[MR] Curiosity

[Thorgrimm at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/1/02 12:39:06 AM Eastern Standard Time, mungoe1 at msn.com 
writes:


> How can the BoD make rules and descisions stick in other countries/states? 
>  
> For instance I know that the laws pertaining to minors participating in 
> contact sports and martial arts with adults are way differant here in 
> Virginia, N. Carolina, and S. Carolina then in California. Janine, our 
> resident lawyer, looked into that very heavy. However it appears we are 
> being held to California's laws pertaining to "Boffer" fighting and minor 
> authorization. Why can't each Kingdom go with the laws within their own 
> state, and or country? Even if we screw up and break a law in Virginia, we 
> would not be prosicuted or have a lawsuit brought against the Society under 
> California law, but Virginia.
>  
> Also what about other countries? If this Count had been Banished in say 
> Drakenvald, how would the BoD have enforced it if the Kingdom desided to go 
> it's own way, and let him play under a "dispensation"?
>  
> 

   You have to keep in mind that the SCA is ultimately a corporate entity. 
They operate throughout the country by the laws of the state in which they 
are incorporated. Groups outside of the United States are actually affiliates 
of the SCA and are ultimately not legally bonded to them. Canada, a good 
chunk of the West Kingdom, and Drachenwald are pretty much autonomous.
    The power that the BoD has is that they legally ARE the SCA in regard to 
forming policy and administering to its members. Their greatest weapon is the 
fact that the corporate entity, embodied by the BoD, owns everything that has 
SCA on it. The money in your local group's account, the loaner armor and 
supplies purchased with SCA funds, and anything that has been donated to your 
local groups are all, legally speaking, owned by the board. If you don't play 
the game the way they want you to they can step in and banish everyone, take 
all the toys and go home.
    I'm not certain, but I believe that all names and titles that our members 
have and hold are "owned" by the SCA. If we split off and formed a new group 
we could not legally keep using them. 
    If someone is R&D'd and they come to an event anyway, the BoD could, and 
probably would, do the same to the autocrat, troll, and any local group 
officers who were even peripherally involved.
    That seems like an awfully large amount of power for a small group of 
people with only themselves to answer to.

Hrothgar
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