[MR] Public use of the term "medieval"

[Garth G. Groff]

M'Lady Karen,

I agree with everything you've said. I only question this as a matter of 
public relations to the outside world (I used to be a public affairs 
spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard). Words can be touchy, and this 
one has gained an undeserved, but very real, negative connotation among 
some people we may have to deal with. I am not thinking about 
recruitment here, but whether we are refused rentals or use permits for 
public spaces because someone objects to the "evil" in "medieval" and 
decides we are a dangerous cult.

Kind regards,


Mungo Napier, Archer of Mallard Lodge

Karen Adams wrote:
With all due respect, Lord Mungo, I have to disagree. 
There comes a point at which one has to rethink how far one will bend to
appease the interests of the public.  One cannot be all things to all 
people
and after all, demos are our way of attracting new people to the SCA. 
What are we, when all is said and done?  We are a group of people who are
fascinated by all things related to the time period following the fall of
Rome and before the Renaissance.  We get excited about things like building
buckets and making siege engines.  We are fascinated by things like
illumination and reproduction furniture.  We love seeing people in
magnificent armor going at each other with the equivalent of period 
practice
swords.  More than just having skippy "stuff," generally speaking, we want
to know how people during that period would have produced such things.  We
do research for **fun** -- how weird is that? 
The term "medieval" is correct for what we do.  Those who tend to get most
out of the game -- and generally, end up reciprocating by giving their all
to it -- are those to whom this time period is equally fascinating.  They
are willing to do the research, willing to read and learn, ready to try 
with
their own hands to create something as close to what someone would have had
in period as they can.  Folks who are interested in nothing more than
dressing up in weird clothes and partying themselves into oblivion tend not
to last very long as their shallow interests become more obviously a poor
fit for the group.

His Majesty is correct in that as far as reenactment goes, we aren't nearly
as period across the board as we could be.  However, I have found that most
people who stick around **do** acquire or make more period equipment as 
time
goes on.  I would hate to see us deviate from making the attempt as one can
afford it to becoming like some of the uber-period reenactors, like the
Civil War folks, who either hide or deny members who cannot afford
absolutely correct garb and equipment right out of the gate.  Balanced
compromise is a healthy path.

Baron Achbar has it right -- you get exactly what you put into this game.
And I would prefer quality recruitment rather than quantity.  I would 
rather
have a repeat customer, so to speak, than a crapload of one-shot glorified
visitors.

/Soapbox,
-- magpie