[Ravensfort] Perspectives, Part Two

Charley Atchley Charley at lcc.net
Wed Jul 18 08:02:19 PDT 2001


Perspective is needed at this point.
I will agree.

1. We had a selection of a new Baron and Baroness.

2. Some people are dissatisfied.

I would like to point out that an equally valid sequence of the above two
events could look like this.

1. Some people are dissatisfied.

2. We had a selection of a new Baron and Baroness.


I do not see the selection of a new B&B as a causal event for the fact
people are upset. Anyone who has been on this list for a while know that the
"issues" are not new. If you had truly been playing in Raven's Fort for the
last ten years, then you know that the southern part of the Barony doesn't
get much official Baronial activity. When I was knight marshal 91-92, I
decided to stop the Cleveland fighter practice that we held once a month.
The reason... No one ever showed up. Most of the college kids didn't have
the gas money or transportation, and all of the fighters at the time lived
in Huntsville. The Cleveland fighter practice ended up with Doyle Angus and
me fighting each other (we did this every other night in my back yard) while
the trail riders ran over our stuff with their trucks. I know that the
argument was made that the fighters lived in Huntsville because that is
where fighter practice was held, but I spent $300 out of my own pocket on
the loaner armor, and Doyle Angus and I hauled it to Cleveland once a month
for a year or more. During that time we had a total of maybe three fighters.
There was not a conspiracy to squeeze the Cleveland group out of existence
by starving them off. There was not a conspiracy to squeeze the Cleveland
group out of existence by keeping them in the dark. (Both Doyle Angus
(seneschal) and I were accused of this.)

I have had my share of disagreements with the Barony in the past, but at
heart I find myself a Raven's Forter to the core. I can tell you that you
will face formidable odds in starting a new group in the south. I use Boise
De Argent and the Isle of the Golden Phoenix as cases in point. Both groups
were started because a group of people did not get along with the B&B or the
Seneschal. Both groups failed because they were unable to sustain activity.
I have been inactive in the affaires of the barony, because one of
seneschals in the past told me that if I object to my young children hearing
the word "fuck" in populace meetings, then I should leave them at home. They
did not feel it was their job to run a meeting where people's "free speech
rights" were infringed upon. I have stayed away from populace meetings for
about four or five years because of this. As soon as Matthew is old enough
to recognize language he is not allowed to use, I will be back. I didn't
even attend the B&B polling meeting, because one of the officers warned my
wife that it would not be a good place to bring my kids. I agreed. In my
value hierarchy, family first, SCA some where behind that.

I will also say this about Marius's postings. He has not threatened to quit.
He does not want to further tear the Barony. He is willing to fight with in
the barony for what he wants. I probably should have done the same thing. I
should have threatened to whip the ass off of people who can't keep their
vocabularies in check when several small children are in the room. That is
not my style.

If you feel you must quit, then do so. I however remain a Raven Heart.


Athaulf Sweinbrothar ORH and other less meaningful titles





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