Blog Posts

Beware The Martial Arts Police

10/17/2020

Author: Bret Gordon

The cancel culture we see permeating the country right now, with corporations rushing to tell the world how "woke" they are while demanding the removal of anything deemed offensive, has infiltrated the martial arts. In the midst of COVID-19, we cannot lose sight of the real pandemic that has been plaguing our community since the dawn of the internet: the Martial Arts Police. We are all too familiar with the self-righteous individuals who spend their days behind the keyboard telling others what they believe is right and wrong. While the garden variety troll can be found commenting on various videos with such intellectual analyses as "tHaT wOuLd NeVeR wOrK iN tHe StR33Tz," select individuals appoint themselves to a higher level of authority, imposing their will across the entirety of their echo chamber and violently harassing those who do not submit to their demands. Ironic, since most of their targets are those who promote themselves to a position they feel is unwarranted or unjustified...

The simple truth is that while there are some generally accepted norms, there is not a single universal standard regarding anything in the martial arts. The standards, rules and regulations are established by the founder/headmaster and/or governing body of the individual style that is being taught. Their word is law, and they are the only ones with the authority to impose any sort of regulation on the members of that system/organization. Many popular styles are no longer centralized, with numerous organizations imposing their own rules and regulations upon their members that may or may not align with other branches of the same art. This is why rank, title and license are absolutely meaningless outside of the context they were awarded in... And why it's so confusing to me that there are people who actually spend their time trying to regulate and condemn others that do not fit into the confines of their understanding that they otherwise have no affiliation to.

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American Jidokwan Familial Disputes

10/15/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

As President of the American Jidokwan Association (official website), I have been entirely forthcoming about our organization's history. Neither I or my teacher, Hatfield sensei, were there when the organization was created and therefore there are things we simply don't know. What is detailed on the history section of our website linked above is the most accurate presentation we are able to put forth about events that predate our involvement, and even though this contradicts earlier versions that we have published we believe it is in everyone's best interest to publicize correct information. I will say that at no point have we deliberately misrepresented or spread falsehoods about the American Jidokwan Association's history.

One thing we have been clear about is that we are not the only ones with a claim to the "American Jidokwan" name. To date, I know of at least 6 different schools or organizations that use the name, some of which have no connection to the rest. These groups are:

Ernest Lieb, American Jidokwan 1965 (Switched the name to American Karate Systems 1973)
Robert Moore/Curtis Herrington, American Jidokwan 1968 (Used interchangeably with Ohio Jidokwan)
Ernest Al Fuzy, American Jidokwan Karate 1995
William Sirbaugh, American Jidokwan Taekwondo 1995
Thomas Henzey, American Jidokwan Federation (date unknown)
Herb McGuire, American Jidokwan Martial Arts (date unknown)

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Controversy Of The Rising Sun

10/4/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

Imperial War Flag, 1870-1945

According to Japanese mythology, after the creation of Heaven and Earth, the gods Izanagi and Izanami were given the task of forming a series of islands that would become what is now Japan. In some of the earliest writings, Japan became known as "the land of the rising sun" as the Japanese archipelago is east of the Asian mainland, thus "where the sun rises." In fact the Japanese word for Japan, Nihon 日本, literally means the "origin of the sun."

This belief has led to numerous symbols throughout Japanese history depicting the image of the rising sun (Asahi). Since ancient times, there have been many variations of the Asahi that represented festiveness and good fortune. It was first adopted as the Imperial War Flag on May 15, 1870 under the Emperor Meiji, and was used until the end of World War II in 1945. It was re-adopted on June 30, 1954 as the Japanese Naval ensign, and the Japan Self Defense Forces and the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces currently use a variation as well.

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Do Nothing That Is Of No Use

9/29/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

As I sit and ponder this quote from Miyamoto Musashi, I am reminded of my priorities and my foundation. While I am generally against martial arts instructors acting like monks and flooding their students with inspirational quotes and meditation to fill the void from their lack of actual fighting ability, I also believe there are no coincidences. If you're ever scrolling through your Facebook news feed and come across something that hits home, you know what I'm talking about.

As martial artists, we have a duty to protect those who can't protect themselves. This does not just apply to the living. Instructors and family members who have since passed on would certainly qualify. The circle of life would dictate that at some point, children must rise up and defend their parents, grandparents, etc. I would hope that if I was to pass away suddenly, in order to respect my memory my students would carry on what I've taught them in the same manner that I would. Going against my wishes in how the art is taught and spread, in how information is provided, is not living up to that legacy. While every system should have a designated successor to take the helm and carry the art into the next generation, every student is in some way an inheritor of the tradition and has a responsibility to it. For example, if I wished to live a private life away from the spotlight and keep certain aspects of my life hidden, I would expect my students to honor those wishes long after I am gone.

Over the last several months, I have allowed the attacks of people who truly have no affect on me to pull me away from these beliefs. That ends now, as this quote hits harder than Hatfield sensei. Arguing with people on the internet is of no use. Sharing history and tradition with those who aren't students is of no use. Divulging intimate family details to those on the outside is of no use.

