Racism at the dojo

[Maestro]

Any racism at my school would go over VERY badly, with myself especially. We have a very diverse but also very close and family-ish school, about half of the students are of a minority, the assistant instructor is a black woman. Any overt and serious racist comment would result in an immediate a$$ kicking and removal from the dochang. So anyway, no, I have not encountered it.

[Ryan]

I have never noticed any racism in my school. I have white, black, and asian instructors, all of whom are respected (some more than others, but based on skill and the quality of their instruction rather than their skin color).

 

Regarding the comment about everyone being racist, I have to say that it depends on your definition of racism. Dictionary.com defines rasicm as this:

 

1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.

 

2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

 

I can honestly say that I dont think any race is superior to any other, but they are all certainly different. Whether these differences cause certain races to be able to perform an ability better than another, I dont know. What I do know is that most generalizations are somewhat based in fact. Im white and live in an area with larger percentages of minorites than the national average. A large portion of these minorites live in low income housing or some other area of lower value. This is fact, not some stereotype. Because of this, one might assume that these minorities wouldnt tip as well when eating out in restaurants. I always dismissed that theory as an unfair stereotype. Then I started waiting tables. I would challenge anyone in my area to find a waiter or waitress to dispute this theory with fact. Now, understand that this experience has not changed my view of any race as a whole. I still maintain that I dont think any race is superior to any other. Hell, I live with my Chinese girlfriend, whom I love very much. The point Im trying to make, while somewhat off topic, is that generalizations and stereotypes exist because of personal experiences with large percentage representation of groups of people. The groups of people characterized by these traits may be indigenous to a certain area, and therefor do not accurately represent the whole.

[Kamidake]

I bet that one guy who refused to bow to women would change his tune rather quickly if a few of the ladies knocked him on his butt. IF he was informed of the practices of the school before he started, then if he won't agree to them, they should keep his money and kick him out. If they forgot to tell him about that, they should give him his money back and then kick him out. Either way, the rules should apply to everybody or nobody.

[karate_woman]

I've never noticed any racism.

[jake]

not where i go to train. i would guess probably because everyone is white. even ifthere were different races i dont think that anyone would make a big deal about it.

[monkeygirl]

We have one african-american student. We (jake, benedictbm and I) live in a really small town. The only other "minorities" we really get at the dojo are hispanic and asian, and that's pretty rare too.

[jake]

sorry monkeygirl. i dont remember her/him.

[kajukenbo dad]

We all can help by keeping it out of our Dojo....Make all feel welcome and show the door to the others............Good Luck....LIVE AND LEARN FROM ALL

[shotokanwarrior]

I do not care for instructors or students who are racest to other martial art system. regardless of where they may come form japan,korea,china IF people had an open mind they would see that every art has something you can learn from it.

[Rising Soldier]

My school is multicultural.. so no racism wouldn't play it's part... My sensei wouldn't allow it... and would halt it immediaetly