[MR] Kingdom Rights (isolationist?)

[Rupert Gaddy]

I am strongly on the side of "kingdom rights" believing that as in life
about 90% of things are best handled on the local level where people know
each other, and everyone has some degree of influence on the decision to be
made.  If this makes me isolationist, or a royalist, then so be it.  Like
others who have posted on this and other topics, I am concerned about the
growing power and control of the BOD.

While there is some argument for standardization within the SCA, IMHO it
should be at the least degree possible, else we will eventually find
ourselves with standards that may not fit the local area very well at all.
If something is a matter of demonstrated safety concern, it is perhaps a
legit reason to standardize so that each kingdom does not have to experience
the results of unknown hazards.  If it has to do with qualifications for a
Peerage which is recognized society wide, then perhaps there is a need for
standardization to some degree.  While I agree that the "war tourney Crown"
would NOT be a good thing in Atlantia, I am reasonably sure that whatever
Crown decided to hold such a tourney, and possibly the winner of that type
of Crown would find it very difficult to lead the kingdom and find only
marginal support during that and perhaps future reigns...it is this type of
control that is most effective, not a mandate from California.

Lets imagine the flip side for a brief moment....what if it came down that
Atlantia HAD to have a war tourney type of Crown Tourney?  MANY people would
be displeased, but have very little recourse.  Having gone thought the
entire APD thing in the past year, not to mention the "4th Peerage idea" I
can speak from personal experience that it is pretty impossible to sway the
BOD, regardless of the facts, arguments, and possible consequences that one
presents.  The only known exception to this was the "pay to play" (more
accurately pay to fight) ruling some years ago, but even that lingered for
quite some time after the members of the BOD had resigned, and was a move on
the order of "NEW COKE".

In fact, after five years of pleading, I can not even get the BOD to do a
study of the membership, that any other competent body should have long ago
done.  There is not a single scientific instrument to determine what
activities are most being done, no follow up on WHY members leave the SCA,
or what about the SCA brought new members into the society...No one knows
how many Peerages have been awarded for leather working, for illumination,
or any other "specialty" within the Laurel, nor can one tell with any degree
of accuracy what types of service are most rewarded with a Pelican.  Nor for
that matter can anyone tell how many people are fighting primarily weapon
and shield vs. primarily with spear or with polearm, or any other
weapon....nor even if one participates primarily in rapier or heavy combat
or combat archery.
We have no "doomesday" report to measure these, or to look at changes, or to
predict future trends....

While the BOD (or a Council of Kingdoms) may be necessary to combat the most
egregious types of behavior, to set SOME policies, and to provide a legal
and social outreach by which to deal with the modern world, like all
bureaucracies, they tend to be self serving, self perpetuating, and power
hungry, even when composed of honorable people....it is just the nature of
the beast.  This BOD structure seems more insulated than most, and frankly
the absence of collection of data in any thought out and reasonable way
(other than comments to the BOD email) tells me that they either (1) don't
care (2)are incompetent as planners (3)Think that ignorance is bliss (4)Have
their own agenda

The SCA wisely decided to limit the reign of the Crowns to a six month
period so that a (royal) bureaucracy and presence could not become too
powerful or too insensitive to the needs of the kingdom and its populace,
knowing that the Crown would soon pass onto another's head, and that the
current monarchs must return to a less powerful position, at least for six
months until the next crown.  Would that we had been wise enough to more
limit the tenure of the members of our BOD to a shorter time, and to enable
a device to select them without having the BOD appoint its replacements.

So while I think the "crown war" would be a BAD idea for Atlantia, I would
rather we trust the people that we will see at most events, be able to talk
to regularly, express our outrage or discontent to face to face, and who
will suffer consequences for their ill actions in a concrete and immediate
manner, than to give the decision to the BOD, especially as they are
currently instituted.

By the way a recent post said that archery was not an original part of the
SCA.....yet it was done at the FIRST SCA event (A crossbow and
target)according to some of the original members who were there....if you
need documentation, I can find it in the archives of the 4th Peerage
discussion group.

Rupert the Persistent