[Ansteorra] "Are you in a play?" (was: Group status changes)

[Lisa]

I've heard all the stories and even told a few myself, including getting 
several people interested in the SCA by going into a small town diner in 
full garb and having our waitress sit down at our table and start talking to 
us about why we were dressed the way we were.

The worst I've had to deal with though happened recently when my husband and 
I were in court as character references for a friend who was in the middle 
of a divorce.  His ex-wife's attorney grilled us heavily regarding the SCA 
describing it as a "Cult" that drinks to excess, makes illegal alcohol, 
carry an excess of weapons, including guns, knives, swords, axes, leave 
these weapons out where children can have free access to them and do not 
supervise our kids....

Of course he was rapidly informed that the SCA is not a cult, any drinking 
done at events is limited to adults, and although some people in the SCA are 
brewers/vintners, what is brewed is not illegal, nor are the amounts, any 
weapons are typically locked up when not in use and peace bonded at events 
(had to explain what a peace bond was) and children are always supervised, 
many events even have children's activities which parents are requested to 
assist with.

Elizabeta of Rundel