[MR] Re: authenticity...and the SCA as a joke

[Olwen the Odd]

>That assumes that everyone has a particular period they aim to protray -- 
>an
>assumption that is observably incorrect and not supported by formal and
>informal documents. One thing about the SCA is that people are free to 
>focus
>their creative energies (and authenticist bones) on the particular facets 
>of
>the temporal and cultural scope of the SCA that interest them while at the
>same time giving scant attention to the rest. They may be the leading
>authority on 13th century Hungarian narfing irons while dressing in basic
>T-tunics. Such a person should not be cast out from our midst for the 
>latter.
>I fear that Logan's initiatives lean too much toward doing just that.
>
>yours,
>Herveus

*Excuse me!!!*
Herveus, this is not what I read in Duke Logan's missives.  I myself am one 
of the very many who wear basic T-tunics yet pursue my avid interest in 
period cooking and presentation.  I have taken no offense or read your 
particular opinion into any of Logans and others statements in this thread, 
nor do I feel I shall be asked to "get it right or leave".  I play with 
food.  I do not play with garb or furniture making or armor.  What I do, I 
believe, I do well.  I dress usually like a kitchen minion.  But I do, at 
least, bring along a throw for my cooler, which usually doubles as my 
seating.  It's not hard.

I am no fighter, nor play one on tv, but I can see validity in making the 
simple request that fighters make a reasonable attempt to at least cover up 
plastic armor and loose the blue jeans.  At practice where there probably 
aren't any non-players/members I don't see any harm in these, but at a demo 
or an event where the public is around then I do see the good reasoning of 
such a request.  No.  We are not a re-creation group, nor are we expected to 
dress in [our] period(s) from the skin out and only use items and foods, etc 
for [our] time period(s).  (Frankly, if that were so I have no idea how we 
could cook a feast for such a diverse time period(s)  But =if= we are doing, 
basically, a show-n-tell for the general public then it seems a very 
reasonable request that folks give it a simple basic thought as to how odd 
it looks for one person in shiny metal armor fighting some person in a 
plastic barrel, or someone dressed so very accurately in a hand stitched 
documentable, oh, say, Bergundian outfit to be lounging in a canvas bag 
chair with their cell phone and watch on.  After all, the second part of 
show-n-tell is the telling.  How many of us have had folks from the general 
public come (and be encouraged) to ask questions and touch items or even try 
something out!?  That is the principle of the whole demo, the whole society. 
  If someone is taking the time and interest to inquire about an aspect of 
what we do, then you can surely bet they have taken note of the totally out 
of place items.

I can't imagine why everyone is so up-in-arms and defensive about these 
thoughts.

Olwen the Odd

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