GoshinJutsu

Folks, maybe if we re-read the original post here and then try to picture things like this: You have just began lessons in, say, Goju-Ryu. You love it and look forward to every class. The instructor/school owner is said to have trained with famous Goju-Ryu practicioners/teachers from Okinawa and with other people, whose instructor-to-student lineage comes ‘from the source,’ so to speak. After some time, you decide to start reading about martial arts history and notice that certain things your instructor tells you do not jive with what you are reading. You ask him/her about his and they tell you not to believe everything you read, etc. You still love the class and what you are learning, but you decide to, for the heck of it, contact some Goju-ryu people with live connections to organizations your instructor claims to belong or have belonged to. It turns out that your instructor’s claims are false and that they never earned an instructor’s rank in the martial art they teach. They studied for a time with so and so and go so far then dropped off the scene. Kinda like finding out your Scuba instructor never graduated the scuba course he or she is teaching you. Would you continue to pay that Scuba instructor for lessons? If Joe Shmoe came to your marital arts class and dropped out after several months, and then you see an advertisement for Joe Shmoe XYZ Karate, wouldn’t it concern you that Joe Shmoe is claiming to have earned a teacher’s rank in the style he studied for a time at your martial arts school? Martial arts schools are not regulated therefore the public can not really be sure that what they are paying for is authentic. It is my opinion that many people would not even think to do the minimal research required to spot fraud because existence tends to equal authenticity in the public eye concerning martial arts. It comes down to ethics and responsibility. I guess as to when a student becomes responsible in understanding what they are doing and where it is coming from begins at the get-go. But who would thinks to research besides those who have found frauds before? I assert that it is wrong and criminal to take peoples money in exchange for teaching something that you claim to have legitimate authority in. I know people who have done this and continue to do it. I totally agree with what KSN Doug pointed out about the classic 'buyer beware.' As for Bretty101's question as to who qualifies to teach unarmed self defense, I guess anyone qualifies to teach unarmed self defense. Heck, I could make up some new 'method' today and start giving lessons. But if I represent myself as a teacher of a pre-existing method, I had better darn well actually have been trained to the point of teaching the said method, or I will be deceiving the public. And what becomes of the generation of teachers after the initial fraudulent teacher? They will continue on (often even after realizing their lineage is phony) or enter major denial when confronted with facts. “But the school has been around for 10 yrs and he is a ‘Master.’ It must be real.” So it goes, Richard

Someone has made the effort to verify Durant's claim that he received a Dan ranking from the Osaka Kodokan in the 1930's. This claim is still being passed on by his followers as 'fact' via word of mouth and on web pages such as: http://user.mc.net/~hugh/Durant.htm The following is an email response from the Kodokan regarding Durant's claim to have received a Dan ranking from the Osaka Kodokan in the 1930's. Kindest Regards, Richard. Subject: Re: Gerald Durant Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2002 15:59:39 +0900 From: "KODOKAN Intl Dept" <intl@kodokan.org> To: <ToddRPierce@netscape.net> « Previous | Next » Dear Mr. Todd Pierce, In accordance with the information given by you, we have been investigating about Mr. Gerald Durant, however, we could not find any data of his at all. He is not registered in our record as a member neither with "Gerald", "Gerard" nor "Jerry". Consequently, he is not possibly being the Kodokan Dan holder. Additionally for your information, the Osaka Kodokan was not existing in 1930's. We have no more idea to research about him. Best regards, Yuko F u k u s h i m a International Department Kodokan Judo Institute ----- Original Message ----- From: <ToddRPierce@netscape.net> To: <intl@kodokan.org> Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 12:48 PM Subject: Gerald Durant > Hello Yuko Fukushima (Ms.) > Some time has passed, and I just wanted to follow up and ask if you have found any record of Gerald Durant (American), born 2-23-22, obtaining a dan ranking while studying at the Osaka Kodokan in the 1930's. Have you found anything yet? Thank you for your time. > Sincerely, > Todd Pierce

I haven't had much luck in getting some facts. Bluedragon1981, or ANYBODY for that matter, I ask: What about a style of karate "Goshin Jutsu" anywhere in Japan - Where are the Japanese dojos that teach "Goshin Jutsu" as a style, WHO taught Durant a style called "Goshin Jutsu," and when was he in Japan? If he used a mix-match deal in creating his goshin jutsu, what dan rankings did he have in what styles and from where and who? There is, I believe, a Kodokan Judo kata named "Goshin Jutsu" - it is a self defense technique kata, hence the name. (Goshin Jutsu is a generic term for self defense, so I use it as my handle, not as a Durant Goshin Jutsu person) Depending on which master I ask, some say Durant grew up in Japan (french dad, japanese mom), some say he jumped ship while in the merchant marine, some say he was there during the occupation, but as far as I can tell he was just a paratrooper in the European theater, and both his parents were from North America, he was born in the U.S. (obituaries rarely get that wrong), and not Japanese at all. The alternating american to fake Japanese accent on the video is real weird) Since ALL styles of Japanese Karate have roots in Okinawa, what school of Okinawan martial arts does "Goshin Jutsu" trace to? This would tell us if it were from Shuri-te, Naha-te, or Tomari-te, as Mr. Allgeier asks. I have asked BlueDragon1981 and many goshin folks this as well. No answers - just stuff like "huh?", "All I can tell you is that Durant was the Master," "It's a hybrid system," or "Go away,". Just very very basic karate history stuff. If a guy uses questionable grammar in the name of his school, I have to admit it certainly raises suspicion about authenticity. Not to mention it looks like a rip-off of the Goju-ryu fist. I would think that someone who is said to have trained and lived in Japan would at least get the grammar on their patch right. Do that math about the dates we read about. It really does not add up if you do the checking yourself rather than hear it from someone else. Above all, finding out who he studied with in Japan and where all the "Goshin Jutsu" style schools in Japan would be awesome. We are talking about an American here. We are not talking about other 'masters,' we are talking about Jerry Durant. Karate largely became cross cultural during the occupation. It should not be that difficult to find out where a service man trained since many began after the war. But then again, Durant liked to tell some people he grew up in Japan, went to Canada then the U.S., joined the U.S. armed forces (taught 'combat judo' at Fort Bragg. Fort Bragging is more like it). Oh, and all of this as someone who was born in Japan. It seems like trying to get a goshinist to question anything about Durant's history and legitimacy is like being an atheist trying to get the Pope to question God. The more I think about it, the fishier it gets. Can anyone explain the questions posed by myself and Ken? BlueDragon1981: this is not about whether the technique you practice is effective or not, it is about Jerry Durant's legitimacy. I wonder why you have not answered any of Allgeier's questions. I strongly recommend you see that video. What do you think of a Goshin Jutsu master like McClafferty who realized that Durant was most likely a phoney? Does that not phase you at all? Anyways, can anyone explain any of the descrepancies surrounding Durant? These questions are so reasonable that I almost find it humourus that people with lineage to Durant can't answer them. I also find it bothersome and sad. Cheerio. Richard.

BlueDragon1981:Since you have been able to review the so called documents that Ken has, could you scan and post them so that we can all see how fake they are? Your proof on Grand Master Durant's lineage would be great as well. I'm still at a loss to explain some of the questions brought up on the e-budo forums, so I haven't tried to. Let's put this to rest once and for all. GoshinJutsu