Ansteopality Revisited

Matthew R. Popalisky mpopali at comp.uark.edu
Mon Oct 21 15:05:53 PDT 1996



On Mon, 21 Oct 1996, Gunnora Hallakarva wrote:

> 
> Heilsa, Jeremy.
> 
>         I think you are way off base.  The stupid guy in El Paso is gonna
> think we're devil worshippers no matter what we do.  Not joking about the
> subject will not change that.  Furthermore, I think everyone is aware that
> the idea is a "thought-experiment" and has been being milked for the
> entertainment value.  The thread began based on the premise that living in
> South Texas with the heat, stickers, scorpions, rattlesnakes etc. is in some
> ways akin to dwelling in Hell (that's the one with two "L"s. Hel with a
> single "L" is a cold place.)  I don't know that you meant your "tone" in the
> paragraph above to sound like a disapproving daddy, but that's sure how I
> read it.  I submit that anyone who believes that anyone posting on the
> "Principality of Hell" topic was or is a Satanist is severely
> humor-impaired, and may in fact have an IQ lower than the average human body
> temperature.

Well, actrually, I was student-teaching in West Fork AR while my husband
was at Ft. Sill for FA training.  A high school clasas and I had free
time, so I added to my weekly letter.  As I hate the idea of someone
reading my personal mail, I wrote in Anglo-Saxon runes, which we are both
proficent in.  One darling child walked over, looked at my rune-scrawled
page and asked me if I was worshipping the devil... SIGH.  I explained
what was really going on.

I never admit to playing RPGs anymore.  it's them, and not SCA, that gets
me accused of satanism.  I;ve met some humans that would lose an IQ
challenge to a turnip.
 > 
>         Everyone is perfectly aware that names and concepts belonging to
> gods (whether of good or of evil) are Right Out heraldically.  This means
> that there is, to coin a phrase, no chance in Hell that "Principality of
> Hell" would ever become a reality.  The whole discussion is for amusement,
> and in fact, many people have been amused.
> 
>         The positive benefit of the whole thread is to show, by ridiculous
> example, how much fun developing real principality names, awards, and
> heraldry can be, and it has in fact gotten folks started thinking about
> names and such that they think would be neat.

Seaky, sneaky, Gunnora.  Worked, too.
> 
>         You say, "But, consider the damage that could be done to us if any
> of the persons you mention got hold of these missives."  What damage?  I've
> heard fanatic folks on talk radio since the seventies off and on claiming to
> have been eye-witnesses at SCA Satanic rituals.  Have any of them ever
> harmed the SCA?  Not if we just ignored them.  I'd sure like to hear
> examples of real, actual damage that you think the SCA can suffer because of
> some religious kook in El Paso or wherever.
> 
Actually, I can mention one.  Many years ago, the Grimfells tried to have
event over at Lake Wedington (Ragnarock.  Ask Facon of Northkeep).  As
time went on, nearly every promise they made was broken, till we were down
to a semi-mowed field and a truly screwed up way to get to the rest of the
park for showers and feast (it was amazing, every meeting something new
was reniged on.  The Autocrat was about to have heart-failure).  Within
the next month or so, I was talking to a buddy, and mentioned I was in
SCA.  He allowed as how he worked with the forestry service that summer
(the event was in late Sept), and yes, he did know about us.  Apparently
all the problems were deliberate.  One of the higher-ups didn't like the
SCA and thought we were Satanists, so she was doing her level best to run
us out.  We never went back.

And this really, really sucks.  You wouldn't think this would be a
problem, but there are very few places that make good sites in this area.
We are no longer eligable for Coronation.  It is difficult to host Crown.
The only time we did the site was technically in Meridies, but everyone
quietly ignored that.  The best we can do is RUSH, which can be hosted on
campus and doesn't have a feast.

>         Lighten up, will ya?  It's a JOKE.  If you'd really like to see the
> Principality of Hell thread die, why don't you submit your own principality
> name, plus some suggested awards and heraldry?  That would be creative and
> useful, and would probably serve to divert attention much better than
> shaking your finger at us and tsk tsking about how naughty we are being.
> 
Extinction by ignoring or distraction is very, very effective.  Take it
from a mundane MoC

Kateryn who was really enjoying the joke





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