[Ansteorra-archery] Something interesting
Sylvrfalcn at aol.com
Sylvrfalcn at aol.com
Wed Jul 12 11:44:50 PDT 2006
In a message dated 7/12/2006 8:33:40 AM Central Standard Time,
davidsbox01 at yahoo.com writes:
Sure i agree, but lights can't shine without knowing how or without examples
of how to shine.
Ulrich
Really? I used to be very active in IKAC and Royal Rounds, autocratted the
last AOB that was held down this way, hosted a bowmaking seminar, helped run
the range at two Youth Academies, et cetera, et cetera.
I got my marshal's authorization arbitrarily pulled by Pug for the
shocking crime of having a beer on the range. A range, that I, by the way, was not
marshalling, but had I been, would have done nothing differently. I never
have, and never would, allow anybody to step onto a range that was intoxicated,
or in any other way impaired to an extent that they presented a hazard. Days
later, a "new rule" came out prohibiting alcohol of any kind on or around the
range, so yes, I had my authorization pulled under a rule that did not even
exist at the time of the alleged violation.
Grown ups know the difference between sipping a beer and being
"intoxicated/under the influence", and a lot of folks out there, including some so
called Arcus Majori, if they had the guts to admit it, would concur that they too
have, from time to time, enjoyed a cold beverage while on the range. My
having a beer on the range is not why my authorization got pulled, it's just the
excuse Pug used for doing it, but there's more to that than I care to go into
right now. When Gilli spoke up in protest, Pug pulled his authorization as
well. Everybody else, including my regional marshal, just kept their mouths
shut and sat on their thumbs.
Pug claimed to have "investigated the incident". He didn't. He never asked
my side of the story, didn't talk to anybody else on the range on the day in
question, took it all on the word of Middleford's Knight's Marshal, who
himself was present on the range, never mentioned a word to anybody during the
whole time he was there that he saw anything unsafe or improper going on, but
within hours of his departing the range I recieve an e-mail from Pug notifying
me that my authorization had been pulled. Now friends, what does that smell
like to you?
The Shire of Middleford's Archery Marshal, who actually was in charge of
the range, got off with a "scolding", and nothing was mentioned about the
Knight's Marshal, who stood around the whole time the "heinous crimes" were being
committed without saying a word, but apparently just couldn't wait to run
snitch directly to Pug, completely bypassing my regional officer. As I alluded
to earlier, there's more to this than meets the eye, but let me ask you again,
what does this smell like to you?
My example is by no means unique, I've talked to a number of others who no
longer participate "officially" because they're simply fed up with all the
petty little crap. No, I'm not being "defeatist", and I'm not being
unecessarily negative, the numbers are out there for anybody that would like to peruse
them to go and look up. Fewer shires with archery marshals, significantly
declining participation in IKAC (doubtful Ansteorra will even place in the top
ten this year), significantly declining participation in Royal Rounds due to
either lack of support/interest or sloppy management of the program, and
perhaps most telling of all, a measurable trend in dwindling numbers of paid SCA
memberships among the archery community. That last should sound a warning of
some sort, to anybody that's been paying attention.
As for myself, I've not given up the sport of archery, and still
participate regularly, got in some good practice just yesterday, and we had a fun
tournament this past weekend. That I'm no longer able to shoot for the greater
glory of Ansteorra in the IKAC, does sadden me somewhat, but probably not more
than seeing all the folks out there who can but don't. I still very much love
archery, and with or without Pug's blessing, I marshal our local
"unofficial" range to ensure folks have a good time safely. I still can, and still do,
everything as before, just not "officially". But then, why would I want to
take part in an officialdom that has become stifling and petty? I care about
archery, not about butt kissing and earning brownie buttons in some quest for a
grant level award, all so I can puff myself up and strut about. I'm not a
politician, I'm an archer, and a pretty darn good one. Don't believe me? Check
around.
Cheers,
Robert of Yorkshire
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