Chivalry

[Julia Windsor <lywindsor@yahoo.com>]

Poster: Julia Windsor <lywindsor@yahoo.com>

I have been following the thread on "rhinohiding" that has dominated
the Merry Rose of late.
This is a game. Many of us (myself included) forget that much of the
time. The SCA can become consuming if we let it. This applies off the
field as much as on. 
The vast majority of fighters that I have observed play by the rules
we have espoused. Of course, there will be a few that choose to play
by their own rules, but we have methods in place to deal with those
poor sports.
IF Atlantian fighters "rhino-hided" as much as it is rumored, then why
don't we hear about authorization cards being pulled and fighters
banned from the field? Why do we not hear of the powers-that-be in the
other kingdoms calling for our fighters to be banned from the fields
of battle? If someone has a serious problem with another fighter, it
is bewteen the fighters and the marshals. Those on the sidleines will
never be able to tell if a blow was good at the time it is thrown.
I have heard comments of "rhinohiders" on the field from the sidelines
at tourneys. With rare exception they came from non-fighters. I have
watched battles between Atlantian fighters and those of other kingdoms
and I would say that Atlantia fields a VERY chivalrous army. 
We have the Fighters Handbook as the rules we play by on the field.
Each one of us is going to interpret it differently. That's human
nature. The only way to have uniform fighting throughout the SCA is to
have just one person teaching all the fighters. How impracticle!
Chivalry isn't limited to the fighting field. I have personally
experienced several times in A&S competions when chivalry was nowhere
to be found. Judges giving very cutting and derogitory remarks instead
of constructive criticism. 
I have heard long-time SCAdians tell newbies that their garb wasn't
period and that the newbie could and should have made something
better. It seems that many of us have forgotten what it's like to be
new to the SCA.
I admit that there are many more gentles that are far more chivalrous
than I am, but I hope that I am learning by their example.

Julia


==
Lady Julia Windsor
Argent, a portcullis and chief embattled azure.

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