ANST - White Scarves as Peers?

[Reihla at aol.com]

> Tuh Tahl proclaimed:
> My point was that the afformationed cojones-laden king could force 
> the issue without much effort...

And what would anyone hope to gain from such an act?  Peerage for 
one or two individuals?  We tend to forget that our Crowns do have 
a certain accountability.  I think such an act would be promptly 
reprimanded by the BoD, the Crowns of the other kingdoms and over 
half the Known World.  

Think about it.  The rapier community has worked *very* hard for 
acceptance - even here in Ansteorra - since it's inception and since 
the first White Scarf was made (Don Tivar in 1979).  

As recently as 10 years ago, the Ansteorran Rapier Community - 
although widely accepted - was still treated as something of a 
step-child.  Even as a relative newcomer, I could see that this was 
the case.  I always got the feeling that "one wrong move and it'd be 
sent back from whence it came."  It's really come a long way since 
then, though even here in Ansteorra there are hold-outs to the "old 
school" of thought.    

It has only been during the last few years that rapier combat has 
gained acceptance more widely around the known world.  
Although the White Scarf Treaty has taken hold in several 
kingdoms, other kingdoms still make no place for rapier 
fighters.  

As hard as this has been, imagine a King standing up and proclaiming 
throughout the known world that in his mind certain rapier fighters 
are Knights of the Society and creating them as such.  The most 
immediate reaction you would get would be anger from at least a 
majority, if not all, of the other Kings (most of whom are knights of 
the society).  Anger from the Crowns translates into bad things for 
the rapier communities in those kingdoms.  There would be many other 
chain reactions, none that I can think of would end up with a 
positive outcome for light weapons combat Known World wide.  I 
think, rather than pushing that style forward, it would set them back 
severely.  

If any one sees anything positive that could come from such an act, I 
would be interested to know what it could possibly be.

- HRH Kat  >"<


*******************
Lori Campbell
lcampbel at ossm.edu
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