10/18/99 --Discussion (1) regarding the differences in perspective of American and Korean personnel
between writer for TKD Net and GE Anderson Brandon Writer for Taekwon.Net - tkdplayer@excite.com and GE Anderson usakf@raex.com

Anderson -- How is it that the NGB for TKD ignores the grass root supports possible in the USA and is hostile to American TKD masters? It has come to my attention from several sources that there is a problem in Korea and that a federal lawsuit is being seriously considered against the TKD management for restraint of trade and unlawful discrimination, paralleling the famous AAU/USJF arguments. Call me on my personal phone at 330-813-2720 and I have further questions for you. ---Regards, George Anderson --9th dan Kang Duk Won - GM Park Chull-hee, 9th dan Kang Duk Won - GM Lee Nam-Suk, 9th dan US Jujitsu, 6th dan US Judo Assn. -- President, USA Karate Federation, Chairman, Central Taekwondo Association (Since 1971) Commissioner JJIF, Technical Chairman, US Jujitsu Federation, Past member of USOC Board of Directors, Former TKD Style Head for USKA, Former President of the Pan American Karate Union Former First VP World Karate Federation, Former President of WKF World Referee Council

Brandon -- When I read your email, it was easy to translate your attitude into a very serious tone. Ironically, the same way I feel about taekwondo. In my feelings, the USTU has no "hostile" attitudes towards white taekwondo masters. Most of the masters in the U.S. are "white". In-fact, if the USTU was racist, why is it that it has a vice-president that is black, and a former one that was white and a female. I believe sex or race has nothing to do with the USTU. I would love to know how you feel that they are hostile towards you. I also don't know what the USJF is? And what went on with the AAU? I don't really pay attention to anything but taekwondo, I'm sorry. Please tell me the background info, and I'll try and translate the problems to you. Sincerely, Brandon Meek, p.s. Please email me back with your thoughts

Anderson -- Thanks for the note. I am curious to know where you live and what style you practice, and who is your teacher?

To answer your comments. We have been getting a lot of mail regarding this issue of inequality. I don't think that leaders are racist at all. I just think that there is an advantage for some groups and that they intend to keep it. In discussing the issue, it is necessary to separate high dan leaders from political leaders. High dan leaders preside, have students, are a type of guru, and indeed exert control. Political leaders respond to the high dans and try to keep a quiet day in their jurisdiction. The search for truth, justice, fraternity, and equality is picked up or ignored by the requirements of the day. Few Americans posses the power to do anything except speak up in meetings, administrate, and vote. Most decisions are rendered in private conference and by the high dans.

At the start, I should make it clear that I have no dog in this fight and do not care how it comes out or what will prove to be the deciding factors. That being said, I have had discomforting experiences in martial arts politics and clearly, I think, understand the forces which separate business, arts, and sports.

In sports, race, religion and other such factors fall to the interest of higher, farther, faster, and a higher performance skill. The Olympic regulation control that and redress is available to aggrieved parties. In business, there are no controls except legalities such as the Robinson-Patman and similar laws. In the arts, anything goes, popularity can exceed excellence.

Impressions are everything, if people think it is so, it is so - bearing in mind Mark Twain’s comment that -- Nothing needs changing so much as other peoples habits. It seems to be a common perception that all the controlling masters of TKD are ethnic Koreans, and that others, with similar expertise, age, and experience, are not included. This inclusion includes the exclusion of understanding caused by the use of that publicly used secret code, the Korean language. It has even been suggested that to move in TKD, one should study Korea, so you can listed to all the chatter. A short story is explanatory here. In the 60 s during a major meeting of Korean Instructors( Ed Parker and Bruce Lee attended) at Jhoon Rhee’s house, an Ohio TKD instructor (Mudokwan) suddenly arose and angrily stomped out. The reason -- When the language shifted to Korean, the speakers comment on how much the Americans smelled. The stomper’s wife was Korean, and was there, and she told him.

Another point has been made and even though you point out that there are Americans in the USTU, including Mr. Henson, a old friend of mine, the ranking structure should be examined. In the arts, there is a thing called the Sempai Factor in Japanese (where most of the old TKD grandmasters received their basic training). This factor is arrived at by adding a persons age, time in grade, and years practiced together and dividing by 10. When this is done, it is apparent that non ethnic Korean have nowhere near the statistical advantage of the ethnic Koreans.

Many years ago, the Korean judo people would move from the AAU judo meetings to the karate meetings. This was solved by splitting the TKD from the karate. I chose to head the karate side before that, I was with both, and actually was the co- chair of the TKD under Ken Min of California. Our team won the trophy at Berkley and I go my Pan American licence under Dong Yang. However, I wasn’t very popular when, during a major meeting, I asked where the Taekwondo Masters were, Henry Cho, Il Joo Kim, Richard Chun, Ki Whang Kim, Kim Soo Jin, to name a few. The only one there was Byung Yu. I did see a lot of Korean judo men who seemed to be running the show.

