[Ansteorra] Um...should I buy an armband?

Michael Gunter countgunthar at hotmail.com
Thu Jul 14 20:30:44 PDT 2005


With all of this talk of Period Nazis and such it kind of got me
wondering just what a Period Nazi truly is. And does that
person KNOW they are a PN?

Evidently PN's are rude people who exist for ruining other
peoples' fun by pointing out their defect du jour. Most are
callous and smug. And usually impose their opinions unasked.

I just realized that maybe I proved myself to be one by semi-starting
this thread by wondering why a tavern didn't serve more period
style food.  This comment was unasked for and I offered
alternate suggestions. Now any of my rapier friends who openly
weep at the sight of my "fancy court dress sweatpants" and
my armor that looks more like football pads than fine plate and
consider me a major hypocrite. And I guess they'd be right.

But I also think there is a difference between the PN and someone
who is sharing a passion. Yeah, I like period foods at events. My
earliest memory of the SCA was a demo I attended as a curious
mundane. I was impressed that one family had taken a lunch
break and was eating cheese, fruits, bread and roasted chicken.
It wasn't something set out for the crowd, but a private lunch.
Even then they were getting the feel of it and it impressed me
more than the fighting.

Since I got converted to the "period food really doesn't suck"
crowd I've tried to make changes in how people percieve it. Not
by sneering at a feast of all modern stuff (I do admit to sometimes
sadly shaking my head) but by sharing how that modern stuff
could be converted to at least peri-oid. The same with the tavern
suggestions. I'm not telling them to only sell meat pies and lech
lombard. But ways to make things kind of cooler with the
facilities they are already using.

The difference between PN's and enthusiasts are the enthusiasts
are happy to help you get to the place they think you should be.
Not the person who sniffs at you and tells you that t-tunic is the
wrong material and you need to get proper garb, but the person
who says this material is just as cheap as that polyester and is period
and more comfortable. Or invites you over to show you how to make
better garb. Or gives you an old piece of period garb. Someone who
inspires rather than discourages.

But I did stick my nose in where it wasn't asked to be. So I guess
I'll have to sign on for an armband.

At least I have the name to go along with it.

Gunthar
Only following orders





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