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

[Elaine Koogler]

Phillip and I saw that in The Washington Post, and wondered how long it would
take someone on this list to bring it up.

Unfortunately, at least here in Atlantia, they are quite common.  For example,
though I won't call names, I do know of one instance, some years back, where a
peer, both Royal and otherwise, brought a dance group down to the area where I
live to do a demo at a local celebration, Cavalier Days.  There was, at the
time, a Medieval club at the local high school, and they decided, along with
their  faculty sponsor, to come to this celebration in garb.  This charming
person decided that their attempts didn't quite come up to her standards, and
she told them so, in no uncertain terms.  Her behavior is one of the hurdles
we've had to overcome in getting sites and participation from the local
people!  I also have, personally, had newbies come crying to me on several
occasions because some unthinking, rude person has told them that some part of
their garb wasn't period.  My usual response is, "Tell that person that their
saying that something isn't period isn't period!!"

So yes, Adamantius, there are people out there like that.  We all had a good
laugh about it some years back when a group of actors put on a play at Pennsic
that had a character called "Mistress Laurel Seamchecker", who lived up to her
name.  And, best of all, during my vigil, I was asked, jokingly, if I knew
what the secret handshake of the Laurels is?  All of this is done in good fun,
but, unfortunately, there is a basis in fact.

Kiri

Philip & Susan Troy wrote:

> Hullo, the list!
>
> As long as we're on about religious fanatics and generally those who
> would impose their beliefs on others, or their beliefs _about_ others on
> others, I thought it was worth mentioning that yesterday I was handed a
> photocopy from Saturday's [Westchester?] Journal-News in which a
> faithful reader of Miss Manners writes to complain about Authenticity
> Police. Tne writer describes them accurately in concept, but would have
> us believe they're quite common in all living-history/re-enactment
> groups. Miss Manners actually makes fairly intelligent suggestions, I
> think. It's a fairly long article or I would copy it here. Maybe one of
> our librarians can find it online someplace?
>
> It had always been my impression that for the most part, authenticity
> police are up there with Men In Black, Silent Black Army Helicopters,
> and people who have had run-ins with Niemann-Marcus's cookie division.
> In short, you can't find anybody who has actually had the experience,
> prepared to name the person who lifted their skirts to check the
> underwear fabric, but everybody knows someone who knows someone who has
> dealt with authenticity police.
>
> Not to necessarily start another huge thread on this, and I'm not really
> asking for a show of hands, but how real are these people perceived to be?
>
> Adamantius
> --
> Phil & Susan Troy
>
> troy at asan.com
>
> "It was so blatant that Roger threw at him.  Clemens gets away with
> things that get other people thrown out of games.  As long as they
> let him get away with it, it's going  to continue." -- Joe Torre, 9/98
>
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