ansteorra V1 #721

[Joel Schumacher]

> But I can sympathise with those others out there who have an ex-whatever
> out there who IF they could find the person whould *happily* beat them
> bloody or kill them.

Well, if I were really out to get somebody and I knew enough to know they
were in the SCA and I knew enough to look for them in the on-line Black
Star, I'd probably be creative enough to actually join the SCA and get a
printed Black Star (or any of the other newsletters necessary) that does
have phone numbers and/or addresses.  If they're obsessed enough to beat/
kill somebody, I doubt the $35 membership/newsletter fee will stop them.

This argument against on-line names/addresses is obviously weak,
especially if you're going to publish this info elsewhere.

If you're going to worry about your info getting out, don't take an
office because your info can be found.  It doesn't matter whether it's
electronic or paper, it can be found.

> people got my parents phone number from a flier that had listed me

Exactly my point.  This was, I assume, a "paper" flier?

> This week past I got more than a dozen Ugly threatening phone calls.

For $20 (and subscription to caller-ID) I got a box that lets me block
out any number that has previously called (or reject all anonymous ones).

Let's also have some common sense.  Don't sit around in fear and hide from
the world if you get prank-calls or you get harassed, wondering when it
will happen again.  Get your life back.  Get the police involved and put
an end to it.

I've only seen one good reason posted for limiting information.  And that
didn't involve hiding names/addresses, it involved hiding specific event
locations.  The intent was to get the person who was interested in the
event to make contact to attend.  Upon initial contact, it would be
explained what to expect and what to wear.  I can see not wanting a bunch
of people in jeans and T-shirts drinking from beer cans wandering around
an event thinking it's another Scarborough Faire.  Or others intending
to participate in roll-playing games.

Not that we don't want the public.  As stated, we're an educational
society.  What good is an educational society if is is not willing to
educate those who wish to learn?

I enjoyed the printing press analogy.  The printing press really posed
a problem to those who controlled information in those days.  There are
many similarities between it's arrival and that of the internet.  Obviously
fear is one of them.

We are a medieval recreation society.  I guess fear of the unknown is one
form of re-enactment... ;)

-Karl von Augsburg
__________________________________________________________________________
Joel Schumacher                        JCPenney Co. - UNIX Network Systems
jschumac at uns-dv1.jcpenney.com          12700 Park Central Pl
(972) 591-7543                         Dallas TX  75251