ARE WE NEXT?

[NightOwl]

Toy doll? 

[kenpokid79]

I personaly think that the government should stay out of the martial arts business. They will start firts by regulating who can teach and eventually end up governing who can learn so that there will be no way for regular citizens to learn to defend themselves. Lets face it every year big brother enforces more and more laws that trample on our liberties and constitutional rights. Don't get me wrong, I love my country, but feel there needs to be way less national government and more done at a state level where the citzens have more voice.

[Kimpatsu]

Plus ca change...
BTW, why are you named after a toy doll... 

[Gi]

I Think it's now Sport England that do it.

[Kimpatsu]

It's always been like that with us back to the days of the old Martial Arts Commission of which we were a Founder Member.

I used to be one of the two BSKF representatives to the MAC. It disbanded because you can't run MAs like lawn tennis clubs. Different arts have different agendas. For example, the kyokushin reps wanted the MAC to sponsor tournaments, because they were all about competition fighting, but which is not a goal of Shorinji Kempo. The British Shorinji Kempo Federation is now affiliated to the British Sports Council, which enables us to use local government facilities as our doin.

[NightOwl]

I'm not against acreditation of instructors per-see,  I am against the State regulating who can instruct and who can not.  And then implicitly what constitutes the proper teaching of any particular ART..   Martial Arts are just that.  ART and that leaves a lot of room for individual interpretation.     

If what constitutes an instructor must be regulated than it should come from that instructors organization if one exists.  If not  then it IS up to the instructor to teach or not teach well and the student to seek out the instructor that best matches his desires and needs.   I know that this is very "buyer beware"  but without this freedom we can see stagnation in the arts.   Or there will be the "official" curricula and what the instructor teaches illicitly on the side.  This is counter productive to the honesty that should be part and parcel to the practice of MA.

Just my opinion here.

Sincerely, NightOwl

[Chihua-ku]

Some type of acreditation program for MA instructors might not be a bad idea.

[Gi]

I don't know if it is entirely a bad thing, depending on what form it were to take.

My federation requires me to do seminars, one coaching course and one judging course every year and then a First aid course every 3 years on top of my training. Instructors are also required to take insurance through the Federation and member's insurance is provided through their membership. The Federation is then in turn recognised and supported by Sport England, the govening body for sports in the England (I belive we are the only TSD to be recognised). It's always been like that with us back to the days of the old Martial Arts Commission of which we were a Founder Member. (That's my plug over with)

Let's face it Guys there are cowboys out there who are being trusted with people's health and saftey, or even their Lives.

[bladesaint]

 Theyve been trying to do this with martial arts instructors for years.

[NightOwl]

Hi Folks:

I just saw this article.  I'm amazed but I guess it is only a progression.  If they are successful at doing this to the Yoga people, I think that our days are numbered or any other form of speach that constitutes "teaching"

How SAD     


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091201/ap_on_bi_ge/us_yoga_free_speech