What happened to Modern Arnis

Rich Parsons

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Originally posted by Rocky
. . .
Quite true, but at any rate if you are ever in the area you are more than welcome to stop by as is anyone to bulshit or play with the sticks a bit, or what ever. We are trying to get the Motor city Masacure back on track in October, Its a full contack stick party, fencing helmit only no toher knee and elbow only protection, no gloves or chest protection, 7ft ring, no grappling stick skill only, but I keep running into legal issues, we almost got arrested a couple years ago for fighting in public, but hopefully I will find out something in thenext couple of weeks.

Rocky " really I am edumicated" Pasiwk

Rocky,

Make sure you let me and the rest of the Flint Guys know when ou get it up and running.

Thanks
 
C

Corey Minatani

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Hello Rocky:

Without trying to slide from the original issue about martial philosophy as it applies to ethics and so forth, I will try to answer both Rocky and SM Anderson's questions.

I have built and ran, a sucessful studio, and I also work for a fortunue 50 company (where I am in Management), full-time, as well as having four children, going to school full time, and having my wife go full time as well. In any event, I don't believe I said going to college was the only way. I was blocking your curt attack against my degree in a subject you know little about, which you admitted freely, by being a CC kind of guy. Anyway, guys like me probably won't be scraping for a job from a guy like you. Nothing bad about what you do, its mainly just an income for one family, unless you are talking you run a chain of about 100 schools, which I don't think you are up that well, are you? In any event, my only complaint, was your manners were unprofessional.

In addition, my students have been undeafeated in stick fighting competitions for about 2 years running in our town where many schools host these kinds of events, and my students are not only sucessful at FMA, but Karate and Aiki-ju-jutsu arts as well. I have also taught at the college level and have had successful teams competiting against top players in karate in the major tournament circles.

Now to answer SM Anderson. I think you know my position upon this subject, I know you know more than you say here, SM. In any event, the comment was general in nature, and I will not speak against my instructor nor my seniors. My chain of command does not include you nor Rocky. I give you guys due respect, but if everyone acts like a "hoser" as you put it, where is that getting us? Internet is great, people can say whatever, but I seriously doubt this much bravado would be going on if push came to shove and people were face-to-face. In any event, you know how Masters can get nipping back and forth, you've done it in the past, as have we all. Let me know if this what sufficient, Dan.

Corey Minatani
B.A. Philosophy
Graduate Student, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Capella University
 

Dan Anderson

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Originally posted by Corey Minatani
1. Now to answer SM Anderson. I think you know my position upon this subject, I know you know more than you say here, SM. 2. In any event, the comment was general in nature, and I will not speak against my instructor nor my seniors.
3. My chain of command does not include you nor Rocky.
4. I give you guys due respect, but if everyone acts like a "hoser" as you put it, where is that getting us?
5. Internet is great, people can say whatever, but I seriously doubt this much bravado would be going on if push came to shove and people were face-to-face. In any event, you know how Masters can get nipping back and forth, you've done it in the past, as have we all.
6. Let me know if this what sufficient, Dan.

Corey Minatani
B.A. Philosophy
Graduate Student, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Capella University

Hi Corey,
1. I got this is your position. I'm asking about traditional Japanese etiquette. Your personal position and traditional teaching probably differ to a degree.
2. Got it. I neither ask nor expect you to disrespect your seniors. That would be a violation of your ethical code.
3. I know and I like how you state that, your chain of command. I wish I'd thought of that way of putting it. I'm stealing it. Be advised I will not send you any royalties, though.
4. It gets us nowhere. Well, it either gets us pissed, amused or makes the recipient wrong depending on the intention of the communication in the first place.
5. Face to face communication is live AND if manners are $h!t and chest swelling bravado is evident, fights or hockey games break out. Speaking of live communication, I am going to be in Spokane this weekend for a Bram Frank seminar. Is Ellensburg close enough to there for you and I to get together and meet? If now, then some other time.
6. What is sufficient is a brief and direct answer to my question regarding traditional Japanese etiquette. As you have been raised in the system you have first hand knowledge which would outstrip any book learning I could get on the subject. Please get me an answer either in this thread (which by the way has gotten way off the subject), or in an email or if we can meet this weekend, in person.

