Sensei Ray Porter and Te-Jutsu New Zealand

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 12/25/2011 10:09am

http://melisakmartin.wordpress.com/2...eserves-kudos/

nd he is now providing “anti-terrorism” classes on Wednesday nights at the Huntly War Memorial Hall.

“It is terrorism when you’re walking across a car park and four or five thugs are about to attack, or rape you. I teach people how not to panic,” Porter said.

I am looking for the original published article. I just found the loose semantics interesting.

**MelKMartin** · Posted On: 3/11/2012 11:41pm

Originally Posted by It is Fake

I am looking for the original published article. I just found the loose semantics interesting.

That is an exact copy of my original published article. It can be found in the July 6, 2011 issue of the North Waikato News (Huntly, New Zealand)

**Auszi** · Posted On: 3/11/2012 11:49pm

Originally Posted by MelKMartin

That is an exact copy of my original published article. It can be found in the July 6, 2011 issue of the North Waikato News (Huntly, New Zealand)

Hi Mel, welcome to the board. Did you have a chance to read through the whole thread?

**MelKMartin** · Posted On: 3/12/2012 12:30am

Sure did.

**alex** · Posted On: 3/12/2012 4:22am

changed your opinion much?

**MelKMartin** · Posted On: 3/12/2012 5:47am

Originally Posted by Alex

changed your opinion much?

I didn't really have an opinion to start with, I just wrote what he said to me.
But I spoke with him, and whilst admittedly maybe a little too forthcoming, he's a nice guy for the most part and just really loves what he does. I don't think there's a crime in that. And people learn from him; for piece of mind, and self-preservation, their lives are probably better for it.

**battheo** · Posted On: 3/12/2012 7:57am

Wow, he's so humble! From Mel's article:

"The down-to-earth martial arts expert isn’t focused on competing, even though he is one of the best in the world."

Out of interest Mel, taking competition out of the equation, how exactly would you quantify 'best in the world' regarding martial arts?

I know that you say you just wrote what he told you. As a professional writer myself, this concerns me. Do you not think that making sure you are presenting the truth, rather than a pleasant fiction, should be a concern for a writer?

I'm not critiquing your passion for writing (which is obvious), nor do I want to saddle up my high horse, but spreading untruths is something all writers have to be particularly careful to avoid.

**MelKMartin** · Posted On: 3/12/2012 8:35am

I think your high horse is saddled up and ready to go. As a professional writer, you should then understand that at times we cater for a specific audience. This particular audience was a small, rural community in NZ. The article was a small piece about self-defense classes; which in this community is a major issue with a constant gang presence, and criminal activity. My story served the exact purpose it was intended for, which I think makes an interesting and informative read.

Aside from all of that, I'm no liar and wouldn't have said he were one of the best if I didn't believe that to be the case after much research.

Anyhoo, I still don't have an opinion on the guy. I just thought he was nice.

And I got heaps of hits on my blog today. Cheers!

**battheo** · Posted On: 3/12/2012 9:27am

Originally Posted by MelKMartin

I think your high horse is saddled up and ready to go. As a professional writer, you should then understand that at times we cater for a specific audience. This particular audience was a small, rural community in NZ. The article was a small piece about self-defense classes; which in this community is a major issue with a constant gang presence, and criminal activity. My story served the exact purpose it was intended for, which I think makes an interesting and informative read.

Aside from all of that, I'm no liar and wouldn't have said he were one of the best if I didn't believe that to be the case after much research.

Anyhoo, I still don't have an opinion on the guy. I just thought he was nice.

And I got heaps of hits on my blog today. Cheers!

Hang on, you originally state: "I didn't really have an opinion to start with, I just wrote what he said to me."

And then, when I criticise you for it you reply that you're "no liar and wouldn't have said he were one of the best if I didn't believe that to be the case after much research."

You then conclude by re-stating the fact that you "don't have an opinion on the guy. I just thought he was nice."

Which is it Mel? Is he one of the best in the world, or do you not have an opinion? I hope you understand that claiming he is one of the best in the world IS an opinion?

I notice that you've not answered my question "how exactly would you quantify 'best in the world' regarding martial arts?" Perhaps, given all the research (you now claim) you did on him you could answer that question?

I apologise if I'm coming across as saddled up, just consider me as an asker of awkward questions who would be best shut up by their answers. Of course, I do understand writing to an audience, although I fail to see how that's relevant to fact checking and truth.

From my perspective, if 'constant gang presence' were an issue in my community, I would want to know that the people teaching self defence really did know how to defend themselves. Imagine if some huckster started palming off ineffective techniques and dodgy training methodologies. A suitably confident student of his school could get seriously hurt in confrontation with local thugs due to a false sense of confidence instilled there.

And congrats on the blog hits. I wish I had the time and skill to run a successful blog myself! But alas, I have a dearth of both ATM.

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 3/12/2012 10:44am

Originally Posted by MelKMartin

I think your high horse is saddled up and ready to go. As a professional writer, you should then understand that at times we cater for a specific audience. This particular audience was a small, rural community in NZ. The article was a small piece about self-defense classes; which in this community is a major issue with a constant gang presence, and criminal activity. My story served the exact purpose it was intended for, which I think makes an interesting and informative read.

Aside from all of that, I'm no liar and wouldn't have said he were one of the best if I didn't believe that to be the case after much research.

Anyhoo, I still don't have an opinion on the guy. I just thought he was nice.

And I got heaps of hits on my blog today. Cheers!

He was the best in the world...
He was a nice guy...

These sound like opinions to me.

IMO I think you're a poor journalist. I've come across them a lot in my time. Basically you're no journalist at all you are just an over glorified secretary regurgitating what you heard. At this point I would just walk away. By your own words on this thread you did a terrible job; you did not do any real research, you stonewall serious critique of what you wrote, you retaliate against those critiques quite poorly, and, in actuality, you did that community a disservice by given them substandard advice.