Today as I look back on the 25th anniversary of my first class in Tae Kwon Do there many things that I learned as a pee wee that have changed my life. I started Tae Kwon Do back when Mr. Portzline taught at the Marion Branch at the Indian Creek Mall. I was seven years old at the time and I will admit that I lacked discipline and had issues with coordination. Over the next seven years both of these areas improved greatly through the skills I learned from tae kwon do. Granted I struggled with a weight problem for most of my time during this period and the last six years due to a back injury I suffered while working for Hy-Vee after college.
The last two years of my involvement in tae kwon do were with two different schools between 1993 and 1994, which I should have apologized about when I returned to your school in Marion in 1998. Those two years were the worst of any of the time I spent within tae kwon do. Dealing with Don and Cindy McArter wasn’t fun or easy. A sport that used to be fun turned into a nightmare. My father and my family mistakenly thought we could trust those two, but we were sadly mistaken. And in hindsight I should have told my father that this was a bad idea. However, at that time I feared dealing with my father’s temper. Granted my father never hit me like his mother did, but his booming voice would scare me to death as a child, so I avoid confrontation with him because it was a losing battle no matter what I thought. The last year my family and I spent the last year working out with Alan Zumbach and his school in Coggon and then we left tae kwon do in 1994.
In 1998, I made the mistake of not seeking you out first before returning to the Marion Branch in 1998. In hindsight, I should have went and talked to you first and explained my side of the story instead of it coming it at my second dan test. I made a mistake and I apologize for it. I was an arrogant teenager that didn’t understand the concept of loyalty. I was full of myself and I didn’t take the time to see your point of view before returning. I wanted to prove to myself that I could still be involved in tae kwon do. I wanted to actually use the skills effectively and with the grace I didn’t have as a pee wee. For the first time in my life, my technique was at its prime given that I didn’t have the body type for tae kwon do. My body type was more suited for football than tae kwon do given the power I had in my arms and legs. And in hindsight I should have went and talked to you one on one about returning to your school. It is my mistake and my mistake alone and I accept all fault in this.
After leaving your school after my second dan test, I set out to fulfill the promise I made to you at my second degree black belt test which was to use my knowledge and skills to educate young children. Instead of teaching technique I focused on teaching children about the dangers of drug abuse. Having watched numerous family members suffer through addiction problems I felt that this was an area that would allow me to use my skills for the greater good. I conducted demos and gave speeches about the dangers of drugs at each of the elementary schools in the Linn-Mar District through the Teens Reaching Youth Program [TRY]. I even got to demo in front of the Gym Teacher that tormented me as child, which allowed me to show him that he didn’t scare me anymore. After graduating high school as one of 25 valedictorians I went onto get my A.A. in Business and went to work for Hy-Vee doing inventory.
In February of 2007, I was injured while working for Hy-Vee. I blew out two discs in my lower back, which led to back surgery. During my time at Hy-Vee I became a mindless drone who followed orders without ever questioning what would happen. I became the loyal employee who was literally the work horse for the store. I was their best employee the store director said, but I had lost my indomitable spirit. And in many ways I feel like I lost my voice, which in hindsight is very sad. After back surgery I began to question everything in my life. I knew that I was at a crossroads in my life where I would either stay at Hy-Vee and continue to be a mindless drone or I would go out and do something different with my life.
Then I got the phone call that changed my life forever. I had previously attended a town hall with then Senator Hillary Clinton in Davenport that winter and on the phone was one of her organizers, Danny Friedman. Danny called up to ask me if I wanted to volunteer with the campaign on a political event. I told him that I had just had back surgery and that I couldn’t lift anything. Then he had the nerve to say to me I will make sure that you don’t lift anything. I thought to myself either this guy is crazy or is challenging me and so I said ok where do you need me? The next thing I knew I was calling people throughout Iowa and my contact rate was better than any of their organizers. In November of 2007, I left Hy-Vee and enter the world of politics full time. I have since worked for numerous congressmen, a now former governor of Iowa and the Iowa Democratic Party involving political campaigns. Trust, me imagine how my Chicago Republican father feels that I work for the democrats. My sister can get away with making fun of his political beliefs while I have to keep my mouth shut during the holidays.
But over the last two election cycles, I have worked as a researcher who deals on a daily basis with my opponents. Most of the people I work with think that I am crazy to be able to sit through events where my opponents attack my candidates. But, to be honest my co-workers just don’t understand what it means to be a black belt and a martial artist. They don’t understand that in free sparing after the match is over, we are no longer opponents but are fellow students and in many cases friends. The scary thing that has happened to me is that the Republicans have come to respect me because I treat them with respect even though I don’t agree with some of their political philosophy. I am known as a good democrat, which is a term of respect. At one of event, one of the attendees wanted to hit me and all of three of my opponents defended me. When I called my boss to tell him what happened he asked me what I have done to these guys. I said I just treated them with respect and was nice to them. He said continue what you are doing. This level of respect is unheard of in politics where brinksmanship is the name of the game.
