[Artemisia] Respect and Court - Longish

[Auraelia de Medici]

Greetings!

I have watched with some interest to the discussion
about the length of court.  My first reaction was how
can a discussion about Kingdom traditions morph into
something not even related.  Kingdom traditions, as I
understand it, include a knight taking a buffet in his
knighting ceremony, the pitcher used to wash a new
peer, the crowns Their Royal Majesties and Their Royal
Highnesses wear to name just a very few.  Surely
length of court is not a tradition.

Yes, I agree that court can get very long.  There are
parts of it that I find tedious and boring, but will I
complain?  No.  (Okay, I admit to getting antsy when
court is late and I'll complain about that, but that's
another thread).    

High Court is usually the culmination of many an
event.  It is the time for peer and populace
recognition, activities wrap up, event awards, kingdom
news, special presentations, and sometimes
entertainment.

Now, you and I may have a differing opinion on what is
and is not dull.  I, and many of my friends, may be
utterly fascinated by who may have won the sheep
sheering contest.  I may also yawn through who won the
Hay Pitching contest, BUT out of respect for those who
participated, and are interested in the Hay Pitching
contest; I will listen, congratulate and celebrate
with them.  

Respect means participating in the communal aspects of
all the achievements of the SCA, not just those of
your particular pleasure.  Someone’s well researched
and implemented contest of skill is no less of
importance than the more popular aspects.  We are an
educational society, so anything done in that name and
vein should be respected and shown to the populace. 
Many of the gifts given to the crown heads are
handcrafted beautiful items that should be shown to
the populace.  Granted, it would be nice to hear what
is said, but as someone pointed out once before, this
is not a democracy.

If we limit ourselves to only those things that are
popular, then there is also less chance for the other
arts and activities to be known to everyone.  Some
people may not even know that a particular event or
topic exists.  Larger events have so many activities. 
I attended my first Estrella War this year and feel
like I missed most of the event.  There is no way to
know everything that is going on.  This, in no way,
says I am not interested in what happened, I just
can’t be in two places at once.  I also just didn’t
know some things were happening.

Have respect for other people’s interests, their
dreams, their desires, and their arts.  Allow them
their time in court.  

If the Kings and Queens or the Barons and Baronesses
will allow something in court, then allow them to run
the court as they see fit.  If they are not pleased,
they have the station to stop it.

With respect to the Society,

Lady Auraelia de Medici


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