[Ansteorra] FWD: [Bards] Goliards

Pat Mullins paedrics at yahoo.com
Tue Jun 10 00:36:46 PDT 2008


OOPS. that didn't work like I hoped. why does my Yahoo email program let me write in italics, if my words don't come out in italics at the other end?This time I marked my comments with double stars**

Pat Mullins <paedrics at yahoo.com> wrote:**First, let me say that I am neither a Goliard nor a Miscreant. a miscreant, sometimes, maybe, but never with a capital M. I have no real stake in this argument, and until I read this missive my only emotions about this thread were curiosity about the topic and mild annoyance that angelinblackink feels it necessary to post everything she writes to so many lists. (I'm glad I'm only on two of them). This letter, however, has angered me for several reasons, which I shall address point by point. I shall write my comments in italics, to differentiate them from the comments of Miles Grey.**
Michael Kahn  wrote: Thank you for clarifying.  By your description, Goliards represent the 
sort of people that I have disliked.  By your own words, you are saying 
that Goliards are basically arrogant freeloaders who owed their very 
survival to other, better people and didn't have the decency to 
demonstrate the least bit of appreciation or respect for that assistance.
**These are NOT the author's words, they are YOUR words, based on YOUR interpretation of what someone wrote.**
The Crown (through Their landed nobility) saw something in me worthy of 
an Award of Arms, 
**Congratulations on your AoA, my Lord. I have one too. King Rischard II (may he rest in peace) chose to give me one on the advice of his loyal subjects (no landed nobility here). An AoA and $5 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.**
thereby welcoming me into the lower echelons of 
nobility in this feudal system.  In this feudal system, the lands upon 
which I reside and from which I earn my sustenance belong to the Crown.  
**I guess your AoA IS better than mine, mine didn't come with lands and sustenance. How come I didn't get any lands? I needs some lands. Rent on my apartment is going up.** 
Though we select our Sovereign through a Crown Tournament, as a 15th century Englishman, 
**My persona is a 16th century Englishman, maybe I'm more Enlightened.**
my King and Queen occupy the throne by Divine 
Right.  They have invested power in certain nobles to assist in the 
administration of Their lands.  I owe fealty to these nobles and to the 
Crown.  Because the King and Queen sit the throne by Divine Right, I'm 
sure you must understand how I feel about people who would challenge 
this Divine order.
**Oh, I see what your doing. You're confusing persona play and real world discourse. This is ridiculous. A 15th century Englishman would NEVER sit down at his computer and fire off an angry, ill thought out missive such as you have written. he would challenge the offending party to a duel. Swords, rapiers, seige weapons, wits... I'd recommend against that last one; based on what I've read, you'd lose.**
Throughout my life, I have noticed that it is far easier to change a 
group from the inside than it is to do so by standing outside a group 
hurling epithets at them.  I have great respect for anyone who will make 
the effort to join a group and win over people to the ideas they 
propose.  I have nothing but disdain for those who will stand outside a 
group - particularly one whose members are quite happy with how things work - 
**Obviously not all members are quite happy with how things are working**
rudely informing them that they are doing it all wrong and must 
change.  I like this game we play as it is, which is why I am playing 
it.  
**I like it too, but I think it could be even better.**
If you also like it, please join us.  If you are going to hurl 
epithets 
**Haven't heard any epithets. BTW, in heraldic terms epithet has a specific meaning. "the Unsteady", "the Obnoxious", " the Obstreperous" are all examples of epithets. If you have a problem with epithets in the SCA, perhaps you should take it up with His Highness, Sir Ulsted the Unsteady. Bring a sword... and pallbearers.**
and generally act like rebellious ingrates, please go away, 
**How dare you tell someone to go away just because you don't agree with them? In the game *I* play only the Crown has that power, and only for the duration of a reign.**
because that is not The Dream that I want to play.
**As a 15th century Englishman, the only DREAM you should be referring to is the one you had last night (probably about killing Frenchmen, or about your neighbor's wife)**

This *is* my Dream.
**Mine too, but there's room in my Dream for others to live their dream**
When a friend I always called by name becomes 
landed nobility and I see him or her at an event, I address him or her 
as "Your Excellency."  
**Why stop there? I even sometimes refer to court barons and baronesses (and counts, earls, and countesses) as "Your Excellency" or some other title of respect. Sometimes I even call those with NO titles milord or milady.**
I accept that the Crown has chosen Their 
representative, 
**I accept that too, but I don't have to accept (or pretend) that the Crown always chooses wisely.**
and I accept the direction that the Crown's 
representatives choose to lead their Baronies.  If I do not like that 
direction, I will make *polite* suggestions at appropriate (and 
discrete) times.  I am willing to either have the patience to wait for 
landed nobility to step down or to select a different Barony with which 
to associate.
**gosh I'm glad I don't live in a barony where dissent is prohibited**
If you feel a strong desire to change 
Change happens, else there would never have been a Renaissance.
Dissent happens, else there would never have been Goliards or Reformation
the way we play this game of ours, 
should you not consider whether *this* is the game you should be 
playing?  If you are being disruptive because there were disruptive 
people in period, 
**I think she is dissenting because she perceives a need for dissent. She is dissenting in a period way, I see no disruption here.**
should you not be polite 
**Who is being rude here? Did SHE tell YOU to quit? That would be rude.**
enough to realize that the 
vast majority of us do not wish for you to disrupt our game?
**How did you come to speak for the "vast majority"? I didn't vote for you. I didn't see you win a crown. Maybe someone with a crown appointed you "spokesman for the vast majority". If so, that is an action to which I dissent.**
  In Service to The Dream As It Is,
**Shouldn't this say "In service to the Dream as I perceive it"?
or maybe "In service to the status quo"**
    Miles Grey

**In service to a Dream we all can share,
Lord Paedric OMullan

P.S. Miles, please read the part you wrote about change from the inside, and the part where you wrote "please go away" and consider whether or not you contradicted yourself in less than the space of a paragraph. **
       
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