Notice: An SCA Grump

[hrj]

I'm going to be good and not post this on my kingdom's mailing list. And I suppose that since I'm not going to the event in question, the matter has, in theory, no direct impact on me. But when I read endless announcments about how my kingdom's "official kingdom party" at an SCA inter-kingdom war is going to be a Hawaiian luau theme, complete with tiki bar and blender drinks, I really REALLY start wondering when the alternate reality split off in which the SCA no longer has anything to do with medieval history. Would it kill folks to hold their egregiously non-medieval parties as non-SCA events? I mean, it's one thing to be indifferent to putting a lot of time and energy into creating medieval ambiance at events (as opposed to falling back on "generic SCA") but I just don't get spending all that extra time and energy to create a slug-you-in-the-face ANTI-medieval ambiance. Folks, we all have non-SCA lives. We can all throw non-SCA parties for our friends. Why do the people who should be setting an example for the kingdom choose to set this example? (No need to answer -- I know, I know. But I needed to rant. Badly.)

Comments

[gunnora.livejournal.com]

I've felt this way for years about the dominance and endurance competition that is the Ansteorran Chili Party at Pennsic.

I have sat and watched people take chili done with spices not chosen for taste but solely burn, and eat it while pretending to enjoy with gusto in the stupidest machismo competition EVAH!

Don't get me wrong, when *I* make chili there is definite heat... but the taste has to be worth the burn. And when I cook for SCA parties, I'd much rather enjoy experimenting with medieval food.

Heck, if they want a machismo competition, there are plenty of medieval foods they could choose that would do the trick.

AND (oops, soapbox) I understand wanting to have a fun convivial party. But has your kingdom no underage folk who either (a) can't participate since they are not of legal drinking age or (b) sneak booze more easily pretending that the "virgin margarita" they claim they have doesn't have six shots of tequila?

And what about legal liability for those who drink? "Official Kingdom Party" -- they need to watch that closely because you cannot use SCA funds for booze so far as I know. And by dubbing it "official" is someone gets drunk and falls in a hole, or gets drunk then decides to go driving, or a minor gets into the booze, the kingdom might find itself facing substantial liability exposure.

(kicks soapbox back under the table)

I feel your pain here.