Children et cetera.

[LANGJ at mail.syntron.com]

     >>  We have also been accused of trafficing in children for reglious
     >> tices by a Cult "specialist" who, unfortunately, is teaching
     >>  this to Law Enforcement and has resulted in some of our groups
     >>  being investigated (those groups have been informed).

      > Forgive my ignorance, but what does this mean we are supposedly doing?

      > Baroness Clarissa

	 "Bad Things" it would seem.  If there were necessarily specific
	 allegations, we could refute them.
	 Alas, the uninformed, on being shown us (the SCA) standing around
	 a bonfire, cloaked, and wearing swords and daggers, can easily be
	 persuaded that we are engaged in some kind of occult ceremony.

	 If we obey our own rules, and keep our eyes on our children, we're
	 not doing anything wrong, but to reiterate:

	 "The conservative extreme in our society, having lost the
	 communist threat as a focus for their paranoia, has chosen to
	 cast suspicion on numerous activities.  We're a little weird for
	 some of them, and may find our activities labeled as a social
	 threat."

	 Worse, the is a possibility that we may have among us, people who
	 actually do "prey on children" <<A little paranoia for the
	 masses>>.  There HAVE been a sprinkling of real crimes committed
	 over the years.  Children and adults have been the victims of
	 sexual assaults (rumor mostly, but there's probably been a few real
	 events).

	 Fortunately, we can blame it on THEM (fill in your favorite
	 minority here)!

	 What we have to do is follow our own rules, report real violations
	 of the law, and exercise a reasonable prudence in our behavior,
	 and interactions with the real world.

	 What we do, we do for the love of an ideal.  That ideal is
	 untarnished.  If we live up to or ideal, our dream will survive.

	 bran
	 (Stargate)
	 [langj at mail.syntron.com]

	 That's all the fun I can stand, I'm going to the War of the Roses.