[Ansteorra-rapier] Rapier Melee practice

[tbretz@mail.io.com]

>I think you used the phrase "eschew war practice."

Actually, you know I used the term.  It's there in black and white.

[definition snipped]

>  I think that saying "eschew war practice"  would technically count as
>discouraging war practice, especially if you are encouraging others to shun,
>frighten off, shy away from, or escape it.

Fine, I'm discouraging people from going to war practices. I've been doing it for years and look at the results I've garnered. I'm a bad guy. The opposite of black is inherently white.  Happy? :-)

>  If you don't want to play, that's cool.  I think what makes Ansteorra
>great is knowledge, skill, and tradition.  I personally believe that
>studying swordplay in any situation increases the collection of knowledge
>that we possess as a kingdom.  Other kingdoms hold a great deal of respect
>for what our rapier fighters have achieved in tournaments, period style
>re-creation, and large melees.  By continuing to study, we add to the
>tradition.  How could that be bad?

It's not bad in and of itself.  However, there are a lot of flat-out stupid traditions in the SCA. Fighting huge pitched rapier battles is NOT one of them, but it's an aspect of the game I could do without.  I also know I'm not alone in this sentiment.  I would hope the Kingdom and this forum are both big enough to accomodate differences of opinion, politely worded.

By the same token, please do not take my rhetoric seriously; I am not in a position to take too many things in the SCA seriously at the moment and my initial post on this topic was meant to be along the lines of "Hey kids! Cut class!  Rapiers weren't a weapon of war anyway.  Give peace a chance, man!"

>At least that's my thought.  Your mileage may vary.

Well, I'm one of those weirdos who thinks that the SCA's occasional purpose is to do things that are remotely historically accurate.  That means fighting wars with the accoutrements of war.  Not bird spits, to remember Master Silver.

And don't even get me started on A&S, Equestrian, Service, Brown-nosing, whatever points.

Cordially,

Etienne
Who will now go sit back down in the villains' corner


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