Yours,
Dan Anderson
 

Cruentus

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I know with myself that the things I say on the net, I would say in person, if the conversation fell into place in the same manner. I find that most people I have talked too in person who have argued with me on the net take a different tone in person, which causes me to take a different tone as well. It's just one of those things.

I understand the point though; many people who are on the net have keyboard courage.

In Rocky's case, however, this is not a case of internet bravado. Everything he has said here he would in fact say in person in front of anyone, even if it ment him getting his grill blown out. He just doesn't give a damn. I don't know if this is something to be proud of, but this is true.

Understand, I am not taking sides in this "arguement" here, but I am just saying what I believe is true from the little bit that we have talked, and the little bit I know about him.

PAUL
:cool:
 

Dan Anderson

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Now that this has turned into a food fight and everybody is pissed at everybody, I thought I'd go back to the original intent of Dieter's post in the first place.

I'll agree with Rocky's answer. It was Remy Presas. But here I'm taking a different tack. I'll explain.

Anyone who has been raised in the martial arts since the 1960's (as I have) or 1970's was raised in an organizational heirarchy, based on a combination of the oriental senior-junior system and western organization. A good example would be Hidetaka Nishiyama's AAKF. He was the senior instructor, lineage direct to Gichen Funakoshi. He had a rank structure. He was the top guy and you knew who the next guys in line were. The organization had affiliate schools and there was a honbu dojo (main school). It was organized in all aspects.

Remy Presas was a fighter, not an organization man. According to Remy Jr., his wife Rosemary was a driving force behind him and organizing Modern Arnis. Remy Presas acted very much by personal drive, phenominal skill and force of personality. There was no organization. At best, there were three groups: 1. Remy Presas himself, 2. those who loyally followed Remy and 3. those who broke off for one reason or another.

The organizing was left to others. Many of us tried to set up a honbu dojo but to no avail. Many of us tried to get set up some sort of standardized ranking system, again to no avail.

This sort of thing was not in the basic nature of the man so it did not occur. Pure and simple. Remy Presas was a blue collar guy, not a white collar guy. To me, that's the simplicity of it.

Organizing occurred outside of Remy Presas. Prior to his death, DAV, IMAF, and WMAA were the only purely Remy Presas Modern Arnis organizations I can think of. After his death, more and more people began to organize. We are nowhere near a Gathering Of Eagles stage yet but we have made tremendous strides in these tumultuous two years since his passing.

And we'll make even more. Mark my words.

Yours,
Dan Anderson
 

Cruentus

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Now that this has turned into a food fight and everybody is pissed at everybody, I thought I'd go back to the original intent of Dieter's post in the first place.

lol....the digression of this thread might answer Dieters question.....Good Job Guys!

:rofl:

I joke around only because I am confident that we'll get it together eventually. We can only argue so much in this art before we are all argued out, even if it takes us a few more years.:)
 
E

Emptyglass

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Dear Richard,
_
Would you please post the following message on MT?_ Thanks.
_
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Renegade, Advisor, wrote on 7-22-2003

I think a big factor was the lack of advertising. Much was done on MT.com, but how much was done elsewhere? I think that if he had spent more time promoting via mail, phone,etc. there would have been a bigger turn out.
I would also like to state that I never made a public statement to the members of the WMAA telling them wether to attend or not. I took flyers to Detroit, handed them out at my camp and posted information on the WMAA site. I can not force my members to attend an event that they don't want to attend.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It would seem that you are unaware of what_I and several associates did to publicize the Symposium, so I will inform you as to what we did._ First we used the MT.C-Modern Arnis Forum._ This was a natural outlet and should have been a good source for getting the word out and attacting people to the event._ It was not good for either!_ Too much bickering and ********._ Too many egos and_ too much jealosy._ This source was useless as a recruiting forum except for getting instructors to sig on for presentations.

