I like the Japanese people, I like to Japanese culture, and I really like the influence the Japanese culture has had on traditional karate; specifically Shotokan Karate Do.
There seems to be a lingering mind set within the Japanese karate community and the non-Japanese karate community that only Japanese karate masters (30 yrs. + training) are to manage, be in charge of, a karate club or notational organization. I appreciate the path and hard work that went into establishing Traditional Karate on a worldwide level.
I believe non-Japanese instructors with 30 plus years of training and experience are capable of managing their own organizations, clubs, and Dojo without any guidance or continued influence from Japanese Karate Ka. Certainly not a Japanese instructor who is younger with less time, knowledge and experience should not be given a free pass based on his race. The thought that you are better at teaching, managing and as a practitioner just because you are Japanese should have been out to rest 20 years ago. There is not to my knowledge any large national Japan based karate organization led by a non-Japanese Karate Ka
This is not a rant against the Japanese people, the culture, or their karate. It is the mindset that has been an underlying unspoken attitude that should be done away with. The same mindset and way of thinking by non-Japanese Karate Ka should be done away with. These individuals need to wake up and look to themselvess to manage themselves.
It is everyone’s right to choose their instructor, and organization, or whether they choose to go at it alone. I just want to bring to everyone's attention to that just because you are a certain race or notational origin.
It should not be automatic pass that you are better at whatever it is you are involved in because of race and no other factors, such as ability, knowledge, experience and hard work.
2/22/12/jrg©
