SC - Peasants and Nobility--starting to get OT

[Kathleen M Hogan]

On Mon, 2 Nov 1998 16:28:56 -0700  "Stapleton, Jeanne"
<jstaplet at mail.law.du.edu> writes:
>
>	Nobody's going to stop you from being an Irish peasant if 
>that's that you really want.  But please be polite in return and 
>don't correct them if they call you "my lady".

>	And one general comment:  it's fine to enthusiastically 
>support and research your own avenue of special interest--such as a 
>poor clanswoman or a landsknecht mercenary or any such thing.  But
>there's no call for value judgments on the way someone else
>has chosen to play,

I don't have anything agains t those folk who choose to be nobility from
the outset.  My complaint is that I really don't appreciate someone who
looks down upon me/my personna because I am NOT wealthy.  Frankly, I
don't have a lot of money mundanely, and can't afford a lot for fancy
garb. Yet I have had "nobles" openly criticize me for "not dressing for
feast".  I have been sneered at openly at events because my garb (while
carefully researched and hand sewn from period materials) is not silk,
brocade, etc...or what is considered acceptable for a "noble lady" to
wear.  

The specific incident of sneering that I mentioned occured at a rather
large event in North Carolina a few years ago.  His Majesty was attending
and I was invited to perform during feast.  One of the "ladies" at high
table said "It's a shame that SOME people can't even BOOTHER to dress
decently for feast."  (the stresses were hers).  She said this very
loudly DURING my performance.  And the worst part is that all but one of
the people at high table (including His Majesty) laughed with her.  The
autocrat (who had invited me to perform)  apologized to me afterwards and
was quite embarassed by it all.  Again, not even a majority of the
populace behaves in this kind of manner, but there are all too many.

>	I am nobility by choice, I'm titled, and my lady, I take
>exception to your painting everyone who chooses to play that way as 
>backstabbers or interested only in titles or fripperies.  I didn't
>start out looking for these things, they just happened.

I don't....I just see an awful lot of it.  As I stated in my last
paragraphs...I have been on the receiving end of it repeatedly.  I have
seen shires fall apart because of it and longtime members quit because
they were tired of it.  I don't even claim that the majority of Scadians
are like that, but unfortunately, they seem to be ruining it for the rest
of us.  I try to avoid it, but when you are deliberately excluded from
activities that are planned by the shire or have people making snide
comments aloud about you/your personna at events...it's kind of hard.  I
have repeatedly volunteered to hold office in my shire, but because I am
not part of a certain person's little group....I have been refused.  Our
new seneshal is trying to cut down on the cliquism, but it's been hard.


My dream of the SCA....where people are accepted on their merits, not
their bank books.  Where people are recognized for who they are, not who
they know.   Where people can enjoy  their research and have their fun
too.

Catilin NicFhionghuin
House Oak & Thistle
Shire of BorderVale Keep, Atlantia
Augusta, GA

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