My associates and I posted announcements on 15 forums, lists and bullentin boards, besides the MT.C.__ We contacted and used these other forums at least three times over a one year period._ My associates and I sent out 2000 e-mail messages to individuals on our combined mailing lists._ All of these people were martial artists and associated with the FMAs, Kenpo, Tai Chi, and several different Karate styles._ We mailed out another 200 e-mails to people specificly associated Modern Arnis._ We used the lists posted by ALL of the Modern Arnis organizations including, WMAA, IMAF, WMAC and IMAF, Inc._ I personally searched the web for any person with a web page and who claimed to be teaching_Modern Arnis, even as an add-on program, but who might not be affilliated with an organization to inform them of the Symposium.

I also published an article in Inside Kung Fu with some information about the Symposium._ Please note that virtually no one mentioned that article on the MT.C._ That lack of response was an additional clue that attendence from the forum membership would be slim at best.

As far as the Advisor being unable to force his students to go to an event that they do not wish to attend, I can understand that and have no problem with that statement._ However, I am being held to a much higher standard when it comes to my students and the Norshadow matter - I am responsible for that occured according to most of the posters and MT.C administration._ But if my_goal was to harm and injure the WMAA_in general and the Advisor in particular, why would the meeting between Norshadow and the Advisor be held_in a small ante-room, without any announcement to the assembled Symposium attendees and at the end of the day when people want to leave for showers and dinner?_

I believe, based on what the Advisor has posted earlier and his current comment, that if he had sent more time and energy working with his Buffalo based students, there would have been 3-5 people from his own school in attendance._

I would also like to point out that several people contacted me privately and stated that they cold not attend because their organizational leadership/ instructors discouraged them based on the notion that it would not be in the best interest of the organization._ None of those people were WMAA affiliated._ On the other hand, as stated to me directly by the Advisor, when he was asked by an instructor from the WMAA at the May Camp, if he should attend the Symposium, the Advior's response was, "I'm too busy with my own camp to worry about the Symposium."_ Since the Advisor told me about that conversation, it is not heresay._ It also conveys very clearly the Advisors intentions with_regard_the Symposium.

A significant number of people found the Symposium idea very threatening._ It was not a standard Modern Arnis_organizational camp with the predictable format and familiar faces._ It was not going to be an easy event under the control of an acknowledged organizational leader._ The Symposium was a wide open affair and the people instructing were going to be compared to one another._ In fact I had the Symposium participants evaluate the preentations of all of the instructors._ That doesn't happen at Modern Arnis camps, does it?__The Symposium_was not a comfortable event for some people to consider attending._ The lack of significant attendence by the Modern Arnis Community was both predictable and unfortunate._

The excuses that have been offered on the MT.C are just that excuses._ The loudest noises are being made by the people who did_not attend.__As always, justifications are being offered after the fact and when one is already committed to the behavior._ Those who did not attend must find a way to justifiy staying home.__The excuses given include, "too soon after Remy's death", "not a Modern Arnis event," "hosted by the wrong person," and "it was a put up or shut up event"._ To all of that_I will simply say, if you had the stones post and criticize but failed to attend, then_there must_some serious questions as to your real skill and abilities within the art of Modern Arnis!__

And_I will conclude by saying that since I have been suspended and can not reply via the forum, please have the strength of your convictions and reply to me directly at [email protected] ._ I_will not tie up this young man's time and computer having him post for me._ Once is enough!

Jerome Barber, Ed.D._
 

Datu Tim Hartman

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This was a natural outlet and should have been a good source for getting the word out and attracting people to the event. It was not good for either! Too much bickering and ********. Too many egos and too much jealousy.

Mostly by you and the many faces you use.

My associates and I posted announcements on 15 forums, lists and bulletin boards, besides the MT.C. We contacted and used these other forums at least three times over a one-year period. My associates and I sent out 2000 e-mail messages to individuals on our combined mailing lists. All of these people were martial artists and associated with the FMAs, Kenpo, Tai Chi, and several different Karate styles. We mailed out another 200 e-mails to people specifically associated Modern Arnis. We used the lists posted by ALL of the Modern Arnis organizations including, WMAA, IMAF, WMAC and IMAF, Inc. I personally searched the web for any person with a web page and who claimed to be teaching Modern Arnis, even as an add-on program, but who might not be affiliated with an organization to inform them of the Symposium.

