SR - Where did everyone go?

[stddly at SHSU.edu]

Heilsa Sister and all Ansteorrans Good and True...

Kief here typing from HE Lorraine's account...

My kinswoman Gunnora stated the following:

>I think it's just that everyone has been phenomenally busy.  We met at
>Tempio, I understand that another meeting was scheduled for Ffynnon Gath --
>but I've heard nothing further about that.

Meeting at Ffynnon Gath: May 29-31...be there!

>I have to mention that I was in both Bonwicke and Mendersham this weekend
>and that people in the the West are *very* interested in being included in
>a Principality with Southern ... they mentioned that so far we've managed
>to schedule all discussions on weekends when they have events in  their
>area that they have to support, so they haven't been able to get their
>folks to the meetings to let the rest of us know how they feel.

You are correct in saying that _some_ people in the region are interested in
being in a Principality with Southern. I will remind you that the vast majority
of the folk at the Tempio meeting polled _against_ including the West in the
Principality. As well, it seems that the Western Alliance would like to be
included in their entirety or not at all..... 

>As I've mentioned before, combining the South and the West is a really good
>idea for both groups for a number of reasons.
>
>First, combining South and West produces a principality that geographically
>could one day grow up to become a kingdom if needed -- Southern by itself
>will have some geography problems because of the coastal groups that are
>somewhat isolated by the region boundaries if we do a "South-only"
>principality.

For this particular reason alone I would oppose a Southern/Western
Principality. I will not _ever_ support a move to split a Kingdom away from
Ansteorra.

>Second, most folks don't remember this, but wayyyy back when, Bjornsborg
>was the sponsoring barony that supported the shire of Bonwicke, we sent
>people up almost every weekend, we helped out at their events, and
>generally were their godparents -- and as a result, the SCA culture in
>Bonwicke and other points west closely resembles the SCA sociology in the
>Southern baronies.  Don't believe me?  Take a weekend and attend a Western
>event and see if it doesn't feel like an old-time Bjornsborg event!
>Western events are *always* a lot of fun, the people are great, and they
>have a lot of enthusiasm, energy, and unity to offer a new principality.

As well Raven's Fort was the supporting Barony for the shire of La Marche
Sauvage way back when... This doesn't mean that it would be a good thing to
include them in a Principality with us... There are a lot of really great folk
and wonderful times to be had in the Western Region. I will agree with you on
this any day of the week... However, it's not a reason to include them in a
geographically huge Principality.

>Third, the Southern Region has a lot of peers in a wide variety of
>disciplines, peers which the West needs travelling out there and working
>with their folks.  I have found, as a teacher, that I learn as much or more
>from my students as I teach.  If we combined into a South and West
>Principality, we could combine the formidiable expertise present in the
>Southern baronies with the infectuous enthusiasm and energy found in the
>West to make something really fun, cool, and worthwhile.

The first part of this statement is quite true. The Southern Region has a large
number of active Peers. So does the Central Region and the Northern Region.
Each of these Regions is close to parts of the Western Region and these Peers
can travel to the West just as easily as the Southern Region Peerage. It is
part of our Oath to teach and train folk...all any of us needs must do is just
that.... Go forth and fulfill our Oath. (I know that you, Gunnora, do so more
than many of our Sisters and Brothers...) Again, sharing our expertise with the
enthusiastic folk in the West is a "good thing" but is it a reson to include
them in a huge Principality?

>I have heard some arguments against combining West and South that I feel
>lack merit.  The first of these is that "oh we can't do that, that would be
>half the kingdom!" -- that's not so, although it looks like a lot on the
>map, you have to realize that population-wise that's still a lot less than
>half of the kingdom.

I do beg to differ with part of your statement. It _is_ half of the Kingdom,
geographically speaking, and one of the main reason for the Principality was to
lessen the "Traveling Burden" of the Crown... So, do you want to impose that
burden on your new Prince and Princess...? If you measure the distances on a
map it is closer to the Barony of Northkeep than to Adlersruhe from both
Bjornborg and Bryn Gwlad... I will give you the fact that most of the Kingdoms
population lives in the four regions other than the Western... But, this is
still not a good reason to include the West in with the Southern...

>Even geography-wise, the Western groups are a WHOLE lot closer than most
>people realize -- I got to Bonwicke from Bryn Gwlad in 5 hours this
>weekend, I get to Mendersham in 2-1/2 to 3 from Bryn Gwlad, and so on -- in
>other words, the distance between Bryn Gwlad and Mendersham is the same as
>the distance between Bryn Gwlad and Elfsea (which B.G. folks *regularly*
>daytrip!) and the distance between Bryn Gwlad and Bonwicke is the same as
>the distance between Bjornsborg and Elfsea, which again, we regularly
>travel!  

This is kind of true. The distance may be the same but the highways are
different. There is a large difference between a steady drive on the Interstate
between cities on I-35 and the stop-and-go local traffic when you head "out
west"... Many people just don't enjoy traveling in local traffic. In my opinion
quite a few folk wouldn't travel out to the West just for this reason, just
like they don't travel there now...

>So the argument that "the West is just too far" doesn't really
>hold water, either.  The only group which is really far away is Aldersruhe,
>and most of the people I have spoken to in the West think that Aldersruhe
>would elect to stay with the Nordsteorra groups, since they mostly play
>with Oklaholma anyway.

I will repeat my argument that the West wants to be considered as a whole or
not at all... As well as my previous statements on the actual distances
involved, and the "travel burden" of the Royality.....

>So, Ivar, here's some more Principality discussion.  I really want us to
>schedule a meeting where the populace of the Southern Region AS WELL AS THE
>folks from the WEST can all come to the meeting and discuss the South+West
>combination!

Here's a thought... Why not let the Western Regional folk schedule a meeting,
say in Bonwicke proper... Then we can see just how many of the populace in the
Southern Region will _travel out there_ for a discussion on the issue.... Might
be an enlightening experience...

>::GUNNORA::

Waes Thu Hael kinfolk and my Good and Tru Sister...

Kief...

"Better the Hammer than the nail..."
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