[MR] Public use of the term "medieval"

[Lady Rhiannon of Berra]

You can't spend your time wondering what the world at large thinks or
decides and then attempting to "santize" what we do to appeal to the
masses.  The fact is, we won't appeal to everyone.... there was a time when
people heard SCA and thought Satanic Church of America (I can regale a story
that involves SCA cloaks and a local southern baptist church).  We can work
to change their thoughts and ideas, but in the end people will think and
believe what they will.  The fact is the time period we study is considered
"medieval" in nature.  People can refuse to rent to us for a variety of
reasons; both true and untrue reasons.

If they decide we are a dangerous cult without the benefit of actually
seeing or spending 5 minutes to hear what we're about; well, those sorts of
people aren't going to be swayed and we are better off not using their
facility.

Rhiannon (of Berra)



On Fri, Jul 24, 2009 at 9:54 AM, Garth G. Groff <ggg9y at virginia.edu> wrote:

> 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
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-- 
Lady Rhiannon of Berra, CP
MKA Gina L. MacNeill
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