[MR] Assassins vs. Pirates The dead Horse will not sleep I see

[Achbar]

-----Original Message-----
>From: Vels inn Viggladi <velsthe1 at hotmail.com>
>Sent: May 1, 2009 11:55 AM
>To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
>Subject: Re: [MR] Assassins vs. Pirates....
>
 But what about Barnim VI, Duke of Pomerania, the Likedeelers, Magister Wigbold (A Pirate Monk, I S**T you not) from the 14th and 15th Centuries. The Barbarossa brothers in the Mediterrainian about the same time. All these were at times aligned politically, but for long periods of time they were operating as complete outlaws. 
>If we were seeing more 'privateers' from sometime other the edge of our age or beyond, then maybe there'd not be so quick a leap to lumping pirates with assassins.
>

>Vels
>
  Funny, this list loves to kick around old Ideas that will not dies.  Pirates, Gypsies and Assassins....Oh MY!  Vels is correct, people in the SCA are just re creating things badly when it comes to pirates, Privateers or what ever you may wish to call them.
  There was a Crusader fad that lasted for a while, now it appears that people are moving on to the new thing what ever that may be.  There are those things that captures the imagination of people and there are those who cling to them.  This is a good thing if we can use it correctly.
  Once you think about your average event and I say average with a grain of salt, there is the heavy and rapier fighting.  Target archery has come a long way in capturing attention in ways that I have not seen in a long time. In the case of target Archery, there is that extra activity that just about anybody and his brother can  enjoy with a smile on his face.
  In my sick little mind and if you know the mind of Achbar ibn Ali that is allot of sick, Thrown Weapons could be one of those catch all activities.  Think about it this way, you are not much of a pirate, privateer or assassin if you can not throw a dagger and hit your target. Could all of this be a shift in how we design events and watch the SCA progress?  
  Little things like live music at events can make a big change in how an event feels.  this past weekend we had live period music played at an event in Sacred Stone. Several weeks ago, Painted Wheel played live music at the Hidden Mountain Baronial birthday.  In as much as I like drumming, a band of live musicians beats the hell out of my drumming any day of the week.  The whole drumming thing was good and i like doing it, but if we put positive energy into getting more people involved in the act it could be better for us all.  Let me give you an example.  last week, i heard some new comers playing rock/blues acoustic guitar on friday night.  After a day of hearing period music, the same new comers were attempting to play what they had heard.   Music is a tricky thing and i will admit that drumming is easier than playing a violin or a guitar, but just having it available will encourage and influence others.  In my view that is progress for what it is worth.
  We can talk about Pirates on this list. People like pirates and privateers and the being bad Boys at Sea appeals to the Peter Pan in all of us.  You will not stop people from expressing what they have come to enjoy.  People enjoy Pirates.  Just imagine if there were more Robin Hood movies, with all of the Target Archers, you would see more Merry Men!

Achbar