April 23 has Come and Gone, 39 years after the Dojo War

April 23 has come and gone. It was the day of the Dojo War between the Green Dragons and Count Dante. I did not mention it. I got a couple of emails from people remembering Jim Konsevic and wishing me luck on the film. I have talked to Konsevic’s cousin about the film recently as well. He is a great person and really gets what the film is about. I am really happy he reached about to me because I really wanted a voice for Jim Konsevic as a human being and not just a victim of someone’s bad judgement.

The following video is a preview of interviews about the Dojo War I did with the late Ken Knudson and alive and well Mike Felkoff. Knudson was a student of Jim Konsevic’s and Jimmy Jones. He knew Keehan but was never a student of his.

An information war of sorts has started around my making of the film by people who were not there and really are operating on second hand information. I have people telling me things who offer no proof, refusing to say it on video, and then telling me I really don’t want the truth. The TRUTH. Whose truth? Everyone is coming to me with their version. I have interviewed a lot of people so far. I am not sharing my list because people have actually reached out to names and tried to condemn the project. It has a Rashomon like fell for sure.

39 years after the Dojo War and 34 years after the death of John Keehan the mythologies, rumours and fantasies are still alive. I just keep my sense of humour and keep moving forward.

The Green Dragon Society interview I did introduced a whole new set of information that in no way made sense. We all agree that it was bad judgement on everyone’s part. This event eventually caused a split in the Green Dragon Society I have been told. I will still try to get someone high up in the Green Dragon society to talk.

That is my responsibilty, to get both sides to talk about it. There is one student of Jim Konsevic’s who was there. He does not want to talk on video and I will try him one more time. He did say they had no idea they were going to a fight.

The Count Dante story really revolves around three key events, the attempted blasting cap breaking of Gene Wykas’ dojo windows, the Dojo War and the Purolator robbery.
John Keehan’s story before these events is where the meat is for me.
There are those who want to focus on the Count Dante persona as gangster, pimp spawn of the devil and that is not the film I want to make. These things are in the film but what lead John Keehan down the road to Count Dante? The best explanation so far come from his spiritual teacher. I will not go into that now, but I do talk about it in the blog last year.

There is even a blog out there to counter anything I say in this blog. But what is interesting is it offers no new information I did not already have. 2 people in Fall River, MA insist the story lies there, and then took me to Federal Court because I did not agree that it did and would not pay them $10,000 for artifacts that may or may not exist. We find a lot of megalomania on the internet these days.

I have been told that one of the two people making the posts on the Internet at Bullshido wants to destroy me because I will not present the truth. Their truth has a $10,000 pirce tag.

The Internet threats brought a notice from the court. There was some talk about hitman. It is all in the transcripts.

The Court case is active and transcripts from the past proceedings can be seen here.
We have moved for a dismissal, the attempt by the other party at Settlement was ridiculous.
Inspite of all the Court said they still act more in arrogance then with common sense. Another hearing wull be coming up soon.

Good things are happening with the film all around. I am happy I started this project. I am confident I will complete it this year, I am confident it will be recieved well by the general film audience who love documentary film. The martial arts community will be dubious but curious, and a few people, no matter what you do, will never be happy.

One of the Fall River characters has said some less than positive things online on Bullshido.net about my instructor and longtime friend, Gregory Jaco. Very Interesting because John Cole one of the Fall River masters who was directly trained by Dante served in the military with Jaco. I doubt Mr. Cole supports this activity or those statements. I don’t have to say anything about Jaco. Just watch the video below of how his unified, cross-cultural, multi-religious community celebrated him. Look at the life of his children. One of them, Wasalu Jaco is also known as Lupe Fiasco is nominated for 4 Grammy Awards!!!