I also published an article in Inside Kung Fu with some information about the Symposium. Please note that virtually no one mentioned that article on the MT.C. That lack of response was an additional clue that attendance from the forum membership would be slim at best.

After all of that you only had about 25 participants.

As far as the Advisor

Call a spade a spade Jerome. You’re talking about me, Datu Tim Hartman. Your biggest problem is that you don’t come out and say what you mean. You think you’re being sly, but most people see through the BS.

However, I am being held to a much higher standard when it comes to my students and the Norshadow matter - I am responsible for that occurred according to most of the posters and MT.C administration.

No not your student, you. If that were the case you wouldn’t be suspended. In addition you lost one of your students due to your actions. This tells me that there is more to the story than you are telling everyone!

I believe, based on what the Advisor has posted earlier and his current comment, that if he had sent more time and energy working with his Buffalo based students, there would have been 3-5 people from his own school in attendance.

As I said before, based on your actions here in Buffalo you have left a bad taste in my students mouth and they choose not to support ANY event that you host. In addition this was your event not mine.

On the other hand, as stated to me directly by the Advisor, when he was asked by an instructor from the WMAA at the May Camp, if he should attend the Symposium, the Advisor’s response was, "I'm too busy with my own camp to worry about the Symposium."

That’s correct. My event came first! I have a responsibility to my member’s, camp goers, seminar hosts and attendees. Those who pay me for a service come first. This is a customer-based industry; I have to worry about my clientel that are in front of me at the moment. I’ll take care of my future customers when they get here.

"hosted by the wrong person,"

This is the most accurate part of your statement. The problem is that you expected all of this support without offering it in the past. You have supported very few Modern Arnis events in the past. The first time I hosted Remy and had nearly 100 people attend the event. Why? Because I would show support for other hosts by both attending and bringing my students with me. Your end all be all Symposium had less people than my first WMAA camp. Why? Because I support other people’s events.

I will not tie up this young man's time and computer having him post for me. Once is enough!

I hope not, because that could lead to his suspension.



For the record, I did not want to participate in such an event hosted by Dr. Barber. I felt that if I had chosen not to participate in one way or another, that I would have been ridiculed for being a snob or accused of being scared, neither are the fact. Dr. Barber has stirred up ***** not only with me, but with the Buffalo Modern Arnis community. It got to such a level, that my old partners were prepared to file a restraining order against him to keep him from coming into the school based on his behavior in our school. I would tell people that if you ignore him enough, he will go away. Unfortunately he would keep coming back like a stray dog.

I did not encourage or discourage my members. If they chose to go, I did not want any responsibility for this decision. I did not want my members blaming me for a bad experience, so I left the decision up to them. One person I did discourage from attending. He said he was going to drive up for the seminar for the Saturday sessions. This was approximately a 16 hour round trip. I asked him why he wanted to go. His reply was to support me. I then told him that if the only reason he was going to attend this event was to support me, and not care about seeing the other instructors, then maybe he should consider another event. He will be attending our Fall East Coast Camp.

Many of us saw the writing on the wall about a month before the symposium. We saw him beginning to formulate excuses why this thing might go bad. Now that the event came up short, he’s prepared to point fingers at everyone. The ultimate success or failure of an event lies on the shoulders of the host. I have seen many seminars with great instructors with very poor participation due to the actions of the host.

Let me end with this – from the time that the first flyer was distributed five of the instructors withdrew. This should tell you something.
 

Rich Parsons

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Hmmmm,

Some recent discussions.

There was a recent request to maybe have this thread moved to a less public spot. I believe that it will not be moved.

Things that cross my mind as an independent.

One I volunteered to teach. Jerome never mentioned it. Yet he had numerous people from Tom Boldens' Organization and also courted Paul who is also a member of the WMAA just like Tim and Dan. I thought this was to get a good round view of what was being taught.

Also recently on Escrima Digest this issue has been discussed. Ernest WestBrook came to the defense of Jerome Barber. People who support Jerome Barber or each other on the ED. Lamont Norshadow, Ernest Westbrooke and also Absolum Jones. Now if one of these is a fake person, could not all three just as easily be fake? Ernest wrote on the ED that he read the complete story here, yet he had information that was not complete discussed here, only for those in the room while the audition was going on. So either Ernest is not real or spent a lot of time talking to Jerome.

