The Boston Mangler

This concerns a certain teacher in Boston USA . He was in contact with one of our teachers during the late 60's and for some reason, perhaps those outlined in the introduction to 'The Bodhisattva Warriors' book convinced himself that our school had been invented by the teacher he was in contact with. Not realising that the initial contact had been made at the helpful suggestion of Sensei Yasuka in order to help and improve the Boston teacher's knowledge of his own school's origins, this Boston Karate teacher seems to have subsequently arranged all his understandings to make them fit in with his own pre-conceived notions.
This was all the more ironic for we knew this mans grand teacher in Okinawa had studied with monks of our own school in China and assumed he shared some ideas and attitudes in common with us. How mistaken we were. We had even publicised (for free) his school in various British magazines. When it was realised that he saw us as some sort of rival school our students were told to cease contact with him as his attitude made it pointless. Despite this we later sent one of its black belts to study at this person's Boston school. The background to this decision was as follows.

This black belt was a skilled & gifted student of ours but unfortunately had a very intolerant and possessive wife who resented his time at training. She continually created many obstacles for him each time he went to train and eventually gave him an ultimatum to stop altogether or else she would leave him. He was placed in a difficult position for although he had already informed his teacher that he would have liked become a monk for a while and study more, now he was worried that she would take his son taken away from him if he broke with her.

Such was the skill already learnt by our student that within a very short time, I think the account said 2 weeks, he was 'awarded' a high black belt rank in this Boston school's Okinawan'Ryu' (he had never before trained in this schools methods until he stepped off the plane in the US remember) and was appointed head teacher for this Boston group in Britain. When he returned the dojo discovered his previously pure attitude toward practice had been completely corrupted and his temperament and outlook changed for he worse. Now he was now bubbling over with enthusiasm trying to sell us 'business plans' for our dojos explaining how he had been taught to sell 'training programs' over the phone and offered one of our teachers a high black belt grade if he would join him in such ventures. Needless to say he did not and our groups misgivings over what and how the Boston teacher conducted his dojo grew even more strong. We could see just how the Boston man's Okinawan teachers had been skilfully won over to desert their traditional ways.

A few years later one of several Northern dojos that had been expelled from or encouraged to leave our group made contact with the Mangler and invited him over to teach them. After listening to details of his 'profit plans', 'telephone sales techniques', 'dojo business contracts' and actually seeing what and how he taught even they did not invite him back.
In the 1990's some of our old (but now independent) students & teachers from the midlands attended classes in Okinawa and according to their account engaged in sparring bouts with the eldest son and other seniors of the present head teacher (who will take over in the future). Apparently they each defeated him and on one occasion the son had to be rescued. Such events of course are not condoned by us.

Sensei Oki at whose dojo in Japan 2 British Mushindo Kempo tachers ran classes for several years visited this Boston mans dojo to teach them yoga and other training exercisies and in gratitude they presented him with a memorial picture little suspecting who he was. He later told us that did not rate their skills very highly I won't repeat his other observations.
The main function this Boston man seems to fulfil lies in pretending to befriend those who have been expelled from our own school or to encourage them to do so, perhaps in an attempt to gain influence or legitimacy for himself. Why he should be so obsessed with the Mushindo school is a mystery to even his own ex students some of whom have suggested that perhaps he has some trouble in forming relationships with others.

By such acts he not only legitimises ex students self delusive justifications but indirectly (and maybe unknowingly) harms them further.
During the 1998 gashaku in Croatia with 9th Dan Okinawan Master Ui, Sensei Miyazaki said to us he had never heard of this man in Okinawa and does not believe he really exists in Boston.
There is also at least one internet account brought to my own notice of a students experiences at this mans dojo which is not very flattering. I am told it is posted at several sites and if you are at all interested one is currently at http://www.angelfire.com/pa3/uechi