ANST - Just what the heck are we doing anyway?

[Michael F. Gunter]

I wished to be removed from this but there are some items
I do wish to discuss.

First I would like to thank Petruccio and Larissa for defending
me but some of the things you said did Her Grace Willow an
injustice.

Willow is correct in that I have small tolerance for "role-players".
The bad-accent, over the top Ren-Faire rejects we have all
encountered have little respect from me because they treat the
SCA as a game. Some people who roleplay also feel as if their
rank entitles them to be cruel to others or to gain some sort of
power over others because they out rank them. If we were being
truly historical this would be the correct behaviour. I oppose this.
Courtesy should go both ways.

There are roleplayers who have my great respect however. Master
Ulf, Master Leon, Master Robin of Gilwell, Sir Alexis, and more are
roleplayers but do it quietly. A Lion of Ansteorra in my mind is not
one who is always shoving their personna in your face but do it quietly
and for their own purpose. I can easily slip into personna with them.

Her Grace is also correct in that we do talk about computers, school,
and politics (lots and lots of politics) when we should be discussing
how Henry is invading France again. But as Duchess Larissa pointed
out this is a social organization not a Ren-Faire. I go to events to
see my friends as well as to fight in a tournament.

The SCA to me is a group of people who gather together with the
understanding of honor and chivalry. Where a lady can walk alone
at night and know that a dozen people will come to her aid if she
needs it. Where the combat system is based on the opponent's
honor and a person must be held accountable for his or her word.
This is real and no amount of "roleplay" or "coctail party" will
change it. That's why I do it. And my main thrust of the whole
membership argument is that if someone loves the SCA they
should save their pennies and become members for no other
reason than it is the right thing to do. Simple, non?

I help clean halls and travel to distant groups if they ask simply
because it is the right thing to do. No great alturistic reason, I'm
far from being considered a saint, or better yet a Lion. I travelled
as King, like all the others, because that is what Kings do. I travel
as a knight because that is what knights do. I do clean up because
that is what everyone should do.

I don't roleplay worth a damn because the SCA isn't a play. It's
a real life organism. My awards aren't because I rolled them up
with some 6-sided dice, they are me and whether I'm fighting
in armor or talking about my latest computer game I'm still who
I am.

I did consider Willow Taylor's (since she was speaking outside of
Duchess Willow) posting as rude and an attack, but I also read deeper
and saw the points she was making. We do need to remember just
what we are doing. All the period tents and garb do not make a
medieval society. But I still feel the true medieval society is there
even if we do talk about computers.

I hope I've clarified some points.

Yours,

Count Gunthar Jonsson, Knight, Baron
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