Re:Arms and Awards Murph's Law Revisited

[nix@iolinc.net (Malone, N.)]

Poster: nix@iolinc.net (Malone, N.)

>Poster: Gina <rhiannonofberra@mindspring.com>

>okay.. I'm gonna get out the stirring stick again and ask another
>question. (I'll run and hide for a while after this one, I promise!!)

>I was reading a piece of email posted to the merry rose when I saw this:

>In that case, the OHH conflicts with the arms of
>Lithuania (Gu. a knight armed cap-a-pie mounted on a horse arg.
>brandishing a sword ppr. and maintaining a shield az. charged
>with a patriarchal cross or)

>Something has been bothering since I joined the SCA and I feel a need to
>re-ask the age-old question.... I have to ask why it matters if an SCA
>device conflicts with a real modern day device?

>Are we talking about copyright problems, or something similar?  

>I doubt very seriously some king/prince/duke or whatever from a foreign
>government (or someone outside the SCA) is going to get his/her kickers
>in a bunch over Duke Sir Bigstick having a device that's the same as >the
>one hanging in the hall.  I should think there are more important >things
>to be concerned with.  And if there were a problem, the one with the
>"real" one, wins.

>Just my two cents worth, for what it's worth
>(which probably isn't very much)

>rhiannon of berra
>(no AOA, no nothing, but a really nice person--honest!)

YES in essence you are talking about copyright problems of a sort. While
"some king/prince/duke or whatever from a foreign government (or someone
outside the SCA)" will probable not say anything concerning this or his
knickers, it is indeed illegal in many countries and occassionally a
criminal as well as civil offense, not to mention plain old
disrespectful. While this has little or no effect on many SCA members
there is still the matter of respect vis-a-vis military and municipal
heraldry, as well as simple respect for others and their culture and
values, even at home.  As to conflicting JUST with SCA heraldry, some
member's devices are indeed trademarked and/or registered with mundane
or more formal heraldic resources.

These comments are not meant as a reproach but simply for the
information value, while VERY rare these conflicts can be embarassing if
not worse.
=======================================================================
List Archives, FAQ, FTP:  http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
            Submissions:  atlantia@atlantia.sca.org
        Admin. requests:  majordomo@atlantia.sca.org