New Classes

I'm working on setting up several new classes. One at Noah's School, One at the Josiah Quincy School, and one at the park.

Am I excited? It's weird because I am simultaneously excited and dreading aspects of the one  that should be the easiest.. the one at the school.

I feel like I'm losing me center. And how do I gain my center or get centered? I guess it's meditation.

I guess with all my blogs and ideas I get the sense that stuff is moving fast and in all directions.. and I have been ignoring the aspects of my work that I love.. and that is Practicing the Kung Fu, and writing my books. (People really are buying them now. ) And there's that idea about the movie.

One of the guys who won those Oscars last night struck me. He said you might feel like life sucks or whatever (I'd actually don't feel that way) but you can make Stuff. Film draw write... make stuff.

That is what I'm doing

Community Relations

Everyone had been talking about Beyonce this and Black Panthers that. I have friends that are on both sides of this conversation. I have friends that I would not go so far as to say they are racist... but they see blacks in a certain way.. and I have black friends who see blacks that same way and who were also very involved with all this stuff in the 60's.

And then through my connections from school I have people who are more on the other side.

In any case, I felt that I had to read what the Black Panthers had to say about themselves. So I've been reading Bobby Seale's "Seize the time." I just finished the part where he was working at a poverty program as a community organizer (now I am vaguely getting more of a sense of what a community organizer is, and I realize I have been doing community organizing for a long time. It's just that a lot of community organizing in the Chinese Community and I'm not talking about the CPA, I'm talking about other organizations, a lot of it does happen through Gong Sau. Family associations, and Kung Fu organizations.)

Anyway,


I just finished the chapter where he organizes a meeting between cops and youth, and he says that's the first time he was seen as an enemy of the Oakland Police Department. But it's this section that makes me realize that all my ideas I have hashed out in my blogs before are not crazy.

The police reaction to that meeting was in that time period. Would the reaction today be different? I think it depends on the department. But people are more used to this type of meeting now and some departments regular have these community meetings and it does help.

Here's the thing.. in Japan, part of some of the officers jobs is to go around door to door and ask the people in his community what they would like to see the Police do. This is why I say time and time again, Japan is pretty racist, but they don't have a police brutality problem. In Japan, you can be third generation living in Japan but you are originally Chinese. You will always be Chinese. You cannot become a Japanese Citizen. Japan is racist racist racist.....
But they don't have Police brutality as a problem. That is something to look at.

I brought up the whole community policing thing with a couple of Black Lives Matter protesters in Philly and Nanzhou noodle house. They sort of paused and shrugged. They wanted to focus on the law changing. And this is really weird. Me.. as a Chinese white guy, and I must emphasize white because that is how most of society sees me, especially the way I dress now... maybe some people might see me as Hispanic, but I would say mostly people would see me as some kind of white with "a little something in there"

My point of view as a white guy who enjoys the system as it is... actually lines up more with what Bobby Seale was saying than these particular two Black Lives Matters protesters. Seale says that  changing the law won't work. Now of course I am not pro -militant stuff. Do black guys with guns scare me? Yes. Anyone marching around with guns scares me. Black, white, Asian. doesn't matter.

I am also not anti-police. I usually have a good interaction with police because I am white, I know how to talk to them, I don't commit crimes... and I only had two incidents where I felt mad, but in the end nothing actually happened to me. I am also familiar with how police think because I have worked with them.

Number one. Police are just like any other people in that they don't like to be called out and told they are at fault even if they are. Just like your kids don't like it, just like your students don;t like it. Police don't like it, except they hear shit all day from superiors and others and they may just take it out on you. They want to be praised.

You have to understand that.

Before you go on about a what if.. it's just that you have to get into people's heads if you want to change people's minds.

So far that Community meeting that Seale first organized before starting the Black Panther party, thatwas right back then. It wasn't accepted but it was right. And it is right right now. That type of thing can do a lot. The protesting hasn't really done that much if you think about it. If you had a bunch more people like Seale, and the police could work with them, a lot can change. In Seale's time you had stories and testimony. Now you have video. But people are just shouting at each other or protesting or counter protesting. You need a mediator like Seale did. I'm not saying he was perfect, and obviously I have not even finished the book. Maybe there is a whole bunch of stuff I will disagree with. But that mediation, a group of people that can go in between the police and the community and organize meetings between them. That is really necessary.

