Why do some treat heralds so badly

[Deborah Sweet]

Emher said:

>I've seen people actually throw things at a herald doing his job one 
>morning; poor kid was probably scared off.

About seven or eight years ago, the herald crying the wake-up call at 
our local event had someone pull a *gun* on him and tell him that "if 
you come near my camp again, shouting your spiel, I'll shoot you" or 
words to that effect. He's only a very peripheral player now.


>I've been thinking about this for a bit now, and I really want to 
>know why people are so rude to the heralds crying the camps at any 
>time of the day, when they are doing the job they were asked to do?

Someone else answered that there was some back and forth verbal sparring 
that was permissible. However, that kind of behavior can be misleading. 
If your group knows the herald (heck, he may *be* part of your group), 
then everyone can engage in the verbal sparring *without* any ill 
effects. But, if a group of people camped just down from your group, who 
are rather new (or maybe just clueless), witnessed from afar your verbal 
sparring with the herald, they would feel entitled to react in just the 
same manner. Which, since the herald doesn't know them, he would 
perceive as abuse. 

It seems to me then, that everyone should make the attempt to treat the 
heralds doing their jobs with courtesy. Leave the teasing and joking 
around for later when they're "not on the job." Call out thank you's 
instead of threats to them.

It might make a difference.

Estrill

(sigh, today's my birthday. I don't wanna work  :)