Below is a re-post of an essay written by Datu Kelly Worden that I believe is important and should be
given a lot of thought, particularly by those people who are associated with the late Professor Remy Presas and his Modern Arnis system.
--------------------------------------------
Interview or a Set Up to Call Me a Liar?
“Interview or a set up to call me a Liar?”
A few weeks ago, I was requested to do an audio interview on FMAtalk; I agreed. I was rather surprised when my junior in age, life experience, and Modern Arnis, Datu Tim Hartman was sitting in on the interview. It became evident he had nothing useful to say and said literally nothing for over an hour even when I personally addressed him; well, maybe there was a “mouse squeak” but nothing of substance.
I didn’t understand why he needed to be involved but a few days later it became evident.
Initially I was just responding to simple questions but the interview quickly became fairly hot and active regarding my personal and professional opinions on the current state of martial arts in America. Imagine that?
When asked about Modern Arnis I responded, “I was actively involved in Modern Arnis since 1982 and promoted to Datu by Professor Presas in 1988. Prior to that time I trained in boxing, Isshinryu karate, Shotokan, YaoMun Kung Fu and trained with J.Cui Brocka in Combat Arnis who was directly under Ernesto Presas. I believe this is why Professor decided my foundation in Arnis was established and made the decision he did. I didn’t pay for certification and I was not physically tested for the promotion to Datu.
The certification was nothing I asked for or actually pursued, strangely enough, when promoted to “Datu” I didn’t even know what the term met, I’m not Filipino nor do I interpret Tagalog fluently, few westerners do.
I just know Professor dropped that “title bomb” on me and that was that, then and there I became the non-Filipino Datu. Politically it was challenging and I was left to respond to many statements regarding an American using that title. In short, there were lots of physical challenges to stabilize that unheard (non-Filipino) use of status and title.
Over the early years of using the datu title, I shook my head and questioned the logic but people I admired such as Shishir Inocalla, Leonard Trigg, Sonny Umpad, Ted Lucaylucay assured me it was the honorable thing to accept his blessing and work hard to bring credibility to the title. In reflection, I believe I did do just that, today it matters very little as I believe time in the arts, accomplishments, honor, integrity, and respect stand far above martial art ranks or titles. What was difficult to achieve in martial arts years ago is purchased openly today for those that may choose a different path other than “time honored training.”
Now, I am not sure when Tim actually started training but I was informed by Rocky Paswick that he tested Tim for his Brown belt and at that time Rocky was a 4th degree black belt,, I just know it was maybe 12 years after my promotion that Tim Hartman got promoted to Datu.
“Who?” I had never heard of him and internationally I am in touch with thousands of martial artists who had never heard of him as well. I do know, since I am now “61 years old” Tim is a lot younger than me so his actual time in the arts is minimal compared to the years I have been actively involved.
At this point in history, Professor Presas has passed on (RIP) so time moves on and although I teach Modern Arnis, my art has always continued to also evolve; “I honestly believe that is why Professor Presas called his art Modern Arnis and not “Presas Arnis” he never publicly referenced his art as “Presas Arnis!”
Of course “History does not change; those who dishonor the past through deception merely seek to devise their own reality!”
However bizarre it seems Tim Hartman is trying to rewrite history, at least that is what seems to be happening!
Within Modern Arnis documented history, there were 6 practitioners promoted to datu beginning with Shishir Inocalla, myself, Ric Bong Sun Jornales, Dieter Knuttell, David Hoffman, and Tim Hartman was the last in the succession yet today “he is advertising that “He is the highest ranked Modern Arnis practitioner and the highest tested Datu?” Please also bear in mind, this really has nothing to do with the datu issue as much as it has to do with arrogance, ignorance, disrespect, and commercial marketing of fabricated history.
Wow, now realize how perplexing it was to have Tim Hartman sitting in the background during my interview and not say a peep?
Yet, a couple days later he decided to do his own interview and “Set the record straight!”
Maybe the readers of this message can listen to my interview and let me know why Tim didn’t “Peep up when I offered him the opportunity to speak?”
