[MR] RE: Curia and Order Proposals

[Susan and Frank Downs]

Quoth Lord Vard:

>POINT TWO - The Dolphins and Pearls, as members of polling orders, appear to
>have unintentionally ratcheted-up the standards that they expect of
>prospective new members to the point of being more difficult now for your
>average Armiger to attain than ever before.  Though this is unfortunate, it
>is also something that is perfectly natural and should have been predicted.
>"I'm a member of a club that was hard to get into.  If I let just anybody
>into that club, it will devalue my own membership and the work I did to get
>here.  Thus I hold them to as high a standard as I think I was held."  It's
>human nature, nothing wrong with that, but it nonetheless manifests itself
>as an inexorable "raising of the bar".

This perception of the Dolphins and Pearls has always annoyed me. I've been
a member of both Orders since around 1984, and I'm a past Principal of the
Pearl. I enjoy being a member because it gives me a chance to help some fine
people receive awards they deserve.  My primary function as a member of the
Orders is to find more members.

My frustration comes from the fact that most folks don't realize that the
Orders have *no* control over whether or not new members are created. It's
up to the Crowns. The Monarchs decide who goes on the pollings. Sometimes
They listen to the Order's recommendations, but often They don't. Even if
They poll for everyone the Order requests, it's still Their call as to
whether or not someone will be inducted. Some Monarchs (such as Havordh and
Mary-Grace) don't even bother to poll an Order during their reigns. (No
Dolphin pollings were done during the last reign.) Many Pearls and Dolphins
find themselves frustrated because we *want* to recognize deserving folks,
but it *is not up to us.* I personally would be quite pleased if the current
Monarchs created *lots* of Pearls and Dolphins, because there are *lots* of
folks who deserve them, right now.

I don't think the bar we're speaking of here is of the Orders' making. It's
a result of the Crowns being unable, or unwilling, to keep up with all of
the people who really deserve the awards. Creating more Orders won't help,
either. If the Crowns have trouble administering our current Orders, how is
adding to the load going to help? Aren't we just creating more hoops for
people to jump through? How will this help our Kingdom? My feeling is that
it won't.

Respectfully,
Baroness Caitlin ni h'Arrachtain