The problem seems to come down to the recognition of high grade, by homologation or direct registry. Who can do it and what does it mean? It is a fact the USTU is very small, perhaps smaller than my own group and much smaller that other taekwondo groups in the USA. The groups have grading of their own and if the heads of the groups are not recognized, you can be sure that the member aren’t either, and that group will not participate. This was the problem with the break up of the kwans. It didn’t work and has caused a lot of problems by exlusivity.

Take my situation, for example. Don’t take this as an expression of personal complaining, it is merely used as an example. I had a 3rd dan under Byung Jick Ro of the Song Moo Kwan, and subsequently have a 9th dan from Chull Hee Park of the Kang Duk Won and a 9th from Nam Suk Lee, and a 9th from In Sun So of the Kido Federation. I head the Central Taekwondo Association, founded in 1971, and personally do not have a Kukkiwon certificate and would take nothing less that a 9th from them. Consequently, almost all the CTA members do not participate in the USTU and that is more than are there. The CTA is legitimate, and CTA is a sub-kwan of the Chang Moo Kwan.

I was there when TKD stared and Chuck Portnick, my student, was the first Sect/Treas and was give a gold ring early in seventies by Un Yung Kim for his services. I personally saw how grades were being given, the attitudes of those who were beneficiaries and the careful planning of the --sincerity, dedication, and respect--that were to be required of future applicants. It really was not good.

The argument in judo was a fight over the recognition of USJA rank by the USJF, the AAU or at that time, Olympic Group. Discrimination and restraint of trade were the deciding factors.

It is true that if an ethnic group can control the appearance of qualification, not just sporting action, then that group has an advantage and that advantage calls for redress. England and other countries forbid their martial arts officials from running a martial arts business. They state that that is a conflict of interest.

Earned grade from a legitimate organization must not be put on a lower level than that of grade issued by the TKD sporting masters.

This is what I am hearing, and hearing a lot--a real lot---and I am certain it will be dealt with by responsible leaders, free from scandal, free from conflicts of intrest, and with the best interest of the unification of TKD in this great country. I do hear that the leaders are changing in Korea. I had several calls last week. Are you going to post that fight? Regards, George Anderson

Brandon -- I don't know about you, but I'm having a lot of fun talking to you. Anyone else talking bad about taekwondo, and I would have ripped them to shreds. But, the difference is your not really talking bad about it, your just eliciting the necessary ideas and qualifications these people need to have.

My Master is Master Jong Kil Kang. He is the 1967 Korean national Champion, and PRESIDENT'S CUP CHAMPION. This last achievement is equivalent to a World Championship title (even Sang Lee doesn't have one). Also, he's my master's best friend. Master Kang also started teaching taekwondo in Taiwan (an Olympic powerhouse now). His students have won 5 gold medals as of today. When I visited there with him and some other students, we were treated like gods in Taiwan. We met multiple Olympic gold medalists, and world champions. We trained with the national team, and their excellent high school teams, also military. I practice the Olympic style, now under Chung Do Kwan (former Jido Kwan).
You said in your last letter that "We have been getting a lot of mail regarding this issue of inequality." Who is we, and why have you been getting mail.
As for taekwondo leaders being the higher ranks, I guess it has to do more with feelings then anything else. For instance, would you want a punky little 18 year old business graduate telling you how to run your dojang (Korean for studio). Of course not, so the higher dans are supposed to be the wiser people. They're supposed to guide the followers into the direction that taekwondo should go. However, sometimes it goes to plan, and sometimes it doesn't.

You said that "popularity can succeed excellence." Isn't it true though that the popular ones did succeed at excellence at one time or another. In-fact, I can't think of any taekwondo masters that are famous for just being themselves.

"It has even been suggested that to move in TKD, one should study Korea, so you can listed to all the chatter." Well, isn't that true. After all, when technique was first invented by the Korean's for taekwondo, they didn't automatically translate into English first, then Korean. It's a Korean art, a Korean sport, why not study Korean to better understand it. Like right now as I'm writing you this letter, I know that I'm a Korean-wanna-be. I'm proud of that. It doesn't hurt me. I love it. I'm teaching myself Korean, how to read it, write it, speak it, dialect.

You said "that non ethnic Korean have nowhere near the statistical advantage of the ethnic Koreans." That is true, I will admit that. However, if you would have started at the age of 5 and done taekwondo for 2 and a half hours a day in the country that made it, I'm guessing that your skill (and thus your rank) would be much higher then what it is now. It all has to do with the experience.

I have mad respect for you because you went to Berkeley. That is so cool. Your my hero in a way. That's exactly where I want to go. I got a couple of friends who go there, Colleen McCord, and Jason Han.

