sensei8 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 (edited) Well, first President Obama gets a Nobel Prize....then he gets an honorary Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do...cool...good grief!Here's a very brief article about this....http://www.kidokwan.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=387:president-obama-to-receive-honorary-taekwondo-belt&catid=41:kukki Edited November 22, 2009 by sensei8 **Proof is on the floor!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joesteph Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 According to the article, President Obama had practiced TKD and reached green belt during that time. I'd say that since the Koreans see TKD as "culturally" nationalistic, it's a fitting honor. ~ JoeVee Arnis Jitsu/JuJitsu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarateGeorge Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 According to the article, President Obama had practiced TKD and reached green belt during that time. I'd say that since the Koreans see TKD as "culturally" nationalistic, it's a fitting honor.Agreed. It's kind of like when a university gives someone an honorary doctorate. It's given as a symbol of respect to the person being honored, not so much as a representation of their level of academic mastery of the material. I view it in somewhat the same sense for giving Obama an honorary black belt.Granted, I don't this his "honorary" black belt should hold the same weight as a normal one, because he doesn't have that level of mastery. But as long as its remembered for what it is, as being given as an honor, then it doesn't bother me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sensei8 Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 Bet all of you that Obama will....in the residence of the White House.....1) Put on the Uniform2) Put on the belt3) Get into a stance4) Do some type of a technique or two5) Then...Kihap/Kiai **Proof is on the floor!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardZ Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 "Giving" a "honorary" black belt is a disgrace to those who practice unwavered and hard for many years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotokan-kez Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 I agree Richard...I am sorry but this is just silly!! lol Walk away and your always a winner. https://www.shikata-shotokan.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardZ Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 I dont care who it is, "honorable black belts" and such degrades not only the rank, but the serious people who "earned" it dearly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joesteph Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Richard, Kez . . . Do you feel the same way about honorary doctorates? They're given more frequently, such as at college graduations to honor the guest speaker.Personally, I'd equate a fourth dan/Master level with a doctorate, especially since I've learned what my teacher, who is a fourth dan, has worked so hard on for so long. ~ JoeVee Arnis Jitsu/JuJitsu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardZ Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Richard, Kez . . . Do you feel the same way about honorary doctorates? They're given more frequently, such as at college graduations to honor the guest speaker.Personally, I'd equate a fourth dan/Master level with a doctorate, especially since I've learned what my teacher, who is a fourth dan, has worked so hard on for so long.To me, an honary doctrate represents a particular field an individual had strived for and recognised by peers within that field. . In the course of anything, per a rank or doctrate, if it isnt hard core learned, it should be easy scored earned.Lastly, anything so "honorary" isnt so "honorable", as the givers have a hidden agenda to bestow this "short cut" to one who is really not derserving as one who put their sweat and tears into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjanurse Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Just my 2: I am in agreement with Richard and Kez here. "A Black Belt is only the beginning."Heidi-A student of the artsTae Kwon Do,Shotokan,Ju Jitsu,Modern Arnishttp://the100info.tumblr.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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