Ansteorran Hospitalers

[Burke McCrory]

At 09:27 PM 2/10/97 -0600, you wrote:
>> >The hospitler ... (quoting from Kingdom Law Article II section 11)
>> >... shall be responsible for the advertising and public relations of 
>> >the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc ....
>
>> The Kingdom seneschal's office issued guidelines for official public
>> contact with the media a few years back.
>
>Does the Kingdom Seneschal's guidelines override the Kingdom Hospitaler,
>who is granted the responsibility of public relations in Kingdom Law?  
>
>> The practice has ment that the seneschal's, hospitaller, and other
>> long standing members (usually peers and nobility) are able to speak
>> for the SCA.
>
>But it remains the local, regional, and Kingdom Hospitaler's
>responsiblity, right?
>
>> However you must remember that you are speaking as a private
>> individual not the SCA.
>
>And we should discuss sometimes what distinguishes a private individual
>(a member of the Society, in garb and persona) from the SCA, especially
>in an environment like Medieval Fair.
>
>> Remember that in this Kingdom the buck eventually stop with the
>> seneschal.  That is where the statement that it is the seneschal's job 
>> comes from.
>
>Once again, Sir Burke, I am amazed at your ability to overlook our
>governing documents.  That's not what our Laws say!  You and I had this
>same discussion concerning incipient groups (in this forum).  You agreed
>that our Kingdom Law says one thing, then you say that you feel it's
>wrong and "...here's what was meant".
>
>You are the Deputy Kingdom Seneschal (and congradulations, by the way). 
>Your opinions must reflect the guidelines contained in Corpora and
>Kingdom Law.  You can not make a public statement (even in here!) of
>your interpretation of the governing documents, if that interpretation
>violates those documents.  To do so violates the Ansteorran Kingdom Law,
>Article II, Section 3a (General Duties of Office) and the related parts
>of Corpora.
>
>I'm sorry, and I hate to do this in such a public place.  But I keep
>losing my decorum where you and your actions are involved.
>
>HL William FitzBubba
>Namron, Ansteorra
>
>
>
My lord Fitzbubba,

Here is the complete text of the section of Kingdom Law we are discussing.

***************************
Section 11: The Hospitaler

a. The Kingdom Hospitaler shall coordinate the welcoming and preliminary
education of new members and other interested persons and assist in the
development and growth of new groups.

b. The Kingdom Hospitaler shall be responsible for the advertising and
public relations of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., within the
Kingdom.

c. The Kingdom Hospitaler shall report to the Crown, and shall have the
right to designate deputies as needed to fulfill the obligations of the
office.
***************************

This was a change that was added in the August 1994 rewrite of Kingdom Law.
 These duties were previously listed under the Kingdom seneschals section
of Kingdom Law.  They are also covered in various sections of the
Ansteorran Seneschal's Handbook issued at about the same time which is also
a part of Kingdom Law (Article II, Section 3p).  The guidelines that I
spoke of were issued by then Kingdom Seneschal Mistress Maire during the
somewhat unsettled time when there was extreme problems with mundane's
perceptions of the SCA. They indicated that the only person able to speak
legally for the corporation is the legal representative of the corporation,
the seneschal.  No one ever implied that the hospitaler was not the person
in charge of public relations, I do however feel that the seneschal and
hospitaler must communicate with each other as to what is going on.  As I
indicated in my full post the practice is that the Hospitaler, Seneschal
and other designated persons often speak for the SCA in public relations
activities, but not as the legal representative.  Any person can speak
about the SCA as a private individual, however, private individual's
statements are not binding in any way upon the SCA.  They are just giving
their opinion.  As do you or I when we post here.  The comment on "the buck
stops here" is in reference to the fact that in the event that an office in
a group is vacant or not being properly executed in the eyes of the kingdom
superior, the seneschal is required to assume that office until an
acceptable (to the group and Baron/ess if appropriate) applicant is found.  
  See Article II, Section 3n and Section 4b, and the Ansteorran Seneschal's
handbook for pertinent areas of Kingdom Law.  One more point, there is no
such office as Hospitaler in the Corpora.  The duties we are reassigning
come from the responsibilities handed down to the Kingdom Seneschal.  

As to your diatribe on my overlooking the governing documents of the SCA, I
would like to remind you that I didn't make any of these policy decisions.
Nor, was I speaking as a Deputy Kingdom Seneschal.  Your personal attacks
disappoint me very much, as you are also a Deputy Kingdom officer.  I would
think that individuals could express their opinions in this forum and upon
finding differing opinions, engage in a pleasant discussion of the Pro's
and Con's of any issue.  I do not present myself as an expert on all
matters, just a person with an opinion.  Sometimes right and sometimes wrong.




In Service to the Dream

Sir Burke Kyriell MacDonald



mka. Burke McCrory
burkemc at ionet.net