I believe that taekwondo schools are coming together, opposite to your opinion. One example is the ATA (I call it White Man Taekwondo), they have started to experiment with the Olympic style. The reason I call it white man taekwondo is because it is. How many Korean students do you see in there. The fact is that Korean people have the respect to go to a traditional master to learn, not the flavor of the month. If you don't mind, how old are you? What rank are you? Where do you live? What style are you in or were you in? Thanks for writing, I'd love to talk some more. Sincerely, Brandon MeekMr. Anderson --The reason that many masters are in charge of unions instead of the young, are a reason for respect. After all, would you want an 18 year old business graduate to tell you how to run your dojang. (K Oren for studio)? Heck no. In fact, you would be one of the nicest people in the world if you even listened to him.

You said "When this is done, it is apparent that non ethnic Korean have nowhere near the statistical advantage of the ethnic Koreans." This is entirely true, and the reason it is true is because they started it at the age of 5 for about 3 hours a day. Of course their skill is going to be above par to someone in the U.S. and hence their rank.

As for knowing Korean to be the only stepping stone to better taekwondo, this is also true. When taekwondo technique was first discovered, it wasn't translated into English, then Korean (so the exact translation is better in Korean). Also, its a Korean sport, Korean art, why not study Korean to help your techniques advance.

I had so much more before my email thing reset, losing all of my work. I'm sorry if this sounds rude, it wasn't the first time. Oh yeah, your my hero cause you went to Berkeley. I want to go to Berkeley bad.

My master is Master Jong Kil Kang, his best friend is Sang Lee. Master Kang was a 1967 Korean National Champion, and 1967 PRESIDENT'S CUP CHAMPION. The latter is equivalent to a world championship. Master Kang introduced taekwondo in Taiwan, he created 5 Olympic gold medalists from there. I visited there with him and some other students. They treated us like gods. We trained with the national team, high school teams, and military teams.

I live in Arizona, and I train in the Olympic style taekwondo (Chung Do kwan, formerly Jido kwan). Sincerely, Brandon Meek

Anderson -- Thanks for the note and I will answer your comments in detail when I get a few moments, it is a pleasant diversion. In the meantime, the reason I get all the chatter is because of our www sites and the fact that I was the Style Head for TKD in the old USKA. and am the mucky-muck in the Central Taekwondo Association, and closely connected to the Global Martial Arts

Sites that I have on the web are: http://www.usakarate.org/--http://www.kwanmukan.com/--http://www.wkf.org/kobudokan.html--http://www.wkf.org/jj.html --http://www.wkf.org/cta.html --http://www.wkf.org/shudokan.html --http://www.anderson-usa.com--http://www.usjujitsu.net We are getting well over 150,000 hits a month and right now I have about 600 letters to answer

I practiced for some years before I met Il Joo Kim and I used to be close to Henry Cho and Ki Whang Kim, et al. Particular friends were Kim Soo Jin of Atlanta, Jae Joon Kim of Michigan, and Kae Beck Chun, the first and last being Jidokwan. My teachers teacher is now my teacher, GM Chull Hee Park of the Kangdukwon who was the main instructor of the Military Academy in Korea. Notables such as Hwa Chung and Jhoon Rhee were beginners in his class.

I am 69 years old and hold the rank of 9th Dan with the Chang Moo Kwan from the founder, the Kang Duk Won from the founder, and the Kido Federation from the founder. Years ago I received 3rd dan in the Song Moo Kwan from Byung Jick Ro the founder of that style. I am 6th dan in Judo, 8th Dan in Kobudo, and 9th Dan in Jujitsu, and have Chinese grade. When Karate and Taekwondo split, I went with karate and became the president of AAU Karate and then took the sport into the USOC where I was a board member representing all the Affiliated Sports Organizations. I then put karate into the Pan American Games, presiding over the first showing in Argentina. I then retired from the USOC. I was the President of the World Referee Council, Director of the Medical Commission, and finally First VP of the World Union. I was also the President of the Pan American Union and am still the President of the USA Karate Federation. Additionally, I founded the US Jujitsu Federation, the World Kobudokan, and am the Head of the Kwanmukan International.

You must know that a lot of Taekwondo masters trained in Japan. One of the early founders was In Byung Yun who was a Korean raised in Manchuria and who later studied with Kanken Toyama of the Shudokan in Japan. The founder of the Jidokwan has the same roots as did Ki Whang Kim. You can find some information at http://www.wkf.org/shudokan.html. The founder of the Song Moo Kwan (Korean for Shotokan) trained with Funakoshi in JapanI have dojos in Tucson. John Linebarger runs the Kosho Karate there.

I would like to help the taekwondo but how? I am a taekwondo (taesoodo- Kwon-bop) practitioner in karate. Just like Billy Blanks and Chuck Norris. Apparently Taekwondo men go anywhere. Regards, George Andeson