Your recent letter was brought to my attention via one of my athletes who happens to have the good fortune of living in Lamar, Colorado. I read and re-read it with an objective mindset taking into consideration your viewpoints and questioning my own to ensure that my perceptions were unskewed and based upon fact. I would if you would allow me like to address your points one by one.
1. Cage Fighting is not a sport at all
Sir, I beg your pardon but Mixed Martial Arts is one of the oldest sports known to man. I am not speaking simply of gladitorial arena based combat either. (Though Im sure the evil of which will immediately spring into your mind) Mr. Crum, some of the oldest known records of unarmed "combative sports"were found on the temple walls of Kemet in Egypt which pre-dated Christ and secondly in the temples of Angkor Wat in what is presently Cambodia. Hellenic, Spartan and other cultures worldwide followed suit. Greek Pankration, which is the closest ancient cousin of modern day mma was a popular game in the predecessor of today's Olympics. Boxing, Kickboxing, wrestling, and other similar sports are enjoyed by millions around the world so why would you consider mixing the disciplines together in a challenging new competitive environment to be anything but?
2. It brings in a bad element.
Mr. Crum I can definately see how this could be percieved as such by you and probably quite a few others who may be simply misled by the mainstream media. The stereotypical myth of the babylonian bloodsport atmoshpere i.e fans cheering for gore in a pit whilst money and gambling winnings are showered upon them. I get it.. But, the fact of the matter is that MMA is the fastest growing sport on the planet, it is well beyond its infancy stage and at a point to where fans have become educated along the way to it's many techniques. They cheer for their favorites and applaud a well timed strike or takedown, they cheer when a victor has enough compassion to check on a downed opponent or when he hugs him and raises his opponents hand after the result. The reality of the sport is far different than the b- level films on the sci-fi network would have you believe. And for the record I personally know 2 physicians, computer IT individuals, several ministers who use their competition as a way to witness and more economic diversity in this sport than any other Ive seen. It caters to all backgrounds.
3. It promotes Anger Violence, Hate
This is the one blanket assumption that set me over my keel a bit as this has absolutely no more basis in fact than any of your other misguided delusions. Let's get this straight. Every single day many angry young men and women walk through my door. Those with emotional scars and baggage that no prescription or amount of therapy can heal. Yet when they walk out they are a lot less angry then when they came. No matter their background I work to instill character, comaraderie, sportsmanship, control and self dicipline into every one of them. To many, their training team is the only family they have. I have seen ex-gang members who changed their lives training alongside the police that I train on a daily basis, I have men in their 50's and children who are as young as 5 years old in my programs. As for my 3 rules the kids here have to recite and memorize daily? BE RESPECTFUL, BE RESPONSIBLE, LOVE YOUR FAMILY! Those sir I believe are the very tenets of any religious system wouldn't you agree? Finally, to bring you up to speed on how this affects YOUR local community:
My organization, the Colorado Fight League which encompasses over 10 annual shows in Southern Colorado alone mandates it's athletes to log 40 hours community service a year to compete. Sir, while you are warm in your home during the holidays our "CAGEFIGHTERS" are serving food to the homeless, volunteering at shelters, visiting young offenders at youth facilities and speaking to them about the importance of wise choices, and our most recent cause related efforts are with Bully Management .org of Colorado, a non profit that uses the fighters as a conduit for social change to treat victims of bullying in schools. The kids would rather listen to a young athletic muscular tattooed fighter with an awesome mohawk than an obviously pompous ill informed individual such as yourself, this dialogue allows us to speak out against Bullying to the masses. Since 2008 the fighters of the CFL (including some of your Lamar fighters, have raised money for Cancer, Dream Weavers, youth sports organizations, high school theater groups, families who have experienced loss, and even given scholarships for local kids to CSU Pueblo. Well I think you get the idea. Mr. Crum, It would be easy for me to take offense to your statements, become angry and irate while condemning your lack of understanding to brimstone and hellfire but I believe the bible says.. "Do not judge lest ye be judged" correct?
Regards,
Gabe Charboneau
Colorado Fight League
MMA Coach, and purveyor of evil lol
pictures 1-2 Bully Management.org at a recent assembly
picture 3 Mohawks for Cancer Moms support day
Picture 4. Easter Celebration for disadvantaged kids
Mr. Charboeau,
ReplyDeleteI recently read this letter after following someones post on Facebook. Amazing and dignified rely!
My name is Monty Thompson, Owner of Mantra Designs in Lamar. I took my 10 year old son to Mayhem II and we were thoroughly impressed; not just with the even itself, but the overall congeniality of the athletes, teams, and managers.
They were polite, more polite than some of the parents I attend High School sporting events with.
Making themselves approachable to young and old alike, with respect and courtesy, shows that they enjoy participation with the crowd as much as the crowd respects them as athletes.
To you and all associated with Colorado Fight League, I wish you the best and greatest success in the future.
Monty Thompson
Mantra Design / Lamar Colorado
Sorry for the misspelling or your name as well, my keyboard or my fingers- need replaced!
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