SENSEI DOUGLAS DWYER

As of late due mostly to Floyd Webb’s documentary concerning the early days of martial arts in Chicago, there have been some individuals on various sites over the internet who have exaggerated and manipulated facts surrounding Sensei Douglas Dwyer one of the early karateka in the Chicago area.

A 10th degree black belt (Judan) Doug Dwyer's involvement in Karate has spanned more than fifty-eight years, in his early 70’s now, he is still training and teaching to this day. He is a very sharp martial artist and individual who is a fondly remembered Sensei by many of his students.  In remarkable shape from his many years in Karate, he is the embodiment of what a true black belt instructor is.

When we met a few years ago he had managed to capture my respect and admiration with his ability, training ethic and charisma. He was straight forward, honest and openly shared a lot of stories and training from the early days.

From our first meeting the bond between us was immediate and has strengthened over the years, not as student and teacher but as close friends, kindred spirits. I would venture to say it is more like father and son.  Dare I say, a wayward son, walking his own path much like Doug did.  It is in this spirit that I have chosen to write this article to address certain individuals on the internet who are misusing sensei Dwyer’s name. Enough is enough.  Mr. Dwyer is speaking out in his own words.

 In his words......

Silence is golden? Apparently not!"

"The time has come for this Sensei to set the record straight.  Over the past couple of years I've read countless articles and pdf's on the net about me and my life's story which have been infused with deliberately misleading falsehoods and outright lies!  I must admit, sometimes I hardly recognize myself.  It continues to elude me as to why, certain people have gone on record "quoting me" (with statements I've never made).  Some drop my name to give credence to fictional stories and still others, I've never met, claim to have been my students.  Then, let's not forget those who barely got past a beginners session before they left and certainly never got any rank from me but continue to write volumes embellishing time spent in my dojo.... Really?

Let me be clear, a couple of months of Karate 101 or a few hours spent in a seminar situation does not translate to being someone's Sensei.  That takes years!  A teacher simply instructs the many "pupils" who pass through as he waits for the "true students" to appear.  Further, I categorily state I am neither a founder nor am I a member, retired or otherwise, of any present-day organization.  No matter what is being inferred.  I sit on no boards or advisory counsels and I promote only my own students of long standing after a thorough review by me.  I believe honorary ranks and organizational ranks are exactly what the words imply and nothing more.

  The Martial arts have always given me discpline, direction and focus. Being a blue-collar Sensei from Chicago for me it has never been about celebrity, posturing and posing, or lining my pockets.  What it has always been about is teaching those who entrusted their personal well-being to me and making sure my training served them well through life.  I take this responsibility very seriously and while some choose to make a mockery of my "old school" approach I continue to travel a righteous path not deterred by those who falsely attempt to attach themselves to my personal history and abuse my open and trusting nature.

I remain ever hopeful that the truly Authentic and Dedicated practitioners of the arts never give voice to those who consider sincerity, truth, and honor to be signs of weakness and traits to be exploited by those seeking personal gain.  It's a sad day when the computer is used by some as a modern-day weapon for the sole purpose of convincing the masses that carefully contrived fiction is truth and the actual truth is merely optional and inconvenient.

My back-story is mine alone and I would caution anyone reading the currently posted drivel to CONSIDER THE SOURCE.  It's not coming from me;  the man who actually lived it! 

Here's the reality of truth.  It's factually correct, traceable, provable, and widely documented.  It does not change and cannot be re-written.  I accept the sum total of my choices through life and strive to be a better man every day.  The fact remains, my story is mine alone;  posers need not apply!"

Douglas Dwyer

Amen Sensei, amen. I have often thought, should I let such fictional stories about Doug continue on the web unchallenged.  From this point forward my response to that is a resounding "NO". If someone whose actual involvement with Doug was sporadic, fleeting and slight can proclaim themselves an authority , then why can I

not speak out publicly about a person who I indeed have a repoire and kindredship with.  A quote keeps running thru my head, “All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing.” I propose to no longer stand by and do nothing to ensure that these individuals think twice before they hijack Doug's individual experiences and pilfer his stories.