What do you think?

[lionleo]

Here in America any old filipino can tell anybody that he has killed a few hundred people during his time.
It is quite surprising that a lot has claimed this.
Just a question to ponder upon..
" Do you think the PHil. Govt. will issue a Police/NBI clearance necessary for visa acquisition if the have done so post WW2?

The Philippines is an organized country with a st rule of law and a working justice system(Check the newspapers). What i am trying to imply is that we here stateside should focus more on what people can teach, not on the history they did..which to me is quite cloudy since they are now for a fact here in the US.

The sudden surge of self made systems and paper masters has degenerated the FMA into a circus like martial art form. When I check the internet..people attach their names to their FMA...quite funny. Coz i remember back in the PI, this is a no-no...but i also see this trend rising back home , especially in the supposedly bastions of FMA's.

Just my 2 cents...to make this forum lively again.

[Guro Dave Gould]

Leo,

Hello there, I hope that all is well with you. It has been awhile since I have heard from you last, and I trust that you are being kept quite challenged by your training? Now to respond to your post.

In all honesty I judge people by the way that they move combatively first and foremost, regardless of what a person may say about their background. I have found that it is very hard to deceive when speaking with ones abilities. As far as I am concerned ones abilities either confirm or contradict that which is spoken out of the mouth of man. A man can say anything with his mouth but only a few can truly move combatively with effect allowing their tongues to rest while relying solely on their movements to speak for them in this language of movement.

If I only speak to you never having the opportunity to meet I will hold off in forming an opinion until the time that I can meet with you one on one and move with you, this way I can form an honest opinion about ones combative effect instead of buying into the hype of some promotional campaign that many put forward only to enhance ones ego and reputation. I am a simple man, I feel that you are only as effective as you are today. Yesterday doesn`t hold any revelence nor does tomorrow. It does not matter to me how effective that you were 20 years ago nor does it matter to me how effective you will be 20 years from now. The only thing that matters is how effective you are today as yesterday is in the past and tomorrow may never come but today survival may be required of you.

As for people buying into the lies, what can I say other than some people are nieve that way. Most in this country are really only into the Indigenous Pilipino Warrior Arts for social and not warrior reasons. Most consider their success based only on how many certificates are hanging on their wall instead of ones ability to move with effect and being given the opportunity to learn from the old warriors whom are truly in the know. Very few are willing to sacrifice themselves into their training and becoming dedicated to learning these warrior arts as they were intended to be passed down, most seem to want to take only a few seminars in a passive environment with a name brand instructor and in only a few hours receive certification to teach something that they have no idea of what it consists of.

So when some one comes forward from the Philippines and claims to have killed over 200 men in close quarter combat they receive a captured audience. Be thankful for the students that you have that are dedicated to seeking out the knowledge protected and passed down from generation of warrior to warrior and allow the rest to walk aimlessly in search of quick fame and notariety. As long as the old ways survive in a few it will be enough to pass off this knowledge from this generation to the next. The watch dogs of this generation are few and it is up to these few to select and prepare the watch dogs of the next generation. Dedicate yourself to truth to self, truth in training, and truth in combat while staying the course and prepare your student as best you can, everyone else will do what they are destined to do.

Train as if your life depends on it, because one day it very well may... Ciao.

Guro Dave Gould.

[danjuandesiga]

Don't hate. Appreciate!

I can relate and agree enough on both points coming from Leo and most of all from Guro Dave.

My personal input on the matter goes like this:


"Talk is still just all-talk. It's nothing like the walk"

Those suckers can talk all the talk they want, but to DO something about it is a whole different thing.

simply put:
-Practice, Practice, PRACTICE.... You just might get better a lot faster than a person can expect.

Daniel Arola
Rock on with your stick on!-DAMAG INC

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Houston_Kali_Stickfighting

[lionleo]

Guro Dave and Guro Dan..Thanks for your input and i hope this thread will be read and responded upon by as much people here as possible.
What you said in your reply Guro Dave is very concise and relevant.
I hope those who read this thread aand consider themselves as watchdogs for this art form that we all love will continue to dedicate their abilities in the furtherance of FMA wholistically as well as realistically.
With Guro Dan's response..it is just waht it is..PRACTICE!
To those who have half hearts in their FMA and is i FMA for show, novelty and the like..i hope this thread will help steer you into what FMA should be..
Hope to get more responses from others as well.
God Bless.

Leo

http://KIDLATARNIS.tripod.com