New guy in my MT gym is a nazi.

Discussion in 'Thai Boxing' started by IrishStomp, Sep 24, 2005.

  1. IrishStomp

    IrishStomp Valued Member

    So, I'm in my 4th week of MT and it's going great and I think I'm progressing nicely, instructor says I'm showing great potential and doing all the right things and I'm lovin' it. Today, I'm in there training and a middle school class even showed up and watched some training because the teacher of the class is friend's with our instructor and they did it as kind of a field trip, I guess. So, they leave and training's going good and I'm working on my last few rounds of hitting the heavy bag when I see a white guy talking to our instructor (who is black) about signing up. I don't think anything of it and finish up my workout. When I go over to get my water, I notice the guy has a lot of kind've warrior type of tattoos, like maybe nordic warriors and some celtic stuff and thinsg like that, which i know for a fact nazis love getting. I walked a little closer and saw the huge tattoo on his calf, it was like an upsi-down peace symbol but without the circle around it. I immediately recognized this symbol as our teacher justdiscussed it yesterday in my criminal justice class. It was the symbol for the logo of the National Alliance, a new nazi group. At this point, I knew he was a racist and had just gone back to work on my cool down and continue observing him talking to my instructor. Before he left, he said he was going to sign up and shook the instructor's hand and left. I didn't tell my instructor what I knew as I wasn't sure if I should just mind my own business or not. Anyway, what do you guys think I should do? I'm a white guy but there's only about 5 or 6 white guys that go to my gym out around 30 guys there, and the instructor's black, and I am definetely not racist. What would you guys do in this situation? Any advice? What if I don't say anything and he signs up and starts talking to me? Advice is appreciated, thanks.
     
  2. moritzin

    moritzin New Member

    thanks a tough one

    :confused: Well if he was a true Nazi per say he probly wouldnt have shown any respect to a Quote on quote "black person" Im not racist and have an uncle who is Barbadoin. But i would just run it past your instructer maybe? who knows maybe he did that stuff (tatoos) when he was like 18 ? so maybe he is reformed i duno? go up and talk to him see what hes like?

    use discretion about judging others publicly? just my opinion.

    good luck
     
  3. Brad Ellin

    Brad Ellin Baba

    You're making assumptions without having even talked to the guy? I'd not say anything unless the person in question starts to make racist remarks in your presence. Then, report it to your teacher. He can then deal with it in an appropriate manner.

    You may have seen these tattoos. Or you may have assumed you did. But until the guy volunteers any other info, they're just tattoos.
     
  4. IrishStomp

    IrishStomp Valued Member

    The tattoo on his calf WAS a nazi tattoo.
     
  5. Brad Ellin

    Brad Ellin Baba

    Okay. So you saw a tattoo and you say it is a Nazi tattoo. Did you ask him about it? As for the celtic/warrior type tattoos, lots of people like getting those. People that aren't Nazis or racist. People with a celtic background, SCA folks (my ex is both), and people that just want a cool tattoo.

    Point is, until he says something, you are making assumptions. I've had it happen to me many times to know that it is not fair to him, until he let's you know otherwise. Maybe it was a bad tattoo choice from a misspent childhood. Maybe his father or an uncle/aunt/family member is and he was pressured into "showing allegiance".

    I stand by what I say. If he doesn't confirm it, stay out of it. If he does, let your teacher know then. Then, let him deal with it.
     
  6. bcullen

    bcullen They are all perfect.

    The upside down peace symbol is a Scandinavian rune (early Europian alphabet/heiroglyphics) The rune is called algiz and it symbolizes protection (the branches of a yew tree). So he is probably in touch with his cultural roots, but not necessarily a racist.
     
  7. LiaoRouxin

    LiaoRouxin Valued Member

    Or maybe it's a hold-over from a different phase in his life and he doesn't have the money to get it removed. Get over it and wait for him to prove himself one way or the other
     
  8. Ikken Hisatsu

    Ikken Hisatsu New Member

    first of all as was said above that isn't neccessarily a racist tattoo. if some gang who believes in murdering rabbits makes a 4 leaf clover their tattoo, does that make everyone with that tattoo a bunny killer? no.

    second of all, maybe it is and like Liao said maybe it was a stupid thing he did when he was younger. the fact that he wants to learn from a black guy and displayed no animosity pretty much confirms one of these theories.

    third of all it really isnt any of your business.
     
  9. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    What you need to do is.....

    CHILL... :D
























    You're jumping to a lot of conclusions right off the bat. Not usually a very good thing. Big deal so the guy has tattoo's... many of my friens have tat's done while on holiday in the state pen - no big deal. They aren't packin' a gat and waiting to pop a cap.