After a little reflection, I personally just think he didn’t have the balls to “Set the record Straight;” or maybe he just needed a non-resistive audience to swoosh his fabricated story of fantasy. For whatever reason, he didn’t call me and ask me to sit in on his interview? “Now isn’t that special?”
I’m an old school practitioner, anyone who started the art prior to me is my senior and that include the distinct honor of being a practitioner of different arts, I have no problem recognizing truth and for me truth is “time in the art!” Equally relevant I recognize time more than I do paper; as a matter of fact I don’t value certificate paper much at all, I specifically value and respect “time in the art.”
That said I can list a whole lot of people in Modern Arnis who are my seniors or peers in the art; it’s called mutual respect and not commercial marketing or “One-ups-man-ship!”
Individuals such as Lee Lowry, Tom Bolden, Dan Anderson, Doug Pierre, Michael Morton, Fred Shadian, Dan Carr, David Converse, Dr. Jerome Barber, David Ng, Billy Bryant, Fred King, Bob Quinn, Jim Ladis, Terry Warham, Richard Roy, Rocky Pawsic, Bruce Chiu, Jim Power, Roland Rivera, Jim and Judy Clapp, Pete Katz, Richard Roy, Michael Bates are due equal respect across the board and alongside of me. Granted many are not my age but many had more time in Modern Arnis, either way, respect is relevant and although only six individuals were promoted to Datu, all others are still seniors within Modern Arnis. Now let’s address a little more immediate issue of rank and title, which would in fact be the last ranks and title Maters of Tapi Tapi presented to Randi Shea, Chuck Gauss, Ken Smith, Brian Zawalinski , Jim Lantis, and Jeff Delaney. It was this group that Professor entrusted to the Official IMAF Organization, not his supposed “son anuk, Tim Hartman.”
Let me also clarify, Datu status does not give us seniority over anyone within Modern Arnis, it is utilized in a tribal sense, we were promoted or appointed as “Tribal Chief” of our own branch of Modern Arnis, simple as that! My Modern Arnis is not like anyone’s and that is what Professor Presas was acknowledging; my independence and my freedom to formulate my own expression of the art. The “Datu title” allowed us the independence to create our own branch of Modern Arnis.
Roland was with Professor while he was still mentally alert and they discussed Modern Arnis at great length in both English and Tagalog
Modern Arnis was left incomplete, no “heir to the system was announced prior to Professor Presas passing. I was there at his bedside along with Roland Dantes (RIP) if there was a successor Professor Presas would have had it documented in writing and witnessed by his longest most trusted friend and student “Roland Dantes. Roland was with Professor while he was still mentally alert and they discussed Modern Arnis at great length in both English and Tagalog so I know for a fact there was little or no confusion as to how anything Professor may have said could have been misinterpreted! So to clear up an confusion, let me clarify it was not Jeff Delaney nor Tim Hartman, it was not anyone. Modern Arnis was Professor Remy A. Presas’ gift to the world!
Pay real close attention, we did not inherit the Modern Arnis system, or “The Presas name, no one inherited the use of the Presas family name!
The Presas name is legally reserved for actual Presas family descendants, we are all merely Modern Arnis practitioners!”
So one question we should all consider would be; “How much arrogance does it take to “take another family’s name? without written consent”
Really, take a minute and just ask yourself, “Who gets to take your family name and use it commercially?
Although I will digress a bit, bear with me it took many years of silence within Modern Arnis for the webs of deceit to be weaved into fabricated undocumented stories of grandeur.
I think we can all agree that “We as mere mortals cannot change documented history;” yet publicly Tim states he was the “Highest Tested Datu?”
Wow, the truth is Tim Hartman was the only one tested for the title of Datu and he was the last one appointed in succession of the six.” No one else was tested, not Shishir, not me, Bong Sun, Dieter, David, none of the others; does that not seem strange, that five out of six practitioners appointed the title were not tested?
“No one except Tim Hartman was physically tested, that is special treatment, wouldn’t you say?”