While I make no claim to having all of the information regarding my lineage, and as my research continues I will update what is publicly available in order to provide the most accurate presentation possible, I will not rush to publish a new blog simply because someone on the internet wants to know something. Information is earned, and if you are not a student or member of the family, you haven't earned the right to know. In a previous article, I mentioned that when I contacted the Daito Ryu Kodokai with Hasaka sensei's birth name to verify some historical information, I wasn't met with pictures and scrolls. I wasn't met with a detailed biography that catalogued his entire training history. I was initially stone walled with a simple "Why do you want to know?" Going forward, when someone outside of our tradition or organization makes an inquiry, my response will be just that...

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SafeSport Investigation Results

9/28/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

Thanks to the trolls that continue to plague us, the US Center for SafeSport contacted both myself and Hatfield sensei with a formal investigation into the matter surrounding Patrick Justice after several people made anonymous complaints. SafeSport is the leading organization in the fight against sexual abuse and misconduct in youth sports, and is established by federal law with the jurisdiction to investigate claims of those matters. For those who are unaware, the summary of the situation is that:

In 2004, Patrick Justice was convicted of sexual battery. However, this conviction was kept hidden from both myself and Hatfield sensei, allowing Patrick to be installed as President of the American Jidokwan Association in 2011. In 2017, we became aware of Patrick's prior conviction and demanded he resign his position immediately, and I replaced him as President on October 3, 2017. Two years later, I registered the American Jidokwan Association with USA Taekwondo which required that we become SafeSport certified, which was completed on November 19, 2019.

However, our detractors are so determined to cause us harm that they reported us to SafeSport for failing to report Patrick's conviction and prior affiliation. Why they felt we had an obligation to report an incident that occurred two years prior to us joining Safesport (where the actual conviction was 15 years prior) in the first place is beyond me, and the investigator from SafeSport echoed my sentiments.

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True American Jidokwan History

9/26/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

The cognitive dissonance of some people is absolutely amazing, while also endlessly frustrating, to watch. In the tireless effort to prove Hatfield sensei and I are lying about something, anything really, our detractors continue to reveal just how ignorant of and uninterested in the truth they really are... And the latest thing to come under attack is the American Jidokwan Association (official website).

As current President of the American Jidokwan Association, since October 3, 2017, I feel compelled to shed light on our organization's history as well as its ties to Korea as a legitimate source of authentic Jidokwan Taekwondo and Korean Karate.

By now, everyone is aware of the situation regarding my predecessor Patrick Justice (if you are not, please read these articles: part 1, part 2 and part 3) so I will not continue to speak on this matter. The facts of the situation have already been presented to the best of my knowledge, and there is nothing more for me to say.

As I have come to understand it, the project known as American Jidokwan Association stems from the collaboration of three individuals: William Sirbaugh, Shune Yung Davis and E.A. Fuzy. Unfortunately, this is where the organization's history gets... well... fuzy.

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Manipulating The Truth

9/24/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

I am unsure why I am continually surprised and appalled at the fact that BSMA and its echo chamber continues to manipulate information, twist words to fit their narrative and outright lie. This group of martial arts outcasts and self-righteous social justice warriors spend their days degrading others to compensate for their own shortcomings, but what else could be expected from people who claim to be 15th Dan and their supporters?

One troll that goes by the name "James Wimberley" even makes it seem like he has visited our school "undercover" a few weeks ago and regales the group with tall stories that anyone who has even remotely been to my school would know is false. No one that I am unfamiliar or already affiliated with has visited my school in over a year, period. But this just adds a cool twist to their story, right? Someone with "inside knowledge." He makes such wild assertions that I changed my belt three times throughout the duration of a single class to show off my colorful pieces of cloth, and that when questioned about Hasaka Yutashi (the founder of American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu) I made excuses that I couldn't show the documents I claimed to have because I "don't keep them at the school." Of course, for anyone who has actually been in my school, they would clearly see the pictures of Hasaka sensei on the wall and the scrolls displayed in a shadow box, easily accessible for review (as seen in the image below).

Don Roley, Dale Dugas and the slew of trolls of BSMA have relentlessly tried to prove my instructor and I are martial arts frauds, and when that didn't work (because of articles like this), are now clinging to a situation surrounding a gentleman named Patrick Justice who was the former President of the American Jidokwan Association until 2017 when we found out he was a convicted sex offender and demanded he resign (more about this situation can be read here and here). They claim that because we simply severed ties and didn't drag him through the mud 13 years after his conviction, we somehow support heinous and vile acts such as child rape and pedophilia. One of my students joined BSMA, since both Steven Hatfield sensei and I are banned from the group and can't directly respond to these allegations, called them out on this fact saying that on the contrary, it shows we are merciful. Of course, the echo chamber of BSMA couldn't handle being challenged and started grilling my student, first trying to discredit his support by suggesting he is a fake profile (an assertion made by a user posting under a pseudonym ironically). But it gets better...

