[Steppes] Plea for the Heralds (was: Plea for the SCA)

[Diane Rudin]

Your Majesty:

I am sorry to hear that this is still a problem.  I had thought that we
were talking about stuff from the late 80's and early 90's, before the
internet was so common.

I suspect that a very overworked submissions heralds did what he/she
could, without thinking about how such comments would be construed
outside the heraldic circle.  Commentors are all volunteers, just like
everyone else, fitting this tedious but necessary work into their
alleged spare time.  All the stress can come out in some pretty
unpleasant ways.

I would like people to take a step back and realize that they may be
letting a few bad apples rot their entire impression of the heralds.

Heralds are often publicly ridiculed and humiliated when they
accidentally mispronounce someone's name, or mess up during court.
Does it help *them* become better?  No.  They'd like to be corrected in
a respectful manner, as well, and no one seems to care that they
aren't.  In fact, it is not unusual to see everyone attending court get
involved in the game of "insult the herald".  Sometimes the herald is
Master Modius, who defuses it by joining in on the joke.  Sometimes the
herald is a new person quaking in his boots through the whole
humiliating thing, and then leaves the SCA forever.  I saw just such a
thing happen at a Steppes Warlord a few years ago.  It was horrible.

I don't know of anyone who's been as publicly humiliated by comments
about their submission as heralds are routinely publicly ridiculed.

However, I don't think that the entire populace of Ansteorra are
horrible people who are out to insult heralds.  Nor should anyone
believe that the entire College of Heralds are horrible people who get
their jollies insulting submissions.

People treated in a courteous manner usually respond in a courteous
manner.  People treated with disrespect usually return the "favor."
But the finest people of all are those who greet discourtesy with
courtesy.  Many of those people are Ansteorrans--and some of those
Ansteorrans are also members of the College of Heralds.

Respectfully, in service to Ansteorra,

Mistress Serena Lascelles

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