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Re: Memorial Day




Poster: Heather Swann <heather@pop.net>

> I'm sorry if I confused anyone.. court wasn't on memorial day, it was on
> Saturday.  I didn't say it was on memorial day.  The memorial is a
> memorial whether it be to a specific unit or to all of those who died.
> 
> My point was that we should consider the original intent of structures
> be it a boy scout camp, a church, a synagogue or a memorial before we go
> about making ourselves at home.
> 
> I'm sorry if I caused any confusion.
> 
> rhiannon of berra
> 
This is an interesting point, and I respect it, but I tend to look at it
from a slightly different point of view.  I mean no disrespect to such
structures or the honoured dead, etc., or the people who created and/or
use/own such places.  It's just that when we rent a site, that's what we
rent- a site.  When we used to rent the local Methodist hall for Games
Tourneys in Isenfir, we didn't rent the 'Methodist' aspect- we rented
the hall.  We wouldn't presume that the Methodists in question would
want their symbols up and showing during our event any more than we'd go
put up our banners during their service.  
To be honest, I've never been sure if there's a general Christian view
on this sort of thing, but I've grown up with one variety of Jewish
viewpoint, and I myself have a Pagan viewpoint.  I see it in these
terms:  We rent some space, a park, a building, whatever.  We don't rent
the 'sacredness' of the place or anything in it.  When we cover things
with banners, we indicate that whatever activities we have while we've
rented that space have nothing to do with the sacred aspects of that
place/those things/symbols, and that we are not having an adverse effect
on them.  When we put up banners and so forth, we create our own 'space'
for the 'The Dream' to exist.  When we take them down and pack up, clean
up, and leave, we respectfully acknowledge that the 'space' we created
no longer exists, and the site is once again restored to its original
purpose.  I've always been happy to volunteer for clean up because I see
that as a way of showing my respect for the site and the people who
rented it to us, and their beliefs.  I respect the fact that they rent
out their hall, and I want to return it to them in (if possible) better
condition than I found it.
In one sense, that's how I see Pennsic.  We rent the area, set up our
tents and so forth, have our event, pack up, clean up, and return the
area to Nature and the Coopers.
Granted, something like a war memorial is slightly different, as it is
the sort of thing that might apply to Americans as a whole, so to speak,
not just one religious view.  In that case, I feel that we create a
space wherein that is not part of history yet, but afterwards I try to
show my respect for those honoured in such places, just as I saw many
folks going to read and pay attention to such monuments at Emerald
Joust.  I certainly have my share of honoured dead in my family, and
would not wish to be disrespectful of others.

I hope this does not offend anyone, and if I'm missing something here,
please feel free to tell me.

Respectfully, 
Miri
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