[Gatesedge] Introduction

[Michael Tucker]

On Tuesday, January 13, 2004, at 08:42  AM, Jennifer Guest wrote:

> ...  For the past several years I've
> been trying to get involved in the SCA, but have been
> intimidated (I'm not a huge history buff either), too
> far away, scared away (it's a common opinion up here
> that Stargate and Westgate people can be not-so-nice),
> or have given in to my obsessive shyness.  ...
>
> =====
> Blessed Be,
> ~Jennifer(RL)/Heruthane(Wicca)/Qulajin(SCA)/Lossefalme(AMTguard)
>

On Tuesday, January 13, 2004, at 08:44  AM, Jennifer Guest wrote:

> Ech, that was supposed to be off-list.  :-/

Milady Qulajin,

I realize that your post was an accident. But I'm glad, in a way, that 
you posted it. Those are the sort of opinions I would much rather see 
in the light of day, than hidden away in the dark somewhere.

I know that, in every group, there are always a couple of malcontents 
who will *never* be happy, and will *always* find something nasty to 
say about other groups. It's how they make themselves feel bigger and 
better and more important than they are. Sadly, these folks have a 
knack for seeking out the newcomers to the group and "poisoning the 
well" before they've ever had a chance to drink from it.

There are also, sadly, always a few folks in every group who are "bad 
examples" of behavior in their group. I.e., they are irritating to be 
around (for whatever reason), and make their whole group look bad.

(I'm sure you've seen this exact sort of thing in Amtguard, school, 
your job, wherever... it's just human nature.)

But... allowing for a couple of malcontents in one group, or a couple 
of "bad examples" in another group... do you think this is this really 
a commonly held opinion in Gate's Edge, about the folks in Stargate and 
Westgate?

Or is the opinion held by just one or two people (or *about* just one 
or two people), as far as you know?

If the former, then I, personally, would like to do whatever I can to 
convince you otherwise. Not by browbeating you into "changing your 
story", but by demonstrating that we really do get along well together, 
and - for the most part - we really are a bunch of nice folks (in 
Stargate, Westgate, Gate's Edge, Loch Soilleir... pretty much this 
whole area of groups who tend to work and play together).

When I was Baron of Stargate with Baroness Neassa we heard the same 
concern that you have voiced, and tried hard to fix any problems we 
could find between our groups. So have others, on both sides of the 
fence, including your own Baron Talmon, Baroness Signy, HL Annes and HL 
Caitlin, among others. We *did* find some problems, and hopefully we 
fixed them. But, mostly what we found out was what I described above: a 
couple of dissatisfied people (who would *never* be satisfied) and a 
couple of "bad examples" they could point to and make an issue over.

I would point instead to our past cooperations - all the events that we 
have put on, together. When I was event steward of Stargate's 25th 
Baronial, it was mostly folks from Gate's Edge who came out on Friday 
and early on Saturday to clear the site and set up for the event. It 
was largely those same people who were there at the bitter end on 
Sunday, helping with takedown and cleanup. If you look at a Gate's Edge 
event, you will find many folks from Stargate and Westgate there, 
helping out in equal share. The same is true of Loch Soilleir events 
and Westgate events. We really are friends who help each other, and 
have fun doing so.

I would also point to our future cooperations. Rather than let 
someone's poisonous (or honeyed) words sway you, please come to a few 
events and form your own opinion, based on your own observations. If 
you have already done so, and your opinion *is* based on personal 
observations, I welcome you to share them with me - publicly or 
privately. Maybe you see something that the rest of us have overlooked; 
and maybe something can be done to fix whatever it is that you see as 
"broken".

I attend almost every Gate's Edge, Stargate and Westgate event. If you 
are at one, please ask someone to point me out (if you don't already 
know me). I'd be happy to listen to your story.

Yours in service,
Michael Silverhands
(old retired Baron, Pelican, etc.)