[Ansteorra-rapier] Suggestions for classes for the next Rapier Academy

[Chris Backus]

How did I attack Alessandro again?

The problem that I think began this round of arguments concerned cadet
duties.  Nobody else generally directly takes the Princess' blade, although
I will do my best in the future.  You can blame the Dons for taking
unmotivated cadets, but I'm trying to say that you might get further by
delaying the blame shifting long enough to realize that the cadets who
haven't held the sword or the banners probably should consider whether they
should next time.

My personal opinion is that I don't care what the cadets decide to do.  If
there truly isn't enough motivation for them to guard the Princess or hold
the banners, that's OK.  I loved doing both of those things and would gladly
take a turn again.  I would expect no new additions to the Order of the
White Scarf of Ansteorra taken from those who haven't enough dedication to
Ansteorra to work for it.

There are always valid reasons not to do something, so please nobody email
me saying your spleen was bruised and you couldn't hold the blade at some
event.  I might laugh at you anyway, ask me life events I've managed to work
around.

Hawkins

----- Original Message -----
From: <GabriDAvila at netscape.net>
To: <ansteorra-rapier at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2002 3:18 PM
Subject: RE: Re: [Ansteorra-rapier] Suggestions for classes for the next
Rapier Academy


Hello Hawkins,

I found Amerinda's post somewhat humorous even though I also consider the
topic to be a serious one, and I thought your personal attack against her
and Alessandro was unwarranted and inappropriate.

see below for further comments...

>I felt that Amerinda was offended by the tone of the roundtable this
weekend
>and took the opportunity to make a weak, semi-humorous attack at it.  I
>think she would have done better to seriously address what she saw as the
>underlying issues, argue against the way it was presented, and give some
>solutions for the perceived problem that prompted the discussion.

Your jab at her could be viewed as equally weak as it did not express your
true concerns that you expressed in this e-mail. You were not making a
reasonable argument against the way she presented her views nor did you
offer solutions to the problem you perceived. Instead you attacked her.

>The discussion was at least partly fired by the observation by some outside
>the rapier community that cadets were not doing their job.  The job was a
>cadet job and the blame can always be shifted to the Dons, but while that
>shift is happening, the cadets should look and see whether they have done
>their job.

I do not believe that the "blame" is being unwarrantedly shifting. I think
the problem is not simply a "cadet" problem but a rapier community problem
which we should all work to solve...together.

>I think we could have done better at the roundtable.  I think the main way
>in which we can do better is to individually address deficiencies rather
>than generalize them to the cadets as a whole.  I think we need to address
>those who are not doing the work, not those who are doing work.  Being a
>cadet is a job, not a title, award, or accessory.  If you're not working,
>you should be known as "unemployed" rather than by a job title which you
>don't merit.

I believe I agree with you there. I thought your tone was offensive in your
one-liner e-mail, and I hoped to diffuse it somewhat. You are of course
entitled to your opinion and manner of expression, as am I. And I love you
for who you are even when different than me.

Best wishes,
Gabri