[Ansteorra] Water Bearing at Gulf Wars?

[Chris Zakes]

At 09:11 PM 2/19/2009, you wrote:

>Good Day Fellow Ansteorrans,
>
>
>I do not claim nor have any evidence to show, that I understand how
>the modern world works.
>
>
>It is undeniably necessary for there to be people who are not actively
>engaged in fighting, to be supplying water to those who are. In 95+
>degree Ansteorran heat, heavy heat absorbent metal, expending energy,
>fending off opportunities to be literally physically wounded people 
>will overheat.
>If people are not there to be on immediate hand to squirt the water in
>the visor of our friends, someone will heat stroke and die.
>Sure we can say let them fight and hydrate (or not) at their own risk
>that way the Society be less culpable, but here is where my lack of
>modern understanding comes to query, is Society even more at legal
>risk for permitting an activity and purposely not providing a crucial
>safety feature like hydration when the cause and effect is so clear
>cut?

I want to make two points:

First, *NOBODY* is saying that people can not or should not bear 
water to the fighters. All that has changed is that the SCA Inc. will 
no longer be responsible for it.

Second, in the early days of Ansteorra, we didn't have a 
waterbearer's office, and waterbearing was pretty much 
catch-as-catch-can and strictly voluntary. Yet, oddly enough, nobody 
died.  I think you may be overexaggerating just a trifle.
(For that matter, I know of several cases where even when there was 
an active waterbearer's office, fighters were stupid, didn't drink, 
and got seriously dehydrated. Ultimately, it *still* comes down to 
personal responsibility.)

         -Tivar Moondragon