[SCA-AE] FW: [Mid] Sad news from Lutr and Tessa

[Beth]

Greetings,

The SCA is a great hobby.  The things we learn from research we do, 
classes we take and the desire to follow the idealistic dream of 
Medieval chivalry.  We follow a set of rules that have been set up so 
that everyone across the globe knows how to play the game our club 
has taken great pains to set up over the years.

After reading all the posts regarding the sad occurance in the 
midrealm, I'm reminded of how frustrating it is when there are 
written rules which are bent or ignored and how they affect all the 
people and set precidences which are lamentable.  It happens with the 
laws of our modern lives as well.

Be that as it may.  I am appalled by some of the statements I have 
read.  

Comments such as "peers vs. regular members"?  Just becuase I don't 
have a white belt, laurel, pelican or crown on my head does not make 
me or any of the others in the society, no matter at what level they 
choose to play this game, less than a peer.  Many of us hold offices, 
volunteer our time, share out knowledge, and love the spectactle of 
it all just as much as someone recognized and voted upon for the 
honor of being a peer.  Some don't have the time in their real lives 
to devote that much time to a hobby.  Others don't enjoy that much 
attention.  

Another comment that surpised me was something to the effect that 
peers should be granted a lifetime membership.  If every peer was 
granted a lifetime membership card, that would place more of a burdon 
on the members who do not have that honor and the cost of membership 
would go up.  Aren't those fees we pay going to pay for the Society's 
insurance and other financial responsibilities?  Isn't that why we 
have to charge a non-member fee to people who come to our events and 
can't proove membership...so that we can pay those bills?

Finally, when I chose to be an officer for my local group, I knew 
that I had to keep my membership current.  Before I took that office, 
I paid upfront for two years of membership to cover my term of office 
so that I wouldn't be in violation of the rules we have.  There 
shouldn't need to be an automatic extention for people holding 
offices and baronial seats.  If someone wants to go to a concert, 
they either save up the money or they don't go.  

Rose