[Elfsea] RE: [Steppes] Blogs?

[Tim Rayburn]

On 5/10/05, Trish Kvamme <ladyoftherose at hotmail.com> wrote:
> So basically my comment on the subject is since it is not something
> recreating the middle ages or an Ansteorran tradition, it isn't really
> something that should affect peers, royals, populace, etc.  Because it isn't
> medieval, it is 21st century, and we wont be reinacting that for many years
> to come ;)

Robert Fitzmorgan and others have well address the points regarding
the First Ammendment so I will not go further on that other than to
say I agree with them.

On the other hand the quote above in my opinion represents one of the
greatest dangers of our game.  Her grace is not the only person to
express this opinion in their comments thus far, she is merely the
most recent so I selected her quote.

No matter how much people would like it not to be so, the person you
are inside the game and the person you are outside the game are the
same person.  What you say on a blog or anywhere else in public is of
course reasonable to judge you by.

If you are involved in deceitful business practices outside of the
SCA, I don't care how chivalrous you play the game you are not putting
forward the qualities I expect of a peer.  You are the same person in
and out of the game.  If within the game you "play" the "perfect"
Knight but you are abhorable outside the game then I think that
everyone has a right to have that affect their opinion of you ...
including the Crown and the circles.

I full well realize that no one is truly perfect, none of us are
"without sin" but there are lines which civilized people may draw. 
Suggesting that what you say outside the SCA should not affect you
within the SCA does not work.  I think that recent years should have
proven to everyone that be they child molesters, thieves, or just
deceitful and dishonest there are people we do not want in positions
of leadership.  Especially if you are a peer, noble, officer, etc the
group is fully justified to expect you to behave in a fashion that
would not disgrace the group inside or outside of the SCA.

-- 
Tim Rayburn
trayburn at gmail.com