[Western] Western] Dissolution of the Western Region and Several Shires

[rizardo dartusio]

My wife and I are two of the newest members to the SCA and Ansteorra.  I say this is preface, because my comments will be from the perspective of a new member.  Before coming to Trelac, I knew relatively little about the SCA .   Before retirement, my life was spent in the service of volunteer organizations.   As a professor at Oregon State University, I recruited, trained and supported over 350 volunteers.  As a counselor at Clackamas Community College I taught and counseled hundreds of students.  I say this because I want you to know that I am quite familiar with people, groups and their dynamics.  Having said this, I have never met another group of individuals like the SCA.  I am continually amazed by the nature of this group.  I struggle to put into words what exactly is different about the SCA.  Many Scadians have compared the SCA to a family and the comparison is a good one, but for me it still doesn't fully describe the nature of the energy,
 bonding and commitment to both the dream and to each other.  
 
I learned fairly quickly that fighting in a huge part of what we're about.  It is the most obvious thing that mundanes see about us and the thing that draws many first timers into us.  And, maybe it is the thing that sets us a part from other groups.  From what I know about war there is something different and deeper about the relationships formed on the battle field than any other place.  As horrible as war is, we are drawn to camaraderie, altruism and heroics of the battle field.  It is the subject matter of numerous books and movies.   What the SCA has done has fostered the camaraderie and heroics of war without any of the horrors.  While to the newbie, what seems most important is learning the techniques required to down your opponent, but what I have discovered is that the honor, commitment and fellowship connected with the fighting are far more important than striking a proper blow.  
 
It takes commitment and effort (physical and mental) to do what we do.  I once remarked to a fellow Scadian, that at my age even getting to an event and camping is a daunting task.   Every time I go to an event,  I am at war with myself.  The physical exhaustion, heat, bugs and bruises tempts me to stay at home where I can be comfortable.  Yet every time I defeat my laziness, I am rewarded with feelings that come from the victory over weakness and apathy.   More than that  I am rewarded by counting among my friends others who have fought and won similar battles with themselves.  Our physical battles may be the most obvious battle to mundanes, but like in Aikido, our physical actions reflect our mental states.  
 
Make no mistake, what Kingdom did to us requires us to do battle.  Yes, we were already at war with declining numbers.  It seems the mundane world would rather experience life through a piece of technology than to experience it  for real.    Much like the 300 Spartans, the groups of the Western Region stood their ground to beat back that mundane apathy.  Much like the story of the 300, our Kingdom's leaders did not send out reinforcements to our aid, but stayed back in the comfort of their court and made assessments and edicts.  Was there maliciousness in their actions?  I think not.  I think it was ignorance and the search for an easy answer.  Will we fight on until the rest of the Kingdom comes to it's senses and realize how valuable our participation is in the war against apathy?  If we do fight on we may not save shires that were lost, but we will be remembered as a people who didn't give up, who continued to fight for the dream even after others had
 forgotten it.  As Wilhelm expressed in his email, the Western Region is a special place.  We applauded the messengers who brought us the bad news.  I can't speak for others, but I applauded their bravery, honesty and the depth of their feeling for our plight.   I hope those that are feeling lost, discouraged and  tempted to quit the fight right now will reconsider and not leave the battle field when we need you so much.
 
Some might say that those of us from Trelac were lucky.  We didn't get disbanded.  Maybe we are luckier than some of you on this list, but we were not lucky.  I have a great fear that any loss of the membership around us will adversely effect our participation as well.  Some of the events that my wife and I enjoyed going to may not be held.  We may loose contact with some of our new friends.  Even in Trelac we need the help of our neighbors. The success of our last demo, which was so enthusiastically received by the merchants and people of  San Angelo, was in a large due to the support and participation from the surrounding SCA groups.  My hope is that Kingdom will also realize that they need all of us.  Our loss is theirs as well, although they may not realize it now.  
 
I would like to finish with the following quote.  I hope others outside the Western Region who will read this and reflect on it's meaning for them.  I thank the many people from outside this region who have expressed their sorrow and support for what has happened to us.  They realize what hurts one hurts all.  
 
First They Came for the Jews
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.

Pastor Martin Niemöller 
 
 
In Service to the Dream
Rizardo d'Artusio


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