[Ansteorra] A question about freedom from the Western Region

[Jay Rudin]

"Lord Pooky" passed on some perfectly valid questions from Lady Kisska that 
deserve fair answers.  Most of the confusion stems from the idea that a 
local branch and a region are "a home", an allegiance" or some other 
emotional thing, rather than an administrative unit.

> To paraphrase (always dangerous): What limits if any exist as to where 
> someone can call their home now that their home is no more?

Your home is anywhere you want it to be.  Neither the SCA, Inc. nor the 
kingdom of Ansteorra has any say in this, or wants any say in this.  But is 
has no particular bearing on how to the officer structure.  The local 
seneschal must be a seneschal close enough to rule on legal issues that 
come up.

The local branches are defined by zip code, and are intended to make it 
possible for a new person whjo joins to be in a local branch in which they 
can become an active participant and eventually an officer.

You will be considered a member of a local branch that you are close enough 
to that you could serve as an officer, if you choose to do so.  Even if you 
don't wish to be an officer at present, the SCA has no right to play games 
with the zip codes that would make some other person who shares your zip 
code ineligible to be an officer.

 >If I am required to make allegiances with another, then am I not allowed 
to pick the region that I would like to most align with?

Your allegiance is placed anywhere you want to place it.  When I was baron, 
one lady from the Western Region swore personal fealty to me, and another 
was my cadet.  Feel free to fight with any fighting unit in the kingdom. 
But the local marshal will be a marshal who can occasionally drive in for a 
fighter practice.  "Align" with anybody you want, and don't sweat the 
corporate stuff.

> If my freedom is limited, then I will graciously move my zip code to the 
> appropriate region.  But if I am truly free, then 'I would like to 
> choose' where my populous number would be counted.

You are not "truly free" to change corporate policy.  The numbers are 
counted by zip code, and the intent is that any zip code will be included 
in a nearby group.

Occasionally, there is zip code re-alignment, when it's clear that a lot of 
people in an area are active in a different group.  If you want to work 
toward that, and if the group you want to be included in is fairly close, 
it can happen.  But it won't be done for a single individual; it's done to 
serve the people in that area in general (including the potential members 
who might join next year).  So a zip code will always be included in a 
fairly close branch.

There are people living in Kansas who want to be counted as Ansteorran, so 
they maintain a Post Office box in Oklahoma where they receive their 
newsletters.  If you want to do that, you can.

But in general, the kingdom and corporation discourage playing zip code 
games.  These are not supposed to be about allegiances or alignment or 
home, but about administrative convenience.

Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin