PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: Taking the opportunity to educate someone on a contentious issue is a lost art these days. Over the last decade or so, people just tend to get offended and whine to everyone except the person that has supposedly done them wrong. That’s why it was nice to see two top-level athletes — elite Mixed Martial Arts fighters at that — sort out their differences in an admirable way.

One of MMA’s top pound-for-pound fighters is a guy named George St. Pierre. George isn’t known for talking a lot of trash about opponents, and for the most part, is very well respected throughout the many nationalities that make up the MMA community. He doesn’t intentionally go out of his way to offend or insult his opponents; he just beats them up in the octagon.

George’s style of fighting is born from Japanese martial arts. As such, he wore a gi to his last fight that has the symbol of the Rising Sun. For the vast majority of American fighters and fans, this symbol doesn’t have significant meaning. But for millions of Asians around the world, it has the same deep, negative impact to them as symbols of Nazi Germany do to Jews.

One of the Korean fighters, Chan Sung Jung, decided to write George a letter, and instead of screaming about how he was offended and how George should have known better, he took the moment to educate. Here is an excerpt from his letter:

Dear Mr. George St. Pierre,

Hi, My name is Chan Sung Jung from South Korea. As one of many Koreans who like you as an incredible athlete, I feel like I should tell you that many Korean fans, including myself, were shocked to see you in your gi designed after the Japanese “Rising Sun Flag.” For Asians, this flag is a symbol of war crimes, much like the German Hakenkreuzflagge. Did you know that? … It’s such a shame that many westerners are not aware of this tragic fact. Wearing Rising Sun outfits is as bad as wearing clothes with the Nazi mark on it, if not worse.

George St. Pierre could have told this guy to pack sand and stop whining. The company that made the gi could have easily said, “It’s a free world; you have the right to be offended.” That would have been the norm, anyhow. But that is not what happened.

Both George and Hayabusa, the company who made the gi, have apologized and have since posted this statement: Since George St-Pierre wore our walkout gi at UFC 158 we have received attention surrounding the negative connotation of the rising sun graphic used. The last thing we want is to offend or alienate anyone with the choice of design on our products. We at Hayabusa have the utmost respect for culture and history and appreciate all of our customers worldwide. As such, we accept full responsibility for this design and are taking all complaints and comments very seriously. The gi worn by GSP will not be brought to market. In addition, we will be very conscious of this specific design element when developing future communication materials and products. Please accept our sincerest apology for any offense this has caused.

Many of the problems we face today in Maine — and our nation — have to do with not having respect for other people. We want everyone to respect us first while we reserve the right to offend and disrespect others.

If we should have differing opinions, the other person or group is wrong. History is viewed through today’s lens and no other (unless it benefits us). We jump at the opportunity to be offended.

Don’t believe me? Just listen to the news or read the paper and see how many times the words, “I’m offended” are used. As a matter of fact, “I’m offended” is the new buzz phrase for Maine’s Legislature — it seems that both major parties are poor, hapless victims.

If only we could take a step back and separate rhetoric for reality for a while. Maybe folks could stop yelling at each other and “listen to understand” instead of “listening to reply.” The vast majority of the time disagreements aren’t about right or wrong — they are about strongly held opinions. A little conversation behind the scene could go a long way toward educating others and defusing the situation.

Before our elected officials should be able to publicly chirp about how they are offended, they should have to write a letter to the person that has supposedly offended them and open a dialogue. After all, it works for prize fighters that want to beat the snot out of each other. I think it could work here, too.

UPCOMING EVENTS: “Read ’em and Smile — Making Sense of Financial Statements,” is a three-part series of Business Success Seminars on April 4, 11 and 18 that meet 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Village Room, Priority Business Center, 2 Main St., Topsham. Brad Swanson, a Maine Small Business Development Center (SBDC) certified master business counselor, will explain the basics of accounting and how financial reports are generated, what they mean and how they can be used to understand where you’ve been and project where you want to go, financially, in your small business. Sponsored by SBDC, Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber and Brunswick Downtown Association. Fee charged, registration required.

The April 10 Chamber Regional Luncheon features Gov. Paul LePage as guest speaker. The event is 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Inn at Brunswick Station, 4 Noble St., Brunswick. Fee charged, reservations are required.

Please go to the chamber’s website (www.midcoastmaine.com), scrolling calendar to register for all of these events.

The chamber proudly serves 740 businesses and organizations in the following communities: Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Edgecomb, Georgetown, Harpswell, Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath, Westport Island, Wiscasset and Woolwich.

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