Expulsion!

sensei8 · KF Sensei

From time to time someone must be expelled from some said martial arts organization and the like. It just happens, therefore, it's never planned and/or expected and/or hoped for. Sometimes practitioners resign from their said organization to avoid being expelled or for their own particular reason(s).

A plethoria of reasons will surround one for being asked to resign or for being expelled. Nevertheless, when one has resigned or has been expelled, it doesn't have to be a black mark against that individual, but, that's for one to conclude themselves for whatever reason(s) one might or might not have.

Expulsion of a member isn't ever a pleasant thing to experience, I know this to be true from first hand experience and/or from having viewed from afar. But, at times it's necessary for the betterment of the organization as well as to the betterment of the student body and for the betterment of the style.

Over history, many noted practitioners have resigned or have been expelled for one reason or another. Hideyuki Ashihara[1], Fumio Demura[2], Hirokazu Kanazawa[3], Taiji Kase[3], Hiroshi Shirai[3], Shiro Asano[3], Taketo Okuda[3], Tetsuhiko Asai[3], Nobuyuki Nakahara[3], Keigo Abe[3], Mikio Yahara[3], Teruyuki Okazaki[3], and Shihan Takahashi[3]. Master Choki Motobu was expelled from Itosu's dojo..."Itosu sensei was not impressed by the young man’s bullying and promptly expelled him from the dojo."[4]

Shindokan Karate-do, the organization that I'm the Kaicho of, expelled one of our very own in 2008. Jonathan Sommerfield, 6th Dan (not 7th Dan as he claims) was expelled for falsifying his own 7th Dan certificate. Jonathan was a member of the Shindokan Hombu and had access to many sensitive materials. His actions have made it a necessity within the Shindokan Hombu to secure any and all sensitive materials to only be accessed by the Executive Team and this team only!

Our expulsion By-Laws weren't written by our Soke or by our Dai-Soke or by any member(s) of the Executive, Administrative, and Instructor Departments. No! They were written by a Lawyer who's not affiliatted with the Shindokan Hombu, then drafted into our By-Laws exactly as written by that outside Lawyer.

Hopefully, this very brief look will allow us to try to understand and appreciate that expulsions are a necessary part, but at times, an unwanted part of any martial arts organization and the like.

An expulsion strips away every tie with that said martial arts organization for those practitioners who've ever experienced it, but, it doesn't strip away ones knowledge and the like; that's forever!

Any thoughts?

Sources:

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hideyuki_Ashihara
(2) http://www.karatedo.co.jp/itosu-kai/english/demura/fumio.html
(3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Karate_Association
(4) http://www.bohans-family.com/memory/Motobu/motobu.htm

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JohnASE · Green Belt

There's a difference between expulsion resulting from of misconduct and an organization splitting up over political differences. My thoughts are that they should be treated separately.

Of course, there is some confusion when parties involved tell different stories. I followed the Itosu-kai link you provided, and they're obviously accusing Demura Sensei of misconduct. If you ask him, I'm sure he'd tell a different story. I vaguely remember hearing him talk about his separation from Itosu-kai back when it happened, and I know I didn't hear anything like what the letter said. Personally, I've found Demura Sensei to be a very honorable man, and I have a great deal of respect for him.

Were there expulsions or accusations of misconduct in the other cases? I don't remember hearing anything like that when Okazaki Sensei split the ISKF off from the JKA, nor when Koyama Sensei, Mikami Sensei, and Takashina Sensei split from the ISKF deciding to stay with the JKA. I thought it was primarily due to philosophical differences.

In cases of misconduct, I think there is a stigma, at least if the reasons are known, true or not. I've heard of rifts in national organizations or local dojos resulting from things like embezzlement, infidelity, sexual harassment, and racism. In some cases, they were unsubstantiated rumors, but in others, courts were involved. In many cases, I think great harm can come to the reputations of all people involved, not just the expelled.

I initially stated that misconduct and political differences should be treated separately, but I suppose they're similar in that any splits or expulsions that result are for the good of the group. The reasons are just different.

Hmm. I thought I knew what I thought, but now, I think not. I'll stop rambling now.
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ninjanurse · KF VIP

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Then there's expulsions like these....

http://judo.teamusa.org/pages/7264

I don't think that political differences should ever have any business in any decisions of expulsions. Misconduct is misconduct with no varying degree and how an organization defines it [misconduct] is up to that organization. In Shindokan, we've no "Serious" or "Minor" violations of misconduct, we've just got "Misconduct" and all misconducts are treated accordingly per our By-Laws.

Our By-Laws protect both the Hombu AND the entire student body for the betterment of everyone and our art. Therefore, those in violation of our By-Laws are made an example of so that it's understood by all, and in that, all will know that the Hombu is the proponent of the By-Laws.

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**Proof is on the floor!!!

Julie-zhu · White Belt

Patrick · KF Administrator

Hello,

Thank you for visiting KarateForums.com.

We have removed a post from this thread in error. It is included below. I apologize for the confusion.

Sincerely,

Patrick

ninjanurse · KF VIP

Neither is incorrect. The Hepburn Romanization (honbu) of the Japanese language makes it easier for non-Japanese speaking people to pronounce translated words more clearly. The Kunrei-shiki Romanization (hombu) of the Japanese language more closely resembles the original latin to english translation. The Japanese government recognizes both.

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sensei8 · KF Sensei

I've always only known our headquarters as HOMBU. That's what our Soke called it and that's what's written in our Densho, Hand Scrolls, and By-Laws. So, that's why I write it as I do; it's all I've known.

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**Proof is on the floor!!!

Chitsu · Orange Belt

still kicking · Green Belt

Maybe it has to do with the pronunciation of the "n" sound changing to "m" befor the "p" and "b" sounds, but not the "s" sound? Just wondering -- I am certainly no expert on the Japanese language.

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