From: rusty@willow-farm.cit.cornell.edu (Aaron "Rusty" Lloyd)
Subject: Re: Through a looking glass, darkly (long)
Followup-To: Aaron (Rusty) Lloyd (all1@ocrnell.edu)
Summary: A dark perspective (excuse the pun)
Nntp-Posting-User: @cornell.edu
Organization: Cornell University
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 23:22:54 GMT


Unto the Rialto does Llwyd Tentor ap Llwyd send greetings to all.

After dealing with finals and the like (and all but securing my graduation-
an incomplete to finish and I'm DONE!), I decided to catch up on my news
readings. 

Wow. The responses that I read were pretty interesting and amazing.

I guess I better give my impressions too, then.

The only difference here is that I am black, one of the few and the proud 
in the SCA.

Lessee, why did I choose to be a Welshman and not a "typical" black (Moorish,
African, etc) persona? (I get that question sometimes) Answer: I didn't want 
to be. I looked around at a lot of different personas, and chose welsh because 
I felt it was a lot closer to the type of person I was like. This doesn't mean
that I am trying not to be black, or anything like that (My friends realize
that this certainly is not the case), it's just that the Welsh appealed to me,
so I chose it. Just like there are Asian Scots, and the like. 'nuff said. 
(Anecdote: I *just* got a black doll dressed up in a replica of some garb that
was made for me as a Christmas present. Now that, I thought, was *cool*.)

Anyways, let's get on to the main question. Why are there few blacks, etc.
in the SCA? In my experience (and I am *not* speaking for anyone else except
for me-so don't take my opinion as a *blanket* statement), it seems to be,
among with the other things cited (fewer minorities in college/higher education
/in the know, etc) just a lack of interest. While the numbers have been rising,
a fair bit of a few is still a few. This can also extend to society-a lot of
minorities either don't know about it or aren't exposed to it, so hence, not
a lot here. Someone made a comment that suggested religion. That I don't agree
with (I'm not saying it could be true, just that I don't agree with it), as I 
am a highly educated black man, and I find that the SCA does give
me a sense of community that I don't find anywhere else. Why? Because of my
color? No-because of my interests. Case in point-the SCA has a large number
of people who don't *fit* in for whatever reason. (weirdos, SF/fantasy lovers,
role players, etc). Simply put, the SCA is a hobby. One that is composed of
lots of people with similar interests and likes. Unfortunately, this is one 
that does not appeal to a lot of minorities that I know.

Another reason, at least that I see, is one that possibly deals with "amused
tolerance". Minorities are already given a fair amount of grief by other
minorities because they're doing something that isn't "typical" for a minority
to do. (Example: Person is doing something like reading a fantasy book, or a 
good Charles Dickens novel, and is subjected to scorn and ridicule because
they aren't out playing 'ball with the other guys, or because they aren't
reading something that isn't ethnic specific). Combine their parents into this
spectacle, and there is a *lot* of pressure to conform. While this happens a 
lot in the minority community, it also happens in the non-minority community. 
So, what do you do? You either conform, so you have friends and family to go 
back to (which I find happens a lot in the minority community), or, like me and
others, you do what you want to do. When I was young, there was so much 
pressure on me to do "the black thing". Well, I did what I wanted to, and now 
I find that I am more in touch with who I am that I ever had been. And I still
play the SCA game, and I love playing it. And my parents and friends? Well, 
they accept me for who I am (they all don't say they totally understand me-:)),
and my friends (minority and non-minority) do the same, 'cause they know I'm 
honest and not acting like something I'm not. I won't say that I don't wish
that there are more minorities in the SCA, for I find the need (as I think
most minorities do) to hang out with people of your own race and culture, but
the friends I have made in the SCA (Minority and Non) have been true, lasting
friendships that I would *never* give up. No matter what (and believe me, I
get a lot of strange looks and questions-even more so then normal SCA). Period.

As for racism in the SCA, while I know it exists, I haven't seen any of it yet.
I hope I don't, either. The minority people I have met in the SCA have been
really friendly and cool, and easy to talk to and ask questions, Hell, the non
minority people have been that way too. Which goes back to my statement, that
it's all in the people, and their interests. 

I know an inevitable question that someone will ask is "How do we get more
minorities in the SCA?" I don't suggest you go out and "recruit" them-this 
isn't the army, and I wouldn't want to see loads of minorities "bused" into
the SCA to "satisfy" someone's quota. One of the things that will work best,
for getting people of any race involved is demos and information sessions. 
That way, you bring it to lots of people, and if they're interested, they'll
manage to show up at meetings. That's how I and other folks have done it. But,
like I said before, people will come if they're interested. No amount of 
forcing will do it, so please don't try to do that.

Anyways, I'll get off my soapbox now. I encourage people to write me if they
have questions or want to further discussion, and like I said before, these
are *my* opinions and nobody else's. I do not speak for anyone but myself.

I remain,

	In service, honor, and a quest for the perfect note,
	
								Tentor

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Aaron (Rusty) Lloyd	 		/ Llwyd Tentor ap Llwyd
Cornell Information Technologies 	/ Dominion of Myrkfaellin, East Kingdom
Collaboration Systems/Network Resources / Shire of Encinal, West Kingdom 
E-mail:  all1@cornell.edu               "Sun's up. Time to fly." - Lestat
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Disclaimer: Attribute anything I say to my employers. NOT.