Thoughts, stories, and ideas from Sensei Steve Gottwirt

Thoughts, stories, and ideas from                  Sensei Steve Gottwirt
Some of these thoughts, stories, and personal history appeared in our newsletter, "Dō Gakuin News". Few members have been with us since our first issue in 1993. As such, ideas on this page may have been printed before, but are worth telling again.

Thursday, January 10, 2019


def: HAMON 破門

Excommunication from a dojo or apprenticeship;
to force a door open; spurned; shunned; renounced.

def: JOMEI  除名

Expulsion; delisting; exclusion;
remove from official registers; to be banished.

The above two phrases seem similar, but Hamon is more severe than Jomei:
- Jomei is when a member is asked to leave a school, club, etc.  The member is no longer part of that organization.
 
- The English equivalent of Hamon is excommunication.  Not only is the individual forced out of an organization, but all rank, teaching credentials, and any other certificates are revoked.  Of course, the former member still has knowledge and skills, and may still hold the physical belt and certificates, but anyone inquiring about this former member would be told of the indiscretion causing hamon and that all rank and certificates are invalid.
 
Jomei and Hamon are not the end of the world for the former member.  Life goes on.  It’s similar to a divorce, or being fired from a job.  The organization wants nothing to do with the former member, and probably should not be listed on a résumé or used for references.
 
Four quick points:
- Nikita Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War, serving as Premier from 1958-1964.  He was deposed as Premier and declared an ‘unperson’ in October 1964, completely disappearing from public life.
 
- In international diplomacy, ‘persona non grata’ (Latin for: person not appreciated) is a foreign person whose entering or remaining in a particular country is prohibited by that host country's government because of something the person has said or done.  A fancy diplomatic term for “Get outta heeere”.
 
- Joe Paterno, head football coach for Penn State University (1966-2011), was the winningest coach in collegiate history.  After the 2011 Jerry Sandusky sex scandal, Paterno was fired, all wins from 1998 to 2011 (112 in total) were wiped off the record books, and his statue was removed from the football stadium.
 
- On rare occasion Shihan Mike Hatgis posted a notice on the bulletin board saying that some member is stripped of rank and no longer with Black Belt Academy.  I recall one incident where a Sho Dan decided to open up his own dojo in the next town over.  The Sho Dan put an ad in a local Pennysaver, which Shihan Hatgis happened to publish.  The poor unwitting Sho Dan was immediately disowned and tossed out of the dojo.
 
Why is this article relevant?  Must you ‘walk on eggshells’ for fear of being thrown out the door?  No.  We’ve had some situations in the dojo which were handled without rising to Hamon or Jomei.  This article simply serves to remind you that Karate culture is driven by honor, respect, self-control, following rules, and doing what is proper.

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