And likewise I have made a point of making sure that my opponents were not hurt at their events as well. During an event at the State Fair in Des Moines I prevented Congressman Steve King from getting hit with a funnel cake. I did what most black belts would do and warned his staff and the Republican Blogger sitting next to me that I thought that the kid with the funnel cake wanted to hit King with the funnel cake. Afterwards, they got King off the stage and the staff had corner the kid who admitted that he wanted to hit King in the face with the funnel cake. I was later asked by them how I knew that the kid was going to do attack King. I told them that I could tell by looking into his eyes. I didn’t have the heart to tell them once a black belt always a black belt. Even though, I personally don’t agree with Congressman King’s words and his actions it wouldn’t be right to allow him to get hurt if I could prevent it from happening. And granted I know that goes against what some people would want in politics, but I will not compromise my values for money. I didn’t buy my black belt; I earned it through a lot of blood, sweat and tears the old school way, so money cannot buy me.
This year, I spent the Labor Day weekend in the hospital with health issues, which forced me to again to deal with a cross roads in terms of my health. I am now a Type II diabetic with high blood pressure, which I inherited from my father and mother. I had let my weight get out of control due to the back injury and it was time to face the music that either I change my ways or eventually I would be forced to take shots for my diabetes. I personally didn’t want to go down that road, so I knew I had to change my ways. So, I started a low carb diet and began following the instructions that the doctors and nurses gave me. I knew that a diet alone wouldn’t fix my problems, so I had to exercise. The idea of walking around and looking at trees didn’t interest me for a minute. And my back limits what exercise I can do, so I began to think what other options are out there for me.
And then I order your latest book: "Best Instructor + Best School = Best Life!" Ever since hurting my back in 2007, I didn’t think that I would be able to do the forms that I had learned over the years. I just didn’t think that my body would allow me to do it. But after reading your book I thought to myself what do I have to lose. If I fall on my face trying to do the 360 in Chung-Mu on the clement floor in the basement who would know if I am down there by myself. And I began to relearn all of my forms and the scary thing was I still knew them. I had practiced most of my forms for easily 12 years, so my mind and body still remembered them. The amazing thing is now with the medicines I take my blood sugar levels are lower on the days after I practice my forms. You are right that the forms are better exercise then running and when done correctly provide a better workout than anything else that my back allows me to do. Are my forms as graceful as they were when I was a teenager? No, but they are still a lot better than when I was a pee-wee. I have learned that I have to lower my expectations. I know that I will never be able to spar again, because of my back injury, but to have the ability to the forms again makes up for this. And it is true that a person that is permanently partially disabled as I am can still practice the art of tae kwon do. Thank you for writing this book, because I really needed to believe that I wasn’t trapped in a body that wouldn’t do what I wanted to do.
There is nothing worse than being trapped in a body that a person cannot control. It made me very jealous of the people that could live normal lives. I would watch people running and think that used to be me and all I was a permanently partially disabled person. I was very angry that I was trapped and nothing seemed to make that anger and pain go away. But, I think being able to do my forms again has lessened that anger and pain a great deal.
I am glad to see that Mr. Portzline, Mr. Heintz, Mr. Phillips and Mrs. Kaye Baer are on all now Masters is in tae kwon do. Mr. Portzline was the best instructor I ever had and he made a real difference in my life. Mr. Portzline made tae kwon do fun, which is one of the things that keeps pee-wees involved in tae kwon do. I also feel that Mr. Heintz and Mrs. Kaye Baer were the best judges I had during testing who always encouraged me as a pee-wee. In fact, just before I got hurt at Hy-Vee I wrote a letter to Mr. Heintz and he wrote back to encourage me to relearn my forms and I was in the process of relearning them when I got hurt. And Mr. Phillips was the only person who remembered who I was when I attended your book signing at Barnes and Nobles in 2002. Mr. Phillips was a great teacher just like his student, Mr. Portzline.
And finally, I want to thank you. If you hadn’t come to America in the 1970’s who knows where I would be today. Your life has changed countless lives like my own for the better. I was once asked by mother if joining Tae Kwon Do was worth it? And my answer is yes. Even though, I have broken every bone in each of my feet, broke my right wrist at my second dan test, and have arthritis in both of my hands it was been worth it. I am a better person because of what Grand Master Jung and his instructors taught me. Today, where people are willing to take bribes and cheat to get ahead; I have never succumbed to those temptations because of what I learned. I have had numerous Republicans attempt to bribe me with money and jobs and not once did I succumb to their attempts, because I was taught that a black belt cannot be bought and is earned through blood, sweat and tears. And if you are a black belt then you cannot be bought. There isn’t enough money in the world to buy me and that is the best lesson I learned from you. One’s indomitable spirit is not for sale. Once a black belt always a black belt.
Kamsahamnida,
우리들이 있었다
마이크 리들
Mr. Michael Little
Second Dan Black Belt
