Putting foot in mouth

[stddly at SHSU.edu]

From:	MX%"ansteorra at eden.com" 26-FEB-1997 16:01:57.33
To:	MX%"ansteorra at eden.com"
CC:	
Subj:	Re: Putting foot in mouth/Reality



On 26 Feb 97 at 15:03, Baronman at aol.com wrote:
/>   BINGO- Somebody got it right, out there in SCA land.  Finally
/> someone opened the door for my next tirade ( are you listening
/> Galen?).  For many people in the SCA within this Kingdom, the SCA
/> is not  an  "Educational Recreation Group", it is a way of life.
/> ...  I know I'm going to get flamed massively for this, but I got
/> strong shoulders. 
/
/no flames from this end, only a great deal of understanding ... you 
/will definitely hit a nerve on that topic, but it's like a disesaed 
/tooth - it's always the most sensitive and becomes more so until it's 
/removed.
/
/it's also the reason why i have *many* close friends (including at 
/least three "belts") who walked away from the "game that was reality" 
/long ago to productive lives in the real-world ...
/ 
/'wolf
/... a watcher and recorder for many, many years

All these opinions are MY OWN and do not necessarily reflect those of
my Significant Other, my Laurel, my Friends or my Group!!!!!
 
All that we experience is part of OUR REALITY. The SCA is not a seperate
reality but just a part of the whole. It is our focus on certian parts
of reality to the exclusion/subjugation of the others that is the problem.
The SCA has been a nice safe place to play and grow for many people. It
has a stated system of honour that has made it comfortable to excape into
when other parts of our reality don't match up. It also dissappoints us
greatly when the ideals we seek through the SCA are dashed by petty BS
and politics. This happens in most every club, not just the SCA. For me
it also happened with Church and is one of the reasons I disdain organized
religion. If you can keep perspective and balance you can enjoy all the 
worlds that are a part of your reality and be productive in those that
you choose. But then none of us has addictive personalities do we;)
The responsibility is each of ours NOT the SCA's.

And for the record... I'm one of the ones that has had a major problem
with the ad hoc publication of CERTIAN things on the internet. We don't 
just live in the SCA... we live in the real world. It is just common 
sense not to put your home address out to all commers especially associated
with a group that is known for its principles of trust and honour.(or
conversley thought to be an "evil occult organization") I actually
believe that the event information should be on the internet MINUS the
physical location. Whether you put that up should depend upon the event and
the agreement with the site owner and exactly how willing the group is to
outfit and mentor people who show up with no clue. I WANT information
about the SCA on the NET, but we must use COMMON SENSE in content and
format.

We have as many problems within our Society as without . Just
ask the people who went to Pennsic how much stuff got stolen from camps
and merchants this year. We are insulated from the bad by the ideals we
cherish and because the really bad things don't get advertized. A few
years ago I was raped at an SCA event. I was ashamed and blamed myself
for not stopping it. I found out later that this male had been known
to accost women on a regular basis and that most people I knew of upper
rank knew of several instances where he was caught and dissuaded from
action. I know of a couple of instances of sexual abuse of a child, one
reported and prosecuted and several not. These things are rare but 
happen and many other organizations have to deal with the same issues
(we won't even mention the Catholic Church).

It SUCKS BGDD that we can no longer leave things out without watching them.
and that we have to be more careful with our children and that there are
idiots who really do believe we are an occult organization.

I am NOT saying that we have to FEAR the bad things that could and do
happen JUST that we can't ignore that they DO happen and we should be
AWARE of them and if possible take PRECAUTION. 

The SCA is a place where we go to play and relax (as well as learn) I just
don't want it to end up like the rest of the world. 

H.L. Lorraine DeerSlayer 
AoA, Comet, Crane, Iris
Seneschal of Raven's Fort, former seneschal of Seawinds (among other
positions), former assistant to the Star Princpal Herald, autocrat of
several events, mother of a 15 year old male and player in this game
for 11 years and not going to leave
it now!!!