You’ll have to speculate why that was the “special case,” it is really not that big of a mystery if you do your own research into why some students are tested and others are awarded their ranks in what sometimes appears to be a random surprise to the individual being honored by their teachers.
Keep in mind, the truth is none of the other Modern Arnis practitioners Professor appointed the title of Datu needed to be tested; why?
Because we didn’t know we had earned his blessing or were even considered being worthy of his acknowledgement, there was not celebrations, no test, no preplanned cake and ice cream gathering. It was Professor’s decision; he ruled his organization independently and he did what ever he felt was right, everyone in the industry knows this to be fact!
None of us asked for the title or asked to be promoted!
Isn’t that what being an honorable martial artist truly means, “Being humble and respectful enough to allow you’re teacher to decide your fate?”
Am I missing something? WTF?
Additionally, I find it strange that “if” Professor took the time to present Tim with a certificate of rank and title, it would only seem appropriate Professor Presas would also present Tim Hartman with physical proof of a certificate or a letter authenticating Tim’s additional claims of seniority!
I further content if Tim Hartman has “no paper, no letter, no document, and no physical proof” that whatever he is claiming is nothing less than his misinterpretation of the facts! History and seniority does not change just because an individual wants his website to reflect his superior status without actually earning it!
Let me reiterate, if “Tim Hartman is setting the record straight” it is only logical, professional, and honorable that Tim Hartman “set the record straight with documented proof!”
Now just as a general point of reference, Professor Presas sacrificed his life, family, country, his health, and a whole lot more than any one person could even imagine just to establish his art and his reputation. There does not exist a person on this earth that does not bear the Presas name that deserves to “Inherit his sacrifices!” We as practitioners do not inherit our teacher’s skills, reputations, and sacrifices!
Our teachers merely share their art with us and we develop our own skills, reputations, and sometimes we too, make our own sacrifices. That is the way of the warrior, truth in steel, and the code of honor which is as old as the time of mankind and the warrior ways.
______________________
Professor Presas sacrificed his life, family, country and his health, just to establish his art and his reputation.
Professor Presas prided himself in creating leaders!
Let me also clarify that above all Professor Presas prided himself in creating leaders and teaching leaders, and sadly “to a fault.” This situation is a direct result of his kindness and his desire to make every student feel “they are number 1” a simple statement he made dozens of times during a weekend event. Maybe it would sound more like “Oh my God, you are number one!” and you would get a pat on the back, big smile, a hug, and then he would even call you family.
That was one of the sacrifices many people do not realize or even think about “we, the students, would leave the seminars and go home to our families, Professor would go to a hotel room alone or maybe stay with a student’s family; his home was lost when he sacrificed his family and country for his art.” There were many of Professor’s students whom he felt were close enough for him to “feel welcome in their homes;” they know who we were and that alone was a great honor to be trusted with the responsibility to care for and share our homes with Professor when he needed us!
We were always students, were not his “Real Family, we are not Presas family members!
I was there in Victoria B.C. at the Care Facility when the real Presas family finally found out he was in dire straits and on his death bed. I answered the telephone, and when he knew it was them he immediately began to cry and said to me out loud “I did not know my family still loved me!”
He could not speak to them; I told Mary Ann I would call them in short order once I was able to stabilize Professor’s emotions. I was emotionally drawn in and together we embraced and cried until he could speak; it was then that a “Presas” family reunion was planned directly in the days to follow. It is important that everyone know at this time that Professor Presas was closing the door on his physical life and during the times Roland Dantes and I were with him, Professor was continually “Thanking God” for bringing his family back into his life.
Just to clarify how consistently upset Professor was at Tim, I will share a brief statement I received from Dan McConnell regarding Tim’s constant reference that “I was like Professor’s son.”
The following words are how Professor Presas personally stated his feelings on the subject of ‘anuk’ to Dan McConnell!
“One of the times I was up in Victoria, Remy, Yvette and the kids, Maureen and I went to have dim sum. The term ‘anuk’ got brought up with regard to Tim and Remy said in his own words”-
“Anuk means little baby. If it meant son, he would keep his mouth shut, but he will not keep his mouth shut”.
