FW: [SCA-AE] Crown Tourney Question/personal banner display?

[KaziBrionSCA]

 << I have to admit the one I'm not so fond of is the must have letters of
recommendation from 3 Peers if you aren't a peer. I can sort of understand
the reasons but it would eliminate me from fighting if I were able to at
this point. >>
 
I, also, can understand the desire to somehow "pre-qualify" the Candidates.
The letter process will not do it, though.  This is why:
 
- Peers are recognized, not "made".  There are many people who are peers,
but haven't been officially recognized as Peers  (sometimes for many years)

 
- Being an official Peer is not an automatic prequalifier for being a good
Candidate.    
 
- There are people whom I don't see as Peers, who I think would make at
least decent rulers.   
 
- Making sure that brand new people without a clue don't enter and win is an
extremely valid point.   
 
-  The only  effective way to prequalify a candidate is for the King and
Queen to discuss whom they will allow in their crown.  If the King and Queen
don't know a person, they can ask about them privately, then perhaps talk to
them and address a concern ("Gee, Joe, I heard a rumor you are declaring
bankruptcy...")  This would take time...but what doesn't? I don't see a way
around it.
 
Personally, I felt embarrassed to impose on good friends with paperwork
which would purport to give some kind of an external validation of my worth
as a person.  How would it look?  Also, you get to a point where selecting
WHICH peers you will ask on such a sensitive matter becomes an issue. Is
your list too heavily skewed to any particular order?  Gender?  Age group?
Household? Does everybody need to be in the Kingdom?  If I approach only
friends, is that a fair determination of my worth as a person?  Shouldn't I
approach my detractors as well? Is this or that Peer active enough for their
voice to have weight with the Crown?  If other Peer-friends find out that
they are not the ones who have been asked, will their feelings be hurt?
Will they say, "Why not me?  I would have gladly written you an exhaustive
letter..."   And once people heard we are not entering the Crown, they
started to offer letters (thank you...) 
 
So I didn't feel comfortable with the process.  It was, however, a fair and
honest attempt at addressing a particular problem. 
 
 << In Service,
Snaebjorn
who isn't likely to ever be a peer without winning crown. >> 
 
 Stick around long enough, pick up enough skills, and make enough impact
building the community around you , and you'll become a peer, and may even
be recognized as a Peer.   But, being recognized doesn't matter much in the
great scheme of things. Ask yourself:  Are you having fun?  Do you help
others have fun?  Are you learning something new?  That's what matters.

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming...
 
Kazi