[Sca-cooks] Re: [Directors] I quit

[Andrew Smith]

    Dear Mr. Steenhout,

I am truly sorry you are dissatisfied with your experience in the SCA.  My
opinion is that the Society is full of wonderful, decent, caring people who are
willing to go out their way to help a fellow SCAer.  Yes, we all have a few bad
experiences; but on the whole, the Society is a warmer, friendlier place that
99.9 percent of most organizations or groups.

Regarding the ADA, we have spoken to numerous attorneys numerous times
regarding our responsibilities under that legislation, and when you are told
that we are not required to comply with it, that is a truthful statement. 
Perhaps that is not what you wanted to hear, but that is the case.  Now, I must
immediately add that not being required to comply with the provisions of the
ADA does not mean we have no interest in making out disabled members'
attendance at events more comfortable and easier to manage.

To imply that those of us in the SCA have turned our backs on those with
physical limitations is unfair and untrue.  For years, a paraplegic was the
Baron of one of the largest Baronies in California.  I have been to numerous
courts where a signer was present for our hearing impaired members.  An amputee
recently completed his full term of service as the Earl Marshal of one of our
Kingdoms.  At feasts and banquets, special foods have been prepared for those
with dietary restrictions.  On the fighting field, I have seen paraplegics and
amputees participate in armored combat.

I do not know the extent of your physical limitations.  All I can tell you is
we do the best we can with the resources we have, and sometimes, that might not
be enough to fully help someone in your particular situation.  That does not
mean we are unwilling to try, it means, like most other human beings, we do the
best we can.

It is my experience that when disabled members work with the SCA's officers and
autocrats in the spirit of cooperation, resolutions to problems are
attainable.  I request that you contact the seneschal of your group and/or
region, and if necessary, the Kingdom Seneschal, explain the exact nature of
the problem, and work with them in an effort to resolve the issues.  Conflict
and threats accomplish little.  A small amount of cooperation goes a long way.

    Most cordially,

    Andrew Smith
    Duke Andrew of Riga
    Secretary, SCA Inc.
 

Gorgeous Muiredach wrote:

> As you may know, I use a wheelchair to get around.  I have been in the SCA
> for a little less than a short year.  During that year, I have encountered
> many obstacles to my participation at events.  Event sites not being
> accessible to me, and other people with mobility impairments is part of the
> problem.  The bigger part of the problem is the attitude found nearly
> everywhere that it doesn't really matter if a site is not accessible.
>
> Excuses are made.  "It's too expensive".  "We rent the site, we have no
> control".  "We can't afford it".
>
> When offers to help identify solutions are made, they are too often plain
> ignored.  That is, when I'm not simply told to my face "there are not
> enough of 'you' [read people in wheelchair], we don't have to be
> accessible".  Imagine telling someone they can't go in an event because
> they are African-American?  How well would that go over?  Yeah, plain and
> pure discrimination.
>
> You also hear: "The SCA is a private club, we dont' have to comply with the
> law".  Screw the law, just think of the concept of society...  You are
> supposed to make people feel welcome!  That being said, the SCA is NOT
> excempt from complying with Title II of the ADA, or any number of other
> state and local laws and regulations.  If you question that affirmation of
> mine, I would be glad to provide you with excerpts taken from the text of
> the law and technical manuals concerning the law.
>
> What's worse, the BOD, and apparently several Kingdoms, don't give a shit
> either.  A group that only had access to one accessible site in their town
> was told by BOD not to force the hall to comply with the law.
>
> No sanctions were taken against some people that openly discriminated
> against me around a fairly recent 12th night event.
>
> So, you win.  The angry gimp is going away.  You won't have to deal with me
> anymore.  I'll join the growing ranks of the disgruntled.  But there might
> be someone behind me that will get angry enough to file a lawsuit, and when
> that happen, don't act too surprised.
>
> To those of you, my friends, who have made efforts to find solutions, to
> plan ahead, I thank you.  I shan't forget you, I just can't deal with the
> pervasive sense of not being wanted at events anymore.  Too many people,
> too many times.  I have enough of that in my real life, everyday.  When I'm
> going to a recreational group, I don't want to have to constantly fight.
>
> Have fun.
>
> Nicolas Steenhout
> was
> Gorgeous Muiredach
> Rokkehealden Shire
> Middle Kingdom
> "You must deal with me as I think of myself" J. Hockenberry
>
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