[Sca-cooks] Authenticity Police: since we're castigating extremists anyway.. .

[Anne-Marie Rousseau]

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Hey all from Anne-Marie

the Miss Manners column was posted to an authenticy minded non SCA message
board I'm on. My response there: (please keep in mind that this refers to a
NON
SCA group, with VERY rigid authenticy standards. I fully recongnise the SCA
doesnt work this way, and in fact revel in the diversity :))

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on "authenticity police"...
funny, I've never met any. I'm an authenticity nut, but never met anyone who
inspects the uncaring.
sure, rolling the eyes when the person tells you all about how that middle
eastern dance belt goes with the elizabethan corset because they were captured
by viking traders as a child and taken to Uzbekistan where they learned to
play
the bazuuki...

I wonder what Miss Manners would say to:
Dear Miss Manners
I'm a member of a club. the members of this club have all agreed to a dress
code. Occasionally potential members come along and want to play, but
refuse to
meet this code.
They often will ask for compliments on their dress, and get very upset when
you
dont gush enthusiastically at their efforts, or worst yet, when you try to
give
them honest feedback, they storm off in a huff, calling you a "nazi" and
worse.

We all work really hard to maintain our standards, the standards we all agreed
to. when someone comes along who wants to play but not by our rules, it
belittles our efforts. We try and accomodate people as best we can, loaning
them equipment and helping them get their own dress up to snuff, but these
efforts are seen as strong arming and self promoting.
what shall we do? how can we tell these people that theyre' welcome to join
us,
if they just play by the same rules as the rest of us?
--Sleeveless in Seattle
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"Not a Bad Reward for Labor"
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again, I've never experienced "Authenticity Nazis", in spite of being accused
of being one. I've never given unsolicited feedback, and always try really
hard
not to say anything at all if I cant say something nice. I think some of you
may be right...its a matter of good manners, and the fact that the most rude
may be the one with the most to hide....

just my experience,
--AM, an authenticy nut and proud of it :)
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