The Black Panthers were doing there thing and I can see how Police will see it as anti-police and why police are pulling security from Beyonce's concert. I can see why they are doing that and they have a right to do that, if that's how they feel. Police can protest too. And usually people with power are the MOST sensitive, because people without power are used to taking things even when they know it's crazy.

Instead I'm going to talk about Chinatown's Crime Watch. That was good because it wasn't seen as competing with police. Some would say Crime watch got out of hand sometimes when dealing with homeless. But for the Chinese in the Community, it essential achieved what the Black Panthers were trying to achieve. Now again. Different time, different politics, a lot of differences. I'm just saying if you had an organization that worked for the community and at least in appearances worked with police or seemed to make people more comfortable about working with establishment, it could be successful.

The CPA does do this, in terms of working within the law but a lot of the language is anti-establishment, and rubs people the wrong way. Whereas there are other organizations in Chinatown that even if they commit crimes, they always show respect police because it is the smart thing to do, and ultimately, if their goal was to do something for the community, they would be more successful because of that.

I have actually reached out to the Police station about teaching Kung Fu, maybe in their station or near it, where you would get a diverse group of people, including police youth, elderly, students all in the same Kung Fu class, and tat would bring the community together. I reached out to them asd several Churches. First Baptist Church was the one place that got back to me. And then JQS reached out to me. The problem is I didn't have a ton of students sign up for my class. So while I am acheiving something for my Kung Fu, it isn't reaching the full potential of what I have in mind in terms of Community.

I'm not saying I'm trying to start something like the panthers. The key is actually to get Police in my class as students, along with members of the community, that's what I'm trying to do. And then instead of shouting at each other, it will nudge everyone in the same direction, and I could maybe make a living in the process. That's what I'm saying. I just think it's funny that with all this antagonistic talk and anger and hasrh and even foul language, over Beyonce's artistic performance, that when you actually read Seale's book, what he was trying to do was not that out there. And in terms of me saying, I wouldn't d in that way." It was a different time and these guys grew up differently than I did. And more important than that, I am white. In fact I am white from a majority Black and Chinese housing project where white police an dthem helping us because of our whiteness may very well have been what kept us alive. Not towards the end, when the neighborhood started getting really nice. I'm talking about in my eraly childhood when my father and friends and neighbors were getting robbed regularly, like it was some sort of tax taken with a knife and gun even pointed at me in the stroller.


In any case, th book is quite a good read. Written like a conversation. It's worth it to take a lookinstead of just looking at meme's or quotes online. That way you can get a fuller picture of where the Balck Panthers were coming from, and then you can make a decision about how you feel about Beyonce's homage to the group.

Noah's Training video

Here is a taste of what my in home kids classes are like. You can see three different levels here, but everyone still practices together and learns from each other. Then of course we have play time as well.
Since Chinese New Year is over, I dropped the lion dance part of the class. Strangely this was the most stressful part because only Noah had any interest in Lion Dance, and even then he didn't want  to keep doing it when nobody else did.

The kids could "spar" with me for hours if I let them. But I don't let them unless I feel like they are learning what I am trying to teach them. Other wise they will just pick up bad habits. Mainly I am a wooden dummy and I am trying to introduce concepts of moving your feet, distance, and protecting yourself with the jab, or other strike. But Jabbing is what they learn first. I guess it's not a real jab because most of them use their dominant hand. for it their punch.

Come to think of it, I should make them jab from both sides next time.

Basic Kung Fu

Warbling song bird

whooo-oooo
Whooo-oooo

Cried a bird outside my window.

I was in the bathroom actually

pissing

just to add that poetic touch.

Is that a loon?
Not quite.

I had never heard such a bird I don't think.

I looked curiously out the window to a tree branch
where the beautiful bird might be sitting
singing me a song.

But actually I had to look down at the window sill

Where the bird was staring right at me from a foot away.

I want to say it was a partridge. But what do I know.

It wasn't a pigeon.

But it looked like one.

And it's beak was fucked up.

I was looking at it, thinking maybe I was freaking it out.

But then I realized, I was sort of getting freaked out.

Was this the same song bird?

It's song was so beautiful.

Did this crooked fucked up beak produce that warbling note?

Probably because now it was singing a damn thing.

