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Old 08-04-2013, 10:23 PM   #23
iwamaki
 
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Dojo: Westlake Village Aikido
Location: Pahrump, NV
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 24
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Re: Bruce Klickstein Update

Of course Bruce acted completely on his own and, as I have stated on numerous other occasions, I have total compassion for his victims. They were innocent, underage girls who were preyed upon by an adult pedophile.

In a perfect world, Saito-sensei would be held blameless, which of course he was. Outside of Japan, this is generally the case and everyone, including inside Japan, feels sorry that the reprehensible acts of one of his top foreign students had a negative effect on him.

However, in Japan, inappropriate actions of a student strongly affect the reputation of his teacher. This is the way their culture works. In America we might say that since it happened on his watch, he must share the responsibility.

Saito-sensei took heavy fallout from the Aiki Hombu and was forced to personally strip Bruce of his rank and banish him from Aikido. All of this broke his heart. He is a victim along with the girls.

Last edited by iwamaki : 08-04-2013 at 10:26 PM.
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