http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm.../ap_on_re_us/fresno_slayings&cid=519&ncid=716 "Wesson had a strong influence on his sons, said Florian Tan, who in 2001 took over the martial arts school where three of the sons attended classes. Each boy had to earn a black belt in aikido in order to leave home when he reached manhood, Tan said. "They said they had to go through his program," which included martial arts training, Tan said. He added that two of the sons, now in their twenties, earned black belts and a teenage boy is still enrolled at the school." http://www.ai-ki-do.org/CAAnews/Promotions/Promotions03.htm
Just so people are aware in case the next CNN headline is "Crazed Aikido killer strikes the US" Anybody who does MA should keep an eye out for any coverage about their art - good or bad.
I just read about that, I was coming on here to post about it, and then I saw this thread. That guy is really messed up. Also, in that article it said that his children had to earn a black belt in aikido in order to move out on their own when they were old enough. Kind of like a coming of age thing. Does anyone go to that aikido place? MA is probably going to get a bad rep because of this...
From what I read from the article, the guy was already a psycho to begin with (I mean...LOCKS? come on!). I personally wouldn't worry about it.
"From what I read from the article, the guy was already a psycho to begin with (I mean...LOCKS? come on!). I personally wouldn't worry about it." What are you trying to say?
Meaning I don't think anyone (except for those people who also believe that the Harry Potter Novels are driving kids to turn to Satanism) will blame MA for this incident, just the murderer himself.
I have to disagree, a lot of people who know absolutely jack about MA will think it is violent and leads to killing people. But AIKIDO!!! How can that be violent? That is like the least violent of all arts, is it not? Thank God it was not a more violent art, or the MA would definitely get worse press.
Aikido can be as brutal as any martial art. Don't forget many of the techniques in Aikido have very traditional roots and were originaly designed to break things. Aikido students generaly don't practice to hurt each other. But they could if they wanted to.
Imagine if you did train at that school. "Careful, my training is backed up by the man who killed 9 people, do you want to be the 10th victim of this style aikido?"
