Awards Policy

[Jeanne C. Stapleton]

> 
> Preface: Ansteorra has no "Order of Merit". We have an Iris of Merit
> and a Star of Merit, so please forgive if I am a bit vague in the
> following discussion.
> 
> It is my belief (based upon the wording of the complaint & my own
> past experience) than the original poster may be complaining more
> about a situation where a given gentleperson may be active at a
> level other than "local", than about their actual "national"
> membership status.
> 
I'd like to suggest also that the follow-up threads on households and
member/non-member charges be appropriately so changed in subject
lines.

> FitzBubba has provided one of the most cogent quotes otherwise
> appearing in this thread, and I consider it to be more than worthy
> of repetition:
> 
> > In fact, a grant-level service award (for example, a Star of
> > Merit) is generally given for service to a Kingdom or
> > Principality, not to a group.  A person who is not providing
> > service to a local Shire could still qualify for a grant-level
> > award based on their service to a Kingdom.
> 
> Payment or non-payment of membership as a prerequisite for receipt
> or preservation of awards is an old-and-still-raw wound in
> Ansteorra. Awards granted to individuals without evidence of local
> participation are an even older and more contentious matter, which
> has in the past and apparently is once again being exacerbated by an
> individual who is at odds with their local group.
> 
> I, for one, do not consider it appropriate for any individual to
> actively oppose the development of the SCA as an organization at any
> level _and_ still receive major awards.
> 
How are you defining "oppose the development of the SCA as an
organizatin at any level"?  That phrase just strikes me as a loaded
gun, useful for shooting your brother or shooting dinner.  Okay, I'm
getting a trifle metaphoric; but this is one of those statements that
sounds like something I'd say and which can get abused.  Are you speaking
only of "opposing the growth of an SCA branch"?  are you speaking
of the inclusion of Oriental and New World personae in a group which
has in its charter "Western Europe and lands affecting it [MAJOR
paraphrase}?  are you speaking of a shire where everyone decides to
be vampires?  are you speaking of a group where a cult of personality 
has gone seriously out of control and the locals may love 'em but 
what they're promoting is not compatible with the SCA or the kingdom
so the Royals or a kingdom officer has to step on them?  (had that
happen to me--as clouter, not cloutee)

Sorry to launch this whole series of potentially "other" threads but
this statement, while on the surface noble, bears some serious 
thought.  I'd like to know more of your thoughts on this matter, what
precisely you had in mind.

> However, Mr. Bosko (acrubray at wtrt.net ?) may have misunderstood the
> award process.  The Crown can only act based upon the information
> actually in Their possession. If all they have seen are
> recommendations based upon the artistic achievements of an
> individual, or the service achievements, or the combat prowess, it
> is not Their fault that a local issue of which they have no
> knowledge may cloud any award given.
> 
This is totally 100% true.  The Royalty cannot be omniscient and it
is amazing how many people expect them to be so.  Also, I've known
people, had some as friends, who behave one way in their local group 
and another outside of it.

Countess Berengaria de Montfort de Carcassonne, OP
Barony of Caerthe
Kingdom of the Outlands