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Old 03-18-2008, 11:13 PM   #66
Buck
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 950
United_States
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Re: Very Disturbing news about Clint George

Hello,

I am an on-again, off-again, over the years Aikidoka since a kid. I have been in many situations where lines where crossed by the adult authority. Thank God in Heaven, I wasn't completely victimized as the new report indicated or like the stories told here. I would like to add something.

Having children of my own, I see how vulnerable children are to adults. Especially those adults those children look up to, admire, or fear. I see children who are in need of models, protectors, and emotional caregivers. Children as these seek-out naturally such adults. But, children don't yet have the sophisticated instrumentation to seek out the good from the bad adults right away. Children can be easily manipulated, tricked, and confused when at any given level or time of need. Adults know this.

No adult has any business moving into that type of physical and emotional intimacy as reported. Adults have behavioral instrumentation. We know what we should and shouldn't be doing with children. Boundaries are put in place by adults, and adults know when they cross those boundaries. There should be no philosophical debate about it.

Aikido, martial arts overall, attract people who want authority. More often then not this means running a dojo and being a Sensei. More often then not this is benign. Because Aikido does attract it would reason there would be more cases of abuse then the three guys mentioned. A very low number of the publicized cases compared to all the people who take Aikido. Incidences exist in other organizations or professions which have gotten plenty of media exposure because of the high number of occurrences of abuse.

I don't see Aikido being primetime for predators to prey on children. I don't think is a big enough issue to sweep under the rug because it is a rare occurrence in Aikido. During practice, the Sensei is there being watched by parents (if not the child's then by the other parents) in one large open room. The child is rarely, or should be ever, alone with the Sensei. I would be alarmed if there where sleep-overs at the Sensei's house, or if the Sensei takes them on a trip. If the relationship between the child and the Sensei was too close where little if any boundaries existed. I don't think Aikido is about those things.

It's not the art it is the person. People are not gods. Aikido is an art and each dojo reflects the Sensei. There are some bad people who teach Aikido, and do bad things. Thank goodness the bad are few. Aikido isn't immune to the bad. There are bad people and bad people take Aikido. It is good to know that there are many more good people in Aikido then bad. Aikido is an art and it isn't perfect or imperfect. It shouldn't be a matter of reputation of the art when something bad happens. Rather. it is a matter of the individual who should suffer the reputation of being bad when doing something bad.

A serious issue George Clint is accused of? Yes. A major problem in Aikido, no I don't think so. Not enough to ride through town crying that the British are coming, or a spot on Dr. Phil. I don't think as touchy-feely and seen no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil, as Aikido is, it is something predators overall are attracted to. There are other professions that have more of an authority role involving teaching or leading children, predators are likely more attracted.

Sorry for the length.

Last edited by Buck : 03-18-2008 at 11:16 PM.
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