Funny, how Tagolag is so easily misinterpreted by western thinking?
Professor said many things to many people, He called me his “bodyguard,”
Did I ever do any executive protection details for him? No!
I recall him telling another martial artist he was a master of Sinawali, yet it is reported that another practitioner was appointed the Guardian of Modern Arnis Kuntao; oh shit, and my personal favorite a Governor of Modern Arnis!
Professor told everyone from white belt to black, they were “Number 1″ in truth it was up to each and every one of us to prove it with our own accomplishments; Professor Presas despised coat-tailing and expected all his students to “Do your own work!”
Anyone recall that statement?
”Unfortunately miscalculated impacts due to fabricated history, creates confusion above and beyond the small circle of the insecure. These fallacies actually destroy the integrity of truth for others!”
“History reveals the beauty of truth and natural evolution, yet within that sphere of natural progression we all can see the distorted manipulation of life and truth from human intervention; the manipulators of truth with a hunger to control others, to glorify their self-aggrandized position of power and importance.”
It is now I contend that if there is no “Letter of truth, no written documentation, no certificate of authority” that Tim Hartman can produce then he needs to “Shut up” and step back in line; specifically in the lineage line that has proven to be the truth in all martial arts systems since recorded history of martial arts! History that is well documented, that is until the recent inception of commercialized American martial art marketing, you know, where you can claim anything on your website and not have to physically back it up on the floor or in the alley of life!
Even Professor himself called his art “Modern Arnis” he did not reference it as Presas Arnis as Tim Hartman is attempting to do?
A few weeks ago, I was requested to do an audio interview on FMAtalk; I agreed. I was rather surprised when my junior in age, life experience, and Modern Arnis, Datu Tim Hartman was sitting in on the interview. It became evident he had nothing useful to say and said literally nothing for over an hour even when I personally addressed him; well, maybe there was a “mouse squeak” but nothing of substance.
I didn’t understand why he needed to be involved but a few days later it became evident.
Initially I was just responding to simple questions but the interview quickly became fairly hot and active regarding my personal and professional opinions on the current state of martial arts in America. Imagine that?
When asked about Modern Arnis I responded, “I was actively involved in Modern Arnis since 1982 and promoted to Datu by Professor Presas in 1988. Prior to that time I trained in boxing, Isshinryu karate, Shotokan, YaoMun Kung Fu and trained with J.Cui Brocka in Combat Arnis who was directly under Ernesto Presas. I believe this is why Professor decided my foundation in Arnis was established and made the decision he did. I didn’t pay for certification and I was not physically tested for the promotion to Datu.
The certification was nothing I asked for or actually pursued, strangely enough, when promoted to “Datu” I didn’t even know what the term met, I’m not Filipino nor do I interpret Tagalog fluently, few westerners do.
I just know Professor dropped that “title bomb” on me and that was that, then and there I became the non-Filipino Datu. Politically it was challenging and I was left to respond to many statements regarding an American using that title. In short, there were lots of physical challenges to stabilize that unheard (non-Filipino) use of status and title.
Over the early years of using the datu title, I shook my head and questioned the logic but people I admired such as Shishir Inocalla, Leonard Trigg, Sonny Umpad, Ted Lucaylucay assured me it was the honorable thing to accept his blessing and work hard to bring credibility to the title. In reflection, I believe I did do just that, today it matters very little as I believe time in the arts, accomplishments, honor, integrity, and respect stand far above martial art ranks or titles. What was difficult to achieve in martial arts years ago is purchased openly today for those that may choose a different path other than “time honored training.”
Now, I am not sure when Tim actually started training but I was informed by Rocky Paswick that he tested Tim for his Brown belt and at that time Rocky was a 4th degree black belt,, I just know it was maybe 12 years after my promotion that Tim Hartman got promoted to Datu.
“Who?” I had never heard of him and internationally I am in touch with thousands of martial artists who had never heard of him as well. I do know, since I am now “61 years old” Tim is a lot younger than me so his actual time in the arts is minimal compared to the years I have been actively involved.
