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

[Elaine Koogler]

"Peters, Rise J." wrote:

> > I guess my question is, how much of the "authenticity police" issue is just
> about plain bad manners.  If darts aren't period, are you a bad person for
> pointing it out?  Are you a bad person for pointing it out to the wrong
> person at the wrong time (somebody already hard at work on their first
> bodice) versus the right person at the right time (somebody who is looking
> for a more period pattern for their second bodice)?  Are you a bad person
> for pointing it out in a manner that is insulting and just plain rude (as
> described above) versus sitting down and having an honest conversation about
> what your own first garb looked like, how it's changed since then (if it
> has) and why?

I think you've hit the nail on the head.  It's fine to help someone attain a
more period look in their garb or whatever if it's done in the right manner.
It's one thing to embarass a person at an event in front of others.  It's quite
another to offer, quietly and in private, to assist the person reach whatever
goal that they have in mind.

Most people in the SCA would like to look as good as they possibly can.  In some
cases, folks just don't have the skills needed to do so.  Here, one who has the
skill could offer to help by making a couple of simple things that are period.
Or the person may have the skill but not the knowledge...a simple offer of
books, patterns, assistance is all that is needed here.  However, some folks
really don't care whether what they're wearing is period.  In that case, nothing
really can be done.

Again, as Mistress Caitlyn said so eloquently, it's not what you say, but
how/when you say it!

Kiri