Honorary Black Belts.

[thaiboxerken]

This just adds to the fact that black-belt means nothing outside of the Dojo.. and sometimes id doesn't mean anything inside the Dojo. Honorary Black Belt is BS... they should've given a Certificate of Appreciation instead.

 

 

[moobrack]

remember, we are all different and we all have different views and also to be open minded of what other people have to say.

 

 

[Chris from CT]

OK. I'm going though previous posts and I'm fired up. Not a good combination.

 

I can respect Moobrack for his view and agree if you've spent your lifetime helping the martial artsyou should recive a token of appreciation, but I agree wholheartedly with Rushman and Lori here. Our society puts too much emphasis into a black piece of fabfic that goes around your waist. If I take a person's white belt, put it on and this other person puts on my black belt, has either one of us changed?

 

A Black Belt (or any belt for that matter) means as much as you put into it. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

take care

 

 

 

 

[babysteffee]

I kinda think it's a good idea to award "honorary" black belts...same with degrees, to people who deserve it for work they've done that doesn't usually meet the standards for whatever award is being dished out...

 

Not sure that he should be teaching the class though...and certainly not ordering people to do push-ups and stuff...how ridiculous.

 

But an "honorary" black belt, or degree, or whatever, is just that...honorary, not real...given as a small token of appreciation.

[Karateka]

To give him an honorary belt is fine. If he has done a service to the school, great. If he starts wearing it and gives orders, that is wrong. It is a disgrace to the style, the Martial Arts, and more importantly, the people who worked their lives earning that belt and some asshole with a lot of money just gets one thrown at him. They should make him go for a belt test for a yellow belt and lets see how well he does.

 

 

[moobrack]

remember, honorary means in some context the word honor.The reciever of the black belt must have been HONOURABLE to his/her school.

 

 

[shortdog]

that is really stupid, though i can see why it happens. i agree that it is supposed to be framed and not worn like he really earned it. but a 3rd dan?! that is insane it should have been 1st. any one who earns more than a 2nd has my respect. it takes what? like 25-30 years from white to 3rd dan? (depending on the style) it is absurd (that is a word no one has used to describe this situation yet )

 

SHORTDOG

 

 

[taezee]

while a diploma for an honorary black belt may be appropriate for someone who desereves to be honored wheter it be support for a dojang....a community leader...mabye some parents who give that axtra something to the dojangs family..its just symbolic..

 

there is no reason for this person to even don a dobok or a belt much less come in and start giving orders...there is something very wrong with that dojang and the instructor if he is allowing this to take place

 

 

[Joecooke007]

That's horrible! People really work for a black belt. You should not be just awarded one out of the blue. It's disrespectful and outright wrong!

 

 

[ZR440]

This topic reminds me of how the US Army decided to give everyone Black Berets, which were normally reserved for Special Forces.