    I've got a mate who's got 'WHITE' and "POWER' on his left and right knuckles. Turned out to be nicest bloke I'd ever met. Once I asked him about the ink and he said that he'd gotten them when he as in his early teens... he said he was young and impressionable and he'd wished he hadn't but he was pretty much stuck with them now.

    You never know until you actually get to know someone.

    Obviously if the bloke has shown up in boots with white laces and red braces and the obligatory black bomber jacket emblazoned with SS patches or the Ultra's Gaelic cross... then you might worry a bit.

    But until you talk to the guy and find out the score just chill.
     
  10. IrishStomp

    IrishStomp Valued Member

    ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, I guess I shouldn't jump to conclusions. I guess it was the combination of just hearing about it in class the day before and then it's right there the next day. Anyway, I'll talk to him next time he's around.
     
  11. Davey Bones

    Davey Bones New Member

    Irish, two things:

    1. If he really is a racist/white supremacists/ Aryan freakazoid, he'd never have come to the gym.

    2. Assuming, however, training is more important to him than race issues, if he IS a racist, how long do you think he'll last in a MT gym with a black instructor and 20-some odd minority students? He'll say something stupid, get his ass kicked, and all will be right with the world again ;)
     
  12. wild_pitch

    wild_pitch Melt The Guns!

    did his tattoo look like this?

    http://www.adl.org/hate_symbols/neo_nazi_life_rune.asp

    i would say if so he is or was at some point a nazi. 98% of the time when confronted these guys say their tattoos represent their *heritage* or some other nonsense just to cover up the meaning around people who are not true believers. these kinds of symbols are a little less easily identifiable as an iron cross or a swazzi.

    i would ask him before you make any final decisions. but the reality is there are a lot of nazis out there, and these kinds of tattoos are very common amongst them.

    it is possible he is a former nazi or something, if so he will probably tell you pretty quickly and is used to be asked. but i would say pretty unlikely or he would be less interested in showing his tattoos off.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2005
  13. wild_pitch

    wild_pitch Melt The Guns!

    i totally disagree it is your business. you should be able to make an informed decision about who you spend your time with, and your instuctor should be able to turn people away if he does not agree with their politics.

    also often these guys want to recruit people to their way of thinking..

    there is nothing wrong with asking the guy about it, if he is not he will tell you pretty quickly and no harm done.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2005
  14. El Tejon

    El Tejon MAP'scrazyuncle

    bcullen, I believe the rune he is describing is the futhark. It is the rune for "life."

    During the National Socialist regime in Germany, 1933 to 1945 Himmler had such runes constructed and placed throughout Greater Germany. The National Alliance adopted the futhark as their emblem. It was on the cover of their magazine Vanguard.

    The "peace symbol" is an inverted futhark.

    As everyone has said, just because he has the tattoo, one cannot be certain of his motivation. Could have just picked it out on the wall or book because he thought it looked cool.
     
  15. Sgt_Major

    Sgt_Major Ex Global Mod Supporter

    I agree with Ikken (did I actually say that!? ;) )

    Its none of your business. Your there to train MT, he's there to train MT, thats as far as the connection goes. What he does outside of class is none of your business, likewise what you do is none of his.

    Stay out of it unless he brings it into class.
     
  16. wild_pitch

    wild_pitch Melt The Guns!

    i totally disagree.

    okay, how would you feel if you were training a student how to fight. he took what you showed him and went out and put 2-3 other kids into a hospital simply becasue they were jewish / black / what have you. and taught what you showed him to his other racist friends.

    would it matter what his beliefs were then? it does matter if the guy IS a racist. do you think your instructor would want to teach someone a fighting art if they were going to use it this way?

    i mean i am willing to say that he might not be, and you should talk to him before damming him, but it is your insturctors business to know who they are teaching.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2005
  17. Bluce Ree

    Bluce Ree Asinus asinorum.

    You say that he has tats of (possibly) Nordic warriors and such, then mention a Scandinavian rune. You don't think there may be a connection?
     
  18. Sgt_Major

    Sgt_Major Ex Global Mod Supporter

    The INSTRUCTOR should talk to him. Its not the place of the students to be identifying to the instructor who he/she is teaching.

    Even he was a racist, it would still be none of my business. Id still train with him the same as I train with anyone else.
     
  19. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    Oh for Christ's sake people....

    Relax... the guy didn't roll into the gym with a Panzer division in tow nor did he rock up and proclaim Kristallnacht.

    He showed up, asked for classes and had a tatoo that may or may not be a white supermacy style tatoo. Big deal. It's simple enough really... IrishStomp can just ask the guy about the tatoo when he shows up for class. Simple as that.

    But cross that bridge when you get there... anything else are just assumptions based on scant evidence. :bang:
     
  20. wild_pitch

    wild_pitch Melt The Guns!

    this is exactly what i am saying. ask the guy about it.. but don't just let is slide or feel that it is not your business.
     

Share This Page