[MR] Do you agree with this?

[David Wendelken]

Milord Donal Mac Ruiseart,

First of all, I would like to thank you for encouraging our fellow members
to make their wishes known to the Board of Directors.  That's good advice to
follow in any club.

I joined this organization thirty-three years ago and have watched SCA
groups rise to greatness and others fall into oblivion, never allowed to
form again.

All the groups that achieved great things had the same traits in common, and
all those that fell by the wayside also had traits in common.

Here are the common traits of highly unsuccessful SCA groups:

1. People are only welcome if they are "important" or "cool". Otherwise,
they are ignored or snubbed.

2. People are put down if their level of participation does not measure up
to some "self-appointed guardian of SCA purity".  

3. Finding fault is more important than finding the good in someone's
efforts and helping them grow into even more talent.

4. New ideas are never allowed because "it's against the rules" or because
"you can't do that".  That's despite the fact that it probably isn't against
the rules and with a few small modifications it would be a great and
workable idea.

5. Who has time to help others learn in a fun way, what with all the
nit-picking and fault-finding to do?  Work, work, work!

6. Being an officer makes you powerful and important, and able to "get back"
at others.  

7. Group politics and a group of piranhas thrown a piece of bloody meat have
something in common.  

Here are the common traits of highly successful SCA groups:

1. Everyone is welcome until they wear out their welcome several times over.

2. Everyone is welcome to participate as fully as they wish to and/or are
able to.  Beginners and those trying to grow are protected from
self-appointed guardians of SCA purity.

3. Everyone's achievements are a matter of joy to the other members of the
group.

4. Everyone's ideas are welcome, and if it sounds like fun, we try to find
ways to make it happen within the rules.

5. Everyone shares what they know and helps others to learn. 

6. Good Officers are viewed as an asset to be treasured and cosseted. Bad
officers are ignored when they are foolish until they learn better.  One SCA
group had such a problem with bad officers they got together and picked
someone's dog as the Seneschal, then took turns writing the monthly reports.
The group thrived and the dog got an Award of Arms.

7. There is too much fun going on to listen to that nincompoop who wants to
bad-mouth someone.  Let's invite them to have fun with us and who knows,
maybe they'll change into a neat person!   Fun, fun, fun!

So, in the grand scheme of things, I can honestly say that running across a
Japanese, a Chinese, an Aztec, a Minoan lady, a Roman an ancient Gaul, or an
Indian (either hemisphere) has never harmed me.  I have found joy in all
their company and quite often learned something of value in my Medieval
studies as well.

In fact, it has been my experience that people who pick "way out" ideas
often fall into one of two categories: either the very new member who is a
bit of a goober; or an awesome, really fun person with solid persona, craft
and historical knowledge they freely share.  People in the first category do
no harm and with love and encouragement cease being goobers.  People in the
latter category, by their example and tutelage, help others to excel in all
fields of knowledge and should be viewed as a treasure, not driven out.  

I can say the non-inclusiveness of the viewpoint you expressed has harmed
those I have known, and it has often been an early sign of the other bad
traits to come.  

There are a host of small reenactment groups out there that picked too small
a slice of time and earth.  The SCA has grown to what it is because it chose
to do the opposite.  

And, I might add, that Europeans had circumnavigated the world well before
the beginning of the 17th century.  Even with a post-550 CE starting point
that still opens up much of the world for our group to explore.

My advice to you would be this:

1. Be so much fun to be around that people will want to emulate you.

2. Lead by example and help others as they stumble upon the path you set.

3. Be joyful if they excel in the virtues we all hold dear, for that means
they have become "Good People".  

Yours in service and friendship,

Sir Andras Salamandra