And other fun things that showed up on my Facebook feed this afternoon.
If you haven’t seen Keenan Cornelius’ father’s press release, you should read it. His sister, Chloe (I think I may have a crush from afar on this girl, she seems awesome), posted this on his wall:
COPA PODIO 2013! That was an awesome tournament! You really did an amazing job Keenan Cornelius! But under the circumstances, I want to address the TLI patch on the gi you wore. This is not meant to be a private message, and I sincerely hope you do not take this off your page. The recent allegations toward your coach (which he has ignored but not contradicted) and the atrocious gang rape by your team mates as seen via public security camera, is an issue the Jiu Jitsu community is talking about waiting to hear your response to.
I just read the police report describing your teammate’s recent gang rape (documented via parking garage security camera). The content is sick and graphic. The young girl was repeatedly raped, brutalized, and left in a parking garage. I will not elaborate, as I know you will take the time to read the report yourself. I speak as a humanitarian, fan, and sister when I say that based on this disgusting crime, and the fact that Lloyd has yet to confirm that he is NOT the Lloyd E Irvin Jr. from Bowie University involved in the 1990 gang rape, I sincerely hope you make plans to train elsewhere.
While I know many of your teammates are amazing individuals who have become your family, considering the circumstances, practicing under Lloyd and living in a house – which turns out to be much more of a Jungle than anyone ever suspected – is extremely unhealthy and unsupported. There are many men, women, boys and girls who admire you, and I look forward to seeing the example you set. To an extent I understand you not wanting to deal with this days before Copa Podio. But the team you represent represents you. And while I love and support you with all my heart, I can not support the TLI patch you sported today.
Because many people have written to me asking about your decisions and feelings regarding the circumstances of your current team, I know I speak for many when I say we trust, hope, and want you to continue your blossoming career with honor, respect, morality — and a team and coach which represents all that.
Again, congrats on today, you gave great fights, you really showed everyone they can expect great things from you. Keep showing them that! I love you ♥
Then the sharks came out.
There was/is more after that; the discussion is still going on. What I found interesting is that DJ Jackson openly confirms that LI is the same LI from the 1990 rape case, something that everyone suspected but no one knew for sure (because LI certainly ain’t been talkin’).
I imagine that’s not going to go over very well with LI.
Now I can’t even find the post, looks like it’s been taken down. Regardless, I’m glad she said something, and I hate that she got jumped on.
have you seen this article alleging that LI bought the domain name Lloydirwinrape.com?
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/1/11/3864948/mma-bjj-ufc-lloyd-irvin-purchases-lloydirvinrape-marketing
I feel the same way you do about Chloe’s courageous words. However, I ran into a couple problems: is it right for me to say that I support her viewpoint on things, abhor how some people are attacking her and her family and if so how do I tell her that I support her words?
I don’t know. I don’t want to “friend” her just to tell her that. It’s weird and I don’t really know her. Furthermore, I’m kind of a member of the press and I’d want to disclose that – even if I’m not writing about this situation due to having at one time been the friend and training partner of Matthew Maldonado (who I repudiate and condemn for his actions that night) years ago.
What a stupid and evil drama this is.
Sorry, I don’t really think of this as “drama,” maybe because to me, “drama” is teammates gossiping in the locker room… to me this is an issue that I don’t want to have swept under the rug. I don’t want it forgotten, and I don’t want it cheapened.
My apologies – I was using the word “drama” in the sense of it being a highly emotion-invoking and tumultuous series of events that are now spilling out into the public arena at a furious pace. It is right that this comes out and is addressed.
I usually do not use the word to refer to the more mundane gossip and do not mean to reduce what we are discussing to that level.
Another extremely disturbing piece of information is that the man LI claims to have achieved a sambo/sombo black belt from, Mark Densburger, went to jail for numerous occasions of sexual abuse of his adopted sons.
It’s like a never-ending cycle of shit. On the one hand I don’t want to perpetuate the sensationalism and stuff but on the other, I’m just so angry and so hurt. I’m so angry that I have to keep telling people “You know what, rape jokes, EVEN AT THE EXPENSE OF THE RAPISTS, are not funny.”
I’m angry that I have to keep saying that. I’m angry that these men that are supposedly my friends and my teammates won’t listen when I say that I don’t think it’s funny. I’m angry that they don’t get how vulnerable, sad, and even scared their female teammates are feeling right now. I’m angry that when they make these jokes, I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t– if I keep quiet, I’m condoning it by saying nothing, and they get to feel justified in making the joke. If I speak up they get to reassure me that they’re “just kidding” and that they think that what Schultz/Maldando did was reprehensible and they get to feel morally superior.
It’s like when my dog eats something she shouldn’t and then throws up, and then eats her puke and throws up again and becomes this never-ending fountain of nastiness.
This whole situation is awful of course. I already wrote about my feelings in my own blog (http://mamommyarchives.blogspot.com/2013/01/on-bjj-and-rape.html) which many of you already read. But I will tell you how I feel as a teacher. I have been the co-owner of a karate school for over 8 years now. Although I only teach young kids, my husband teaches all the grownups and I have given a lot of thought about this situation from the perspective of someone who owns a school.
I do not necessarily think it is LI’s fault that members of his team did this horrible act. Or at least, I would need more info in order to blame him. Like that they acted inappropriately in the gym and he did nothing about it. Or that he encourages this kind of behavior in the way he trains them. (Although it seems that his past allegations do not make him look good.) Barring that, what I would say is that he has made a huge mistake by not addressing this issue in a very public statement of horror and disgust. Unfortunately, he now needs to do everything that he can to apologize for the actions of his students and try to prove that his school does not breed rapists. And so do the other members of his team.
Oh and buying Loydirvinrape.com is not doing much for my confidence in him.
Unfortunately, as a teacher, everything your team does reflects directly on you. Perhaps he did not do enough to foster respect among his members. Or maybe these are just two rotten eggs in an otherwise good gym. Either way, he sure is not doing much to help the situation.
Really good. Particularly the start of the press from the floor. Really good punching aciton with the stability at the end of the extension. I’ll definitely be giving this a try. Thanks for good stuff again Jason
Bloody elbow painted a pretty damning picture that it was the same LI based on his full name, date of birth, and that he attended Bowie State at the time. http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/1/10/3856994/team-lloyd-irvin-rape-case/in/3625585
I find it appalling that anyone would think LI doesn’t need to make a statement one way or the other. Yes, it was 23 years ago, but no, that does not make it inconsequential. An individual applying for rank with any of the judo organizations has to undergo a background check. I’ve included the link for the USJA consent form for reference. It very clearly states that if charges have been brought against you at any time sanctions may apply. It’s simply not acceptable in the judo community to have anyone who was even accused of sexual assault being an instructor. I would definitely feel lied to if I found out my instructor had participated in any way in the violation of a 17-year-old, even if we couldn’t get it up and never actually penetrated her. http://www.usja-judo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Consent-Release-Form-2012.pdf
*He, not “we”, that’s a pretty egregious typo. And I do mean that the same rules should apply to judo and BJJ. In fact, to any martial art.