At this point in history, Professor Presas has passed on (RIP) so time moves on and although I teach Modern Arnis, my art has always continued to also evolve; “I honestly believe that is why Professor Presas called his art Modern Arnis and not “Presas Arnis” he never publicly referenced his art as “Presas Arnis!”
Of course “History does not change; those who dishonor the past through deception merely seek to devise their own reality!”
However bizarre it seems Tim Hartman is trying to rewrite history, at least that is what seems to be happening!
Within Modern Arnis documented history, there were 6 practitioners promoted to datu beginning with Shishir Inocalla, myself, Ric Bong Sun Jornales, Dieter Knuttell, David Hoffman, and Tim Hartman was the last in the succession yet today “he is advertising that “He is the highest ranked Modern Arnis practitioner and the highest tested Datu?” Please also bear in mind, this really has nothing to do with the datu issue as much as it has to do with arrogance, ignorance, disrespect, and commercial marketing of fabricated history.
Wow, now realize how perplexing it was to have Tim Hartman sitting in the background during my interview and not say a peep?
Yet, a couple days later he decided to do his own interview and “Set the record straight!”
Maybe the readers of this message can listen to my interview and let me know why Tim didn’t “Peep up when I offered him the opportunity to speak?”
After a little reflection, I personally just think he didn’t have the balls to “Set the record Straight;” or maybe he just needed a non-resistive audience to swoosh his fabricated story of fantasy. For whatever reason, he didn’t call me and ask me to sit in on his interview? “Now isn’t that special?”
I’m an old school practitioner, anyone who started the art prior to me is my senior and that include the distinct honor of being a practitioner of different arts, I have no problem recognizing truth and for me truth is “time in the art!” Equally relevant I recognize time more than I do paper; as a matter of fact I don’t value certificate paper much at all, I specifically value and respect “time in the art.”
That said I can list a whole lot of people in Modern Arnis who are my seniors or peers in the art; it’s called mutual respect and not commercial marketing or “One-ups-man-ship!”
Individuals such as Lee Lowry, Tom Bolden, Dan Anderson, Doug Pierre, Michael Morton, Fred Shadian, Dan Carr, David Converse, Dr. Jerome Barber, David Ng, Billy Bryant, Fred King, Bob Quinn, Jim Ladis, Terry Warham, Richard Roy, Rocky Pawsic, Bruce Chiu, Jim Power, Roland Rivera, Jim and Judy Clapp, Pete Katz, Richard Roy, Michael Bates are due equal respect across the board and alongside of me. Granted many are not my age but many had more time in Modern Arnis, either way, respect is relevant and although only six individuals were promoted to Datu, all others are still seniors within Modern Arnis. Now let’s address a little more immediate issue of rank and title, which would in fact be the last ranks and title Maters of Tapi Tapi presented to Randi Shea, Chuck Gauss, Ken Smith, Brian Zawalinski , Jim Lantis, and Jeff Delaney. It was this group that Professor entrusted to the Official IMAF Organization, not his supposed “son anuk, Tim Hartman.”
Let me also clarify, Datu status does not give us seniority over anyone within Modern Arnis, it is utilized in a tribal sense, we were promoted or appointed as “Tribal Chief” of our own branch of Modern Arnis, simple as that! My Modern Arnis is not like anyone’s and that is what Professor Presas was acknowledging; my independence and my freedom to formulate my own expression of the art. The “Datu title” allowed us the independence to create our own branch of Modern Arnis.
Roland was with Professor while he was still mentally alert and they discussed Modern Arnis at great length in both English and Tagalog
Modern Arnis was left incomplete, no “heir to the system was announced prior to Professor Presas passing. I was there at his bedside along with Roland Dantes (RIP) if there was a successor Professor Presas would have had it documented in writing and witnessed by his longest most trusted friend and student “Roland Dantes. Roland was with Professor while he was still mentally alert and they discussed Modern Arnis at great length in both English and Tagalog so I know for a fact there was little or no confusion as to how anything Professor may have said could have been misinterpreted! So to clear up an confusion, let me clarify it was not Jeff Delaney nor Tim Hartman, it was not anyone. Modern Arnis was Professor Remy A. Presas’ gift to the world!
