[MR] Tangent: was: Why should Atlantia care was: Re:Curiosity

[Ed Harrison]

>   Like it or not, our little social club was built on some fairly basic
> concepts. Crown being fought by right of arms is one of them. In my mind,
> there is no greater symbol of chivalry and honor than a fighter who has
> trained and pushed themselves to the limit to be able to become a champion.

Then your understanding of Chivalry is sadly limited, my lord. Chivalry is 
about Honor, and Service, and Fidelity, and Faith. It's about _why_ you 
fight, not how well or in what style. It's about dying well, so the crowd 
cheers and everyone knows you had fun. It's about NOT fighting, so that the 
Marshals get to fight too. It's about carrying a lady's basket for her even 
though she doesn't  know you, or speaking "forsoothely" to help keep the 
Dream alive. It's about serving the tables at feast, and washing the dishes 
after. It's about making the newcomers feel welcomed, or telling stories in 
the childrens' corner. It's about dancing every dance, so that all the ladies 
can be partnered at least once. 

> That vision of a single warrior on the field standing victorious against
> all foes is heroic. The symbolism of one meeting the foe head on and
> defeating them one by one is the stuff of great legend and lore.

Lancelot was the mightiest of Arthur's knights, but he cuckholded his king. 
When the hag begged for kisses to heal her afliction in Arthur's court, who 
showed the most chivalry? the youngest and least of the knights, Sir Keith. 
Sir Gawain survived the Green Knight's challange by cheating, but the Green 
Knight forgave him. Who was the most chivalrous?

>    To watch a truly great tournament, and all that I have seen have at
> least had moments of greatness, is to have your heart race as the warrior
> within sings with joy. You can feel the electricity in the air. The crowd
> can be as intent as the fighters when two worthy foes are in the throes of
> battle. The excitement is palpable.


Absolutely. But you can get that same feeling at a soccer game or the stock 
car races. That deosn't make soccer or racing chivalrous, or a godo method 
for choosing a king.

>     Watching two guys wave radio antennae at each other in a menacing
> fashion just sort of loses the magic.

I won't insert any of the obvious retorts here. It would be too easy.  
Hrothgar, the difference is that, while no one in the rapier community is 
calling for a ban on heavy fighting, rapier apparenty so frightens some 
heavies that they would end it by fiat. So why are YOU calling for a ban of 
something so widely popular and period to boot?