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Unmasking The Trolls

9/22/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

The power of trolls comes from their anonymity. The moment their true identities are exposed is when they lose any sense of control they think they have over the situation. There are many reasons for the pseudonyms, all of which are designed to protect the troll. Some justify their fake names and lack of willingness to be seen by saying that their lives have been threatened in the past, to which I respond by saying maybe people would stop wanting to kill them if they minded their own business and stopped trying to ruin other peoples' lives? Some use fake names to avoid having to answer for their slander and libel. Regardless of why they do it, every troll has one thing in common: they are really good at hiding. Whether it's a single troll or an elaborate group of trolls sharing the same pseudonym and social media account to further conceal their identity, they all live in fear of being exposed for the cowards they are.

If anything has come from this past of year of trolling, I have gained a better understanding of just what the procedure is to file a lawsuit on someone running their mouth on the internet and the requirements/limitations for doing so. I have also learned that anyone who forwards you a video saying "you should sue this guy" also has no understanding of the process. For example, most trolls are in another time zone. To file a lawsuit, you must secure an attorney in their state... Something most don't have the time or money to do, and that's if you even know their real identity. It also comes down to what they're saying. No matter how many times they scream you are a fraud and your certificates are fake or invalid, there is nothing you can do about it. That is an opinion, apparently.

But every now and then, a troll makes a mistake. They say something truly defamatory and slanderous/libelous, and they reveal their identity through careless arrogance. This article will expose one such troll...

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Blowing Smoke... Medically

9/8/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

For anyone who has been following the ongoing saga of internet drama stemming from the Facebook hate group BSMA against myself and my instructor, Steven Hatfield, what I'm about to write about will be of no shock to you. Those who aren't familiar with the situation should check out the following articles before continuing:

"Obsession Isn't Healthy, Boys" detailing the timeline of harassment from members of BSMA

"The Hypocrisy Of The Internet" detailing the events surrounding Dale Dugas and his faux challenge

Since the beginning of Dale's challenge, he has asserted that he was going to fight both myself and my instructor. I even offered him the opportunity to visit us both at the same time when Hatfield sensei was here (August 28th to September 4th). Now, after we went back and forth for awhile I then met Dale's demands to simply name a time and place instead of "pushing it back" three weeks until Hatfield sensei was here, because "a real man just fights and doesn't postpone," is what I kept hearing. Of course after naming such, Dale failed to show up not once but twice. I won't go into too much detail, as this has all been documented in the article above, but anyone with any measurable critical thinking ability could figure out that Dale had no intention of showing up and was simply blowing smoke as usual.

Just in case he was crazy enough to actually show up on a random night of the week, I then stated that if Dale (or anyone from BSMA) did not show up at an agreed upon time, he would be trespassing. This is simply because I run youth classes, and I don't think any reasonable adult believes any children should be exposed to this nonsense. This was on August 10th (the dates will become important shortly). Even still, he asserted he would see both me and Hatfield sensei "in three weeks" regardless of that statement about trespassing so it was clear he had no issue with it and would still grace us with his presence.

But then, something miraculous happened. He disappeared! Dale went from making videos nearly every day for over a week talking about how he was going to cripple both of us, right up until August 19th when he just stopped. He went silent without a trace of him on BSMA, and certainly no mention of seeing us soon. Maybe he was busy training, preparing himself for the 1970s no-holds-barred "open combat" kung fu death match we were about to engage in? Only one way to find out, right?

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What Is A Diploma Mill?

8/20/2020

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Author: Bret Gordon

After our recent announcement that the US Association of Martial Arts will no longer be offering certification services to our members (click here), our detractors have tried to spin this as an admission that the USAMA was a diploma mill and now we have seen the error of our ways. This could not be farther from the truth, but it does bring up a rather interesting discussion that I'd like to expand upon.

Unfortunately, like the term "fraud," the concept of a diploma mill gets thrown around the martial arts community so often that it has lost all meaning. It is most often used to describe a school or organization that doesn't live up to the standards of the accuser. What the accuser doesn't take into account is that quality is subjective, and there are absolutely different levels to this. A degree from Harvard is worth more than one from your local community college. Both are still valid.

In contrast, a diploma or rank mill merely sells rank with bare minimum requirements (often simply a successful payment). They offer meaningless pieces of paper in exchange for a fee without any consideration. While I will admit there are plenty of schools who issue ranks merely based on attendance, I still wouldn't call them diploma mills. Just because they do not live up to my standards does not mean they are fake or fraudulent. Everyone's training goals are different, and we need to take that into account when judging others. Where it becomes a problem is when the issuing authority, whether that's the instructor or an organization, is dishonest about what is being offered such as saying you teach self defense but it's really cardio kickboxing, or an organization recognizing a rank/title you already hold but you present it as the source of your credentials. An organization acknowledging and recognizing something that has already been legitimately earned is not the same as an organization selling you a piece of paper no questions asked.

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USAMA BLOG

Beware The Martial Arts Police

American Jidokwan Familial Disputes

Controversy Of The Rising Sun

Do Nothing That Is Of No Use

SafeSport Investigation Results

True American Jidokwan History

Manipulating The Truth

Unmasking The Trolls

Blowing Smoke... Medically

What Is A Diploma Mill?

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