[Ansteorra-archery] What is this all about . . .

[Timothy Rayburn]

>So what's the point of this message?  To remind each of us that we are a
>community.

<snip>

>We're good.  We're seriously good.  That doesn't mean we're perfect, and
>it's certainly a good thing to strategize together to improve us as
>individuals and as a community.

My good friend Lady Gerita,

I believe that what is being discussed here is very essential to the life of this Archery community.  It has to do with focus, and leadership.

HL Gilli has expressed an opinion that if you do not shoot IKAC, IKCAC or Winter Shoot then you are not an Archer.

What I, and Wilim, and Pug, and others are trying to point out is that Archery should be pursued because you love it.  Pug has chosen not to shoot IKAC because he does not enjoy it, and that is fine.  It does not make him less an Archer than anyone else, in my opinion.

A community must grow to survive, and acceptance is the way to grow.  I no more look down on Gilli for, personally, loving IKAC than I look down on Fearghus for loving more varied shoots, or Octavia for loving combat archery.  All are Archers ... ALL of them.  And, incidentally, all of those are members of the Arcus Majoris.

If such a powerful voice of leadership as HL Gilli intends to speak up and say something as insane as what he has proposed, then someone must speak up for the rest.  If HL Gilli's statement had been left unresponded to, then a new Archer who joined this list might believe that his opinion was the widely held position.  I believe in fact that you can see, from this thread, that his opinion is that of a rather obscure minority.

Many people have asked for a more civil tone, and I appreciate where they are coming from.  But in the words of President Regan, there is a time at which you must "Speak Truth To Evil".  Truth is that archers throughout this Kingdom welcome anyone to draw to the line, to fire 2 arrows or 200.  I believe this community wants to forward their ART, not forward any given competition.  I may be wrong, but given the recent thread I highly doubt it.

Every archer reading this thread should ask themselves : Do I believe that IKAC, IKCAC and Winter Shoot are the end-all and be-all of being an Archer?

Whatever your answer, you should voice it, for this question could very well be at the heart of where this community evolves, and it is better to lead the way now, than fight for change later.

Timothy of Glastinbury