ANST - King's Battle Ribbon, Gulf Wars & Principalities

[Paul Mitchell]

Talen von Marienburg wrote:
<snip>
> Since the intent of my message may not have been obvious, let me elaborate.
> I did not mean to imply that the Northern region provided the bulk of the
> Rapier fighters, only that their combined efforts with the Chivalric
> fighters, water bearers, artisans, volunteers, etc., provided the largest
> regional war effort.  Nor was I trying to say that the North is any better
> than the any other region, only more established as a group.  My pride in my
> region may have been written a little excessively.  I am as proud to be from
> Mooneschadowe as from the Northern Region, but still prouder still to be an
> Ansteorran.

I took it as a challenge -- "We've done this well, can you?"  I think my
Baron had the same thing in mind when he re-posted it to the Elfsea
mailing
list.  Not being a Northerner, I feel empowered to observe that any
branch
or group of branches could and should be proud to have brought so much
to
the war effort as did the Northern Region.  Next year, Elfsea hopes to
give
Mooneschadowe and Northkeep some better competition for that battle
ribbon,
but this year, it was well-earned.

As to the principality issue, I think that the Northern Region has made
itself into something far more than what regions were ever intended to
be (they are intended to be administrative conveniences to make life 
easier on the kingdom officers).  If the people of the Northern Region
wish to elevate their status to that of principality, that is their
concern, and I wish them well.  But I would think them no less loyal
to Ansteorra for that wish than was Northkeep in being elevated from
Shire to Barony.  I have opposed principalities in the past because
it has always come as "why don't you guys become a principality?"
Today, we're seeing people saying "We want to be a principality."
That process must of necessity require some concensus-building, 
education and pursuasion, but growth is, above all, a learning
process.  

- Galen of Bristol
proud to live where
Life is Good, in Elfsea, Ansteorra
http://www.flash.net/~pmitchel/galen.htm
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