My heart often skip a beat everytime google or yahoo has some newsbreaking headlines stories that screams " KARATE teacher covicted" , "KARATE Teacher charge with Molestations", "KARATE instructor killed innocent bystanders", KARATE instructor did this" , "KARATE instructor did that"...etc
While reading deeply into some of these stories, It occurs to me that the majority of these convicted "KARATE" instructors aren't karate instructors at all.
I realized that the media of whom we greatly trust are simply and ignorantly inserting "Karate" or "Martial Artist" when reporting news that has something to do with domestic violence, rapes and other felonious wrong doings.
Why ? Because, the media just like the general populace are not well versed in history and tradition of karate. But I still wonder why the media can't write something Black and Blue plumbing employee convicted of assaults !
Hmmmm....Perhaps, the media has this pre-conceived view that Karate must be the main caused of all these violences.
Maybe I am a purist or maybe I'm the only one bothered by this. I still believed that the media should try to do a bit research before assuming that every martial arts is "KARATE" and every child molesters are "karate" Instructors. My understanding is that Journalist supposed to report "Facts" not fiction.
Don't get me wrong, I don't plan to paint Karate as a saint here. I am sure that we have our share of convicted felons who trained in traditional karate-do in our midst. It just seems to me that every convicted or alleged criminals reported by the media are practitioners of Karate !
This blog will served as my medium to undo the damages done the media and their so-called sense of integrity. Here are few headlines:
Headline #001: Popular Karate Instructor Arrested !
Writer: Melissa Maeyer
Media: KVII News 7 (Texas)
News:Nelson Dewey Harvey was arrested on two counts of indecency with a child.
Facts: Nelson Dewey Harvey is the owner and operator of the Harvey's Tae Kwon Do Center in Amarillo.
Headline #002: Martial Arts Instructor Is Accused of Sex Abuse
Writer: Don Kazak
Media: Paloaltoonline.com
News:An instructor at a Menlo Park karate studio was arrested Monday night and charged with 16 counts of child molestation and illegal sexual activities with minors.
Facts: Menlo Park Police Commander Steve Lewis announced the arrest at a news conference Thursday. Lewis said two victims of the alleged crimes have been identified so far, both of them boys, and both of them students at Kim's Tae Kwon Do marital arts studio at 562 Oak Grove Ave.
Headline #003: Karate instructor indicted
Writer: Adam Dolge
Media: Seacoastonline.com
News: Keith Ingraham, 55, formerly of 58 Schanda Drive, was indicted in Rockingham Superior Court on four charges of child pornography, six counts of falsifying physical evidence, and two charges of criminal solicitation to falsify physical evidence, according to court records.
Facts: BRENTWOOD - A former Newmarket tae kwon do instructor
As I have a limited amount of posting allowances for this blog, I can only show few of the hundreds of blatant misused of "Karate" by our trusted media.