Pay real close attention, we did not inherit the Modern Arnis system, or “The Presas name, no one inherited the use of the Presas family name!
The Presas name is legally reserved for actual Presas family descendants, we are all merely Modern Arnis practitioners!”
So one question we should all consider would be; “How much arrogance does it take to “take another family’s name? without written consent”
Really, take a minute and just ask yourself, “Who gets to take your family name and use it commercially?
Although I will digress a bit, bear with me it took many years of silence within Modern Arnis for the webs of deceit to be weaved into fabricated undocumented stories of grandeur.
I think we can all agree that “We as mere mortals cannot change documented history;” yet publicly Tim states he was the “Highest Tested Datu?”
Wow, the truth is Tim Hartman was the only one tested for the title of Datu and he was the last one appointed in succession of the six.” No one else was tested, not Shishir, not me, Bong Sun, Dieter, David, none of the others; does that not seem strange, that five out of six practitioners appointed the title were not tested?
“No one except Tim Hartman was physically tested, that is special treatment, wouldn’t you say?”
You’ll have to speculate why that was the “special case,” it is really not that big of a mystery if you do your own research into why some students are tested and others are awarded their ranks in what sometimes appears to be a random surprise to the individual being honored by their teachers.
Keep in mind, the truth is none of the other Modern Arnis practitioners Professor appointed the title of Datu needed to be tested; why?
Because we didn’t know we had earned his blessing or were even considered being worthy of his acknowledgement, there was not celebrations, no test, no preplanned cake and ice cream gathering. It was Professor’s decision; he ruled his organization independently and he did what ever he felt was right, everyone in the industry knows this to be fact!
None of us asked for the title or asked to be promoted!
Isn’t that what being an honorable martial artist truly means, “Being humble and respectful enough to allow you’re teacher to decide your fate?”
Am I missing something? WTF?
Additionally, I find it strange that “if” Professor took the time to present Tim with a certificate of rank and title, it would only seem appropriate Professor Presas would also present Tim Hartman with physical proof of a certificate or a letter authenticating Tim’s additional claims of seniority!
I further content if Tim Hartman has “no paper, no letter, no document, and no physical proof” that whatever he is claiming is nothing less than his misinterpretation of the facts! History and seniority does not change just because an individual wants his website to reflect his superior status without actually earning it!
Let me reiterate, if “Tim Hartman is setting the record straight” it is only logical, professional, and honorable that Tim Hartman “set the record straight with documented proof!”
Now just as a general point of reference, Professor Presas sacrificed his life, family, country, his health, and a whole lot more than any one person could even imagine just to establish his art and his reputation. There does not exist a person on this earth that does not bear the Presas name that deserves to “Inherit his sacrifices!” We as practitioners do not inherit our teacher’s skills, reputations, and sacrifices!
Our teachers merely share their art with us and we develop our own skills, reputations, and sometimes we too, make our own sacrifices. That is the way of the warrior, truth in steel, and the code of honor which is as old as the time of mankind and the warrior ways.
______________________Professor Presas sacrificed his life, family, country and his health, just to establish his art and his reputation.
Professor Presas prided himself in creating leaders!
Let me also clarify that above all Professor Presas prided himself in creating leaders and teaching leaders, and sadly “to a fault.” This situation is a direct result of his kindness and his desire to make every student feel “they are number 1” a simple statement he made dozens of times during a weekend event. Maybe it would sound more like “Oh my God, you are number one!” and you would get a pat on the back, big smile, a hug, and then he would even call you family.
That was one of the sacrifices many people do not realize or even think about “we, the students, would leave the seminars and go home to our families, Professor would go to a hotel room alone or maybe stay with a student’s family; his home was lost when he sacrificed his family and country for his art.” There were many of Professor’s students whom he felt were close enough for him to “feel welcome in their homes;” they know who we were and that alone was a great honor to be trusted with the responsibility to care for and share our homes with Professor when he needed us!
