ANST - Merchanting, A&S Autocrat, and the Arts

[Ronnie]

I've been reading/absorbing/considering the many comments made here about
whether either/both of these are proper: 

>>1) Merchants that enter their wares in A&S competitions.
>>2) A&S event steward competing in the competition.

I agree that: 
>Of course merchant-artists should be able to enter their work in A&S
>competitions!

Good gracious!  They can do all the work, but not achieve the recognition
afforded by competition?  From those merchant-artists who have done the
research, documentation, achieved the skills, can come the most
closely-authenticated *teaching* available to us!  Non-issue, to my mind. 

>>2) A&S event steward competing in the competition.

This also appears to be a non-issue to me.  Mis-perceptions should be met
with facts.  Those who serve should also be permitted to compete, just not
in any area in which they judge.  It's the judges, after all, who actually
determine the outcome of the competition.  

To question the integrity of the competition otherwise, is to question the
integrity of *every* person involved in putting it on, from steward to
coordinator to judges -- to competitors.  How honorable is it to suggest,
without anything more than a connection with putting on the event, that
another has dishonored themselves, the judges, the coordinators, the
stewards and others to win it?  The mind that sees conspiracy and/or
dishonor with no evidence of it, is tainted, afflicted, diseased in its
sight.  We seek the Current Middle Ages to remove ourselves from such
taints, afflictions, diseases, do we not? 

So: you've been speaking my mind, Gunnora. 
Ronnie. 

============================================================================
Go to http://lists.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.