I went around to another window to look at it from another angle but it had left.

Shattering Ice

At the bottom of the hill
Of what was the Sugar bowl
There was a small pond.
A puddle
of ice.

The Children ran around it and on the edges of it.
Picking of pieces and throwing it into the center to shatter like broken glass.
Look at this one Baba!
Smash.
Let's do another one.

I didn't realize this would be the activity for the day.

A freind of Noah;s came along, and his younger sibling and it was four children shattering ice and treading dangerously over the thin ice. The puddle was not deep enough that one would drown.
But deep enough to get soaked.

It was getting wet, in the end, that was the excuse to go home.

But that was later.

First there was gathering of stones to crack the ice
by lobbing them from high on top of the hill.

And then there was the collecting of sticks to create a dam

and then a fort

and then a tipee.

There was throwing of sand, which was discouraged
And so we got the children to go back to the puddle once more.

A running leap and Noah;s friend tried to race across as if lightness of feet would keep him from breaking through. It didn't. and then it was time to go home.


Today we went back to the puddle.

The water had soaked through the ground so walking on the ice, you broke through and found only air. Yesterday, what was not allowed, was encouraged.

Jonah spent an our shattering the ice

as I did Tai Chi on top of it.

The greatest things are free.

Keanu Reeves Man of Tai Chi

I'm watching this movie right now. Jonah fell asleep. I thought because it had Keanu Reeves as an actor and director that it was a Hollywood film. But actually it is totally a Chinese Hong Kong film. That shows ho wthe world has changed. The beginning was a bit violent, like killing people violent. I dn't really see why they needed that type of graphic stuff in there at first. But actually it is to show what  bad guy Keanu's character is.

I recognize the protoganist from an Anthony Bourdain episode. The movie is totally Chinese and showcases traditional Kung Fu cinema in a modern setting. I.e. their fighting Lei Tai but the sequences are old school.

I don't really feel like I have to pay much attention because it's your regular weak plot etc. It's about the fighting. You may be surprised to hear that when I watch a movie, I actually don't care much for the fight sequences at all. In fact the "training" aspects of the Tai Chi are much more interesting to me.

As far as the reality of it... well the whole premise is pretty unrealistic to me. ehh maybe it's possible to have an elite club that watches underground fights online. I just feel like it's unlikely. Also the whole stuff about what Tai Chi is for etc.

Tai Chi, used in a fight, is actually pretty hard.. in a relaxed way and Wu Gong Yi, was a 6 province champion when he was younger.  For some reason I can't find the video of that fight on Youtube to against Chan Hak Fu to link too. But that's what his version of Tai Chi looked like in a real fight. Pretty much it was hit faster and harder and be able to take hits.

There are some interesting concepts brought up.

Especially in terms of the internal struggle. But I would argue that the older generations of Kung Fu were far more violent than the younger ones.


I guess trying to show the futility of fighting etc and of course the older wiser generations are the more peaceful ones. But if you look at the history of Kung Fu I would have to disagree. Kung Fu traditionalists have never been more peaceful.. especially since the ones that are fight crazy tend to go to combat sports. As for warriors, there are always plenty of wars to fight and join, always has been.

In the past Kung Fu was tied up in this stuff. In radicalism, in terrorism, in freedom fighting. Nowadays? Even if China's army sort of does Kung Fu or a version of it, that aspect of their training is not what actually comes into play in wars with planes and bombs. Even if you kill someone with a bayonet using a martial thrust, does that have anything to do with the Chi Gung moves you practiced? Well maybe the Chi Gung moves help you calm down afterward.

But then in the movie it is a specific branch of Tai Chi.. so whatever. I'm just saying the new China tends to hold up the traditions of the past (the Guan Gung Statues) the heritage, as one of complete justice and peace, and it is the new modern ways that are violent and dangerous.

I just feel like there are a lot of younger people that might be more about peace and more about social justice, than the older generations.

....

Okay watching the end now. Actually not a bad message in terms of why should the fighters fight each other, fight the system that put them there etc. Totally like Hunger games. Not bad.

Oops the last scene was the battle with Reeves. He learns to become nothing, masters his chi.....Have to say though the Kung Panda movies were better. But I guess this wasn't bad....

Oh my god still more movie, when is this going to end?

Traditional and modern can exist... okay great. Yes very true, thank you China.