We were always students, were not his “Real Family, we are not Presas family members!
I was there in Victoria B.C. at the Care Facility when the real Presas family finally found out he was in dire straits and on his death bed. I answered the telephone, and when he knew it was them he immediately began to cry and said to me out loud “I did not know my family still loved me!”
He could not speak to them; I told Mary Ann I would call them in short order once I was able to stabilize Professor’s emotions. I was emotionally drawn in and together we embraced and cried until he could speak; it was then that a “Presas” family reunion was planned directly in the days to follow. It is important that everyone know at this time that Professor Presas was closing the door on his physical life and during the times Roland Dantes and I were with him, Professor was continually “Thanking God” for bringing his family back into his life.
Just to clarify how consistently upset Professor was at Tim, I will share a brief statement I received from Dan McConnell regarding Tim’s constant reference that “I was like Professor’s son.”
The following words are how Professor Presas personally stated his feelings on the subject of ‘anuk’ to Dan McConnell!
“One of the times I was up in Victoria, Remy, Yvette and the kids, Maureen and I went to have dim sum. The term ‘anuk’ got brought up with regard to Tim and Remy said in his own words”-
“Anuk means little baby. If it meant son, he would keep his mouth shut, but he will not keep his mouth shut”.
Funny, how Tagolag is so easily misinterpreted by western thinking?
Professor said many things to many people, He called me his “bodyguard,”
Did I ever do any executive protection details for him? No!
I recall him telling another martial artist he was a master of Sinawali, yet it is reported that another practitioner was appointed the Guardian of Modern Arnis Kuntao; oh shit, and my personal favorite a Governor of Modern Arnis!
Professor told everyone from white belt to black, they were “Number 1″ in truth it was up to each and every one of us to prove it with our own accomplishments; Professor Presas despised coat-tailing and expected all his students to “Do your own work!”
Anyone recall that statement?
”Unfortunately miscalculated impacts due to fabricated history, creates confusion above and beyond the small circle of the insecure. These fallacies actually destroy the integrity of truth for others!”
“History reveals the beauty of truth and natural evolution, yet within that sphere of natural progression we all can see the distorted manipulation of life and truth from human intervention; the manipulators of truth with a hunger to control others, to glorify their self-aggrandized position of power and importance.”
It is now I contend that if there is no “Letter of truth, no written documentation, no certificate of authority” that Tim Hartman can produce then he needs to “Shut up” and step back in line; specifically in the lineage line that has proven to be the truth in all martial arts systems since recorded history of martial arts! History that is well documented, that is until the recent inception of commercialized American martial art marketing, you know, where you can claim anything on your website and not have to physically back it up on the floor or in the alley of life!
Even Professor himself called his art “Modern Arnis” he did not reference it as Presas Arnis as Tim Hartman is attempting to do?
“Standing silent is what allows ignorance and arrogance to flourish.”
I can guarantee Professor Remy A. Presas would not have allowed anyone,,, literally anyone,, to take his family name and use it as a marketing tool for personalized glory.
If Professor Presas wanted an “Heir to rule the system or he specifically wanted a highest ranked Datu to rule over all of Modern Arnis, he would have taken the steps to assure his wishes were followed by the letter!”
“No letter, no documentation, no physical proof?”
Well you decide…
Respectfully, “Setting the Record Straight,”
Kelly S. Worden
Modern Arnis Practitioner
I can guarantee Professor Remy A. Presas would not have allowed anyone,,, literally anyone,, to take his family name and use it as a marketing tool for personalized glory.
If Professor Presas wanted an “Heir to rule the system or he specifically wanted a highest ranked Datu to rule over all of Modern Arnis, he would have taken the steps to assure his wishes were followed by the letter!”
“No letter, no documentation, no physical proof?”
Well you decide…
Respectfully, “Setting the Record Straight,”
Kelly S. Worden
Modern Arnis Practitioner
