, then that would be a good
reason to breakaway."
"Unfortunately karate politics is not of a high order and I believe in
many cases has been extremely negative and damaging to advancement of
karate. Personal interest in many cases has taken preference."
"Generally, no. I think in many ways it has been a good thing in as much
that some of the so called governing bodies became just a little bit too
big for their boots and were possibly seen as a dictatorship with
occasional use of bully boy tactics. In the last 15 or so years, the
martial arts world has changed dramatically and instructors the world over
are in constant communication with each other via the internet and
telephone in order to assist each other in terms of growth, education and
the future development of their chosen discipline."
"There are always those who want to organise things. No matter how well
run and organised an individual group is. The justification for setting up
a committee is "Strength in number" or the rallying cry 'United we stand
but divided we fall". In some cases these are sometimes made by insecure
individuals who feel that by sitting on such and such a committee will
give the individual credibility and status. Of
course a well organised and democratically elected committee will always
be to the advantage of all. However, we do have situations which create
problems and that is when decisions are made without any kind of referral
to the majority of the people involved in the activity. Consequently you
then get dissatisfied individuals setting up their own splinter groups. If
I may quote a remark made by the late Charles Palmer of the British Judo
Association at an AGM where the amalgamation of three of the largest judo
groups in the UK was being discussed.
"I think this has two sides, politics for instance, I feel has been negative particularly in Tae Kwon Do because of the style being split between W.T.F practitioners and I.T.F. style practitioners and the complete difference in their competition rules and syllabus. The fact that W.T.F style was able to get into the Olympics because of Dr. Un Young Kims position and influence with the I.O.C and the other political fact that General Choi introduced I.T.F. style tae kwon do into communist North Korea to counter the WTF’s political strength with the I.O.C. Both sides were playing politics and were not really concerned with tae kwon do as an art, but now Dr. Kim’s has been removed maybe the WTF will become less sport orientated, but I doubt it. I said that once General Choi passed away that the ITF would go into disarray and that is exactly what's happened with I think four different bodies claiming to be the real ITF!. As
for groups splintering in our own case the TAGB it has only been
beneficial for the student body and this is reflected in our memberships
which at the present time stands at 23,000. We have been able to help form
TKD International which accepts membership from both styles of tae kwon do
– WTF and ITF and at our world championships this year both styles will be
on show. So no, splintering for us was beneficial not negative."
Neil Horton, Secretary of the Martial Arts Brotherhood, has created a Masters Council from a variety of highly experienced and respected masters, some of which have helped compile this series. The Masters Council has agreed to arrange multi-style seminars and act as a technical advisory body for all martial artists regardless of style or thought. Council members include, Steve Arneil, Ross Iannoccaro, Doug James, Alfie Lewis, Leo Lipinski, Dave Oliver, Kevin Pell, Peter Spanton and John Waite. Further information can be obtained by email neil.horton@tiscali.co.uk Alternatively, contact Neil on 07916 206721 or write to: 33 Bristnall Hall Road, Oldbury, Warley, West Midlands.B68 9TS
© Martial Arts Brotherhood 2005
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