[MR] 4th Peerage

[Donald Wagner]

Hrothgar wrote:

 >
 > Sitting astride a rocking horse brandishing a radio antenna about in a
 > menacing manner does not equate to a Knight on a warhorse charging into
 > battle.
 >
 > Ever Opinionated,
 > Hrothgar

Well, KSCAs don't get on horses and charge into battle either.  I 
believe I have a little more respect for the rapier community than you 
do.  Yet, I always love your colorful opinions.  My childhood friend's 
senile grandpa was always good for a laugh, too, until he crapped is 
pants.  That just wasn't funny.

While I agree with you concerning the 4th peerage, my reasons are quite 
different.

The way we currently do things has worked well for almost 43 years.  I 
do not believe a 4th peerage would add to our organization.  In fact, I 
would submit that a 4th peerage would instead threaten what until now 
has been a rather successful tribunal hegemony.

I will say that it is simple for the Order of the Chivalry to fulfill 
its charter to recognize fighters with its national honor.  For the 
Order of the Laurel it is more difficult, but they always have teaching 
and publishing and other certain characteristics to fall on as acid 
tests.  Many of the areas mentioned in the 4th peerage discussion may 
fall in their bailiwick, IMO.

The Order of the Pelican has it tough recognizing "service", however you 
want to define it.  It is a very difficult job for that order to 
perform, IMHO, due to the many and diverse efforts made on behalf of the 
SCA and its members.  The diversity of those efforts continue to grow to 
this day.  Those efforts must be recognized and it is their job, 
regardless of how hard it becomes.  I believe they do it well and I 
would not support any effort to take any part of it away from them.

Rodrigo Falcone