ANST - Dry sites will kill the SCA

[SCOTT A WAGGONER]

On Wed, 29 Apr 1998 20:56:44 EDT AuroraeB <AuroraeB at aol.com> writes:

>We live in a society where drinking is becoming taboo.  Because of a 
>few bad apples who get drunk and engage in irresponsible behavior.  The
vast 
>majority of drinkers are perfectly responsible.  But, all it takes is
one 
>accident or act of misjudgement to spoil it.   
>

I agree wholeheartedly.  I am not a drinker myself, I am a "taster".  I
have found very few beverages containing alchohol that I have liked and
then I rarely consume more than a "shot". I have friends who enjoy a wide
range of drinks because the have developed a taste for them.  I am not
against anyone enjoying a beverage they like. I do frown on those who
drink so much they lose control of themselves.  Who wants to go up to get
their AOA and have some drunk hollering in the background.  I have
attended court when there was an  intoxicated individual in the front row
beligerantly heckling the royalty. That was not the picture I wanted to
paint of the SCA to the two newcommers I brought to the event.  



>And, the fact that we have minors getting ahold of alcohol at events 
>opens yet another big 'ole can of legal worms............

>The best solution would to deal sternly and swiftly with those who 
>drink irresponsibly or allow minors to drink.  I had attended an event
where 
>a teen had sneaked into peoples' campsites and stolen alcohol.  The
person he 
>was with didn't want to take the heat 'cause the kid was "sneaking it". 

>Well, somebody has to take the blame.... Personally, I do not feel all
that 
>great when I see a teen kid so drunk he is twitching on the ground with
the 
>"dry-heaves". And it was made into a joke!
>

I remember being at that event you are refering to.  I personally did not
witness the teenager, but I heard many people talking about it.  I cannot
verify this, but the story I heard was that some SCAers duct taped him in
his tent with his vomit and wouldn't let him out until he was sober. I
suspect that may be a bit exaggerated, though I am sure there are those
who would have thought that was quite a bit of fun.  In my opinion the
teenager and the person who brought him to the event should have been
sent packing the minute the theft of alchohol was discovered.  "Sneaking"
something without permission is STEALING.  Yet another illegal act.
I believe anyone providing alchohol to minors should be banished. 


>This is the kind of antics that make drinking in the SCA such a 
>problem.....
>
>So, we know what the problems are, what are we going to do about it?
>

We all need to take a harder stance on this.  What would have happened if
the teen in question died of alchohol poisoning.  I can see the headline
now:
	 "Teen dies at SCA barbarian beerfest.
	' Drinking was period' SCAer says" 

Thats hardly the press we would want to have, but you can bet it would be
just about like that. 
I am a fairly easy-going guy, but I take a hardline stance on this
matter. So should everyone.
On the subject of dry vs wet sites.  I think that if the autocrat has no
choice but to go with a dry site then the site rules should be honored. 
If you go into a public building with a non-smoking policy, would you
fire one up regardless of the rules?  Try that one next time you are in
traffic court.  If you can't go a day without drinking some alchohol, do
youself a favor and attend a few AA meetings.  You may WANT a drink all
you want, but when you NEED a drink, you have a problem.  I want lots of
things. I want to have a car like the Batmobile. Do I NEED it? No...



Mayne de la Croix --- The original MiB
Gate's Edge Canton, Barony of  Stargate,  Ansteorra

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