Ernest, no disrespect, please contact me. I would like to know for real if you are a real person. It would go really far to show which way this will go. If you are a real person then on only one ID was fake. Maybe Jerome can be excused for the postings, not the directing of the practical joke. Which I did not like and did not feel comfortable being asked to be a witness. Yet, I am in the middle of this all. If you are not a real person then well this is just a little more information for everyone to think about.

Personally, I would like to see this thread and the whole discussion just fade away to bad memory, yet as long as Jerome or any of his supported insist upon having the last word in the defense of being wronged, I believe that this will continue not only to the detriment of Jerome, but to all of the Modern Arnis Community.

Just my thoughts and opinions.
 

Dan Anderson

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Personally, I would like to see this thread and the whole discussion just fade away to bad memory... originally posted by Rich Parsons

Yeah, it's time for it to die a quiet death, at least on the Norshadow biz. We should go on to other things like what a wonderful post I did on "My family." Yeaaahhhhhh.

Yours,
Dan Anderson


(* I added in the link to the thread and also This Thread I hope you do not mind Dan :) *)
 

DoxN4cer

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I would imagine that by now all of the axes would have been ground down to the handles, but no, there always seems to be more than enough time to continue. Why? Does it make you both feel young to act like children? I can't undestand why neither of you is man enough to just walk away.

It's all so ridiculous. If the two of you can't get get along enough to settle your differences then just leave it alone. If you can't leave it alone then set aside some private time to settle it with some kinetic energy and get it all out of your system. Last man standing takes the bragging rights. If for some reason either of you backs out then that should tell us all something about your level of skill and confidence in your abilities. If either of you feels the need for some sort of restraining order to feel safe, then maybe it says something about that too.

All of the back and forth accusations and mud-slinging degrades both of you and everyone else that gets involved. Get over it.

Tim Kashino
 

Rich Parsons

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Originally posted by DoxN4cer
I would imagine that by now all of the axes would have been ground down to the handles, but no, there always seems to be more than enough time to continue. Why? Does it make you both feel young to act like children? I can't undestand why neither of you is man enough to just walk away.

It's all so ridiculous. If the two of you can't get get along enough to settle your differences then just leave it alone. If you can't leave it alone then set aside some private time to settle it with some kinetic energy and get it all out of your system. Last man standing takes the bragging rights. If for some reason either of you backs out then that should tell us all something about your level of skill and confidence in your abilities. If either of you feels the need for some sort of restraining order to feel safe, then maybe it says something about that too.

All of the back and forth accusations and mud-slinging degrades both of you and everyone else that gets involved. Get over it.

Tim Kashino

What He said
:asian:
 

Tgace

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EGO.
(and underlying self-esteem issues)

IMHO
 

Tgace

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Granted.....but we will never get to the latter untill the "leaders" overcome the former.
 

loki09789

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No one can take away the good things that Remy has left for FMA and Modern Arnis. He raised FMA from a 'thug' reputation in the PI and brought it national pride in public schools, he challenged traditional arts in America by demonstrating how the concept approach can produce quality and better understanding more quickly at times.

BUT, Remy - the real, flawed human being (just like the rest of us) made some bad decisions that hurt his organization at times. There are many people on this, as well as other forums, who could tell stories of Remy making questionable decisions that left members feeling double crossed or betrayed.

Agree or disagee, you have to admit that these are factors that happen in any organization. 'Fathers' will leave their sins for their children to inherit as well as their qualities. It is up to the children to choose what they will do with it.

I am reasonbly sure that Remy, like any 'father' would want to see his children take his legacy and further it and as Remy was famous for saying - make it your own (paraphrase). Regardless of side incidents, I think the symposium was a good example of coming together and sharing. Cooperation and Respect between variouos MA organizations is the only way that Remy's legacy can be built on positively. Otherwise, the tribal, petty political 'sins' with overshadow any qualities Remy left.

Paul Martin


Paul Martin
 
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