From: viking@iastate.edu (Dan Sorenson)
Subject: Re: Pennsic Openness
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 03:15:27 GMT

Greetings from Erik!

ds4p+@andrew.cmu.edu (David Schroeder) writes:

>The recent discussion of land allocation at Pennsic has reminded me
>of another topic -- the "decline" in "friendliness" of the various
>camps at the War.  In the "old days" -- my first War was Pennsic VI --
>almost all camps save for the Dark Horde's were "open" in that there
>were few ropes and folks "passing through" were hailed with friendly
>greetings rather than "What are you doing in OUR camp?"

>Many camps at Pennsic are still welcoming and friendly -- stray
>passers-by and lost wanderers are greeted, feted, and even offered
>refreshment.  Still, a growing percentage of the encampments at the
>War are walled or thoroughly roped off and "trespassers" are decidedly
>unwelcome.

	I never noticed being unwelcome in a camp, but I do note that a
person walking off the main road and through my camp to get to the next
road (imagine a triangle, my camp lying on the hypotenuse) did raise my
blood pressure a bit.  "Enter a camp, enter a home" was my motto, and so
I was careful to use the entrances provided and tried not to be an
annoyance on my fellow SCAdians.  Strays passers-by and lost wanderers
are still greeted, feted, and offered refreshment.  I went for nearly
three days one year without having touched any of my own food or drink,
thanks to the hospitality of those I was looking for and those who helped
along the way.  On the other hand, I didn't walk into their camp intent
on taking a shortcut to the showers, either, and I suspect this had a
good deal of impact upon their perceptions of me.

	Respect is the key word, here, I think.  It's not tresspassing
when you walk up my driveway or sidewalk in the mundane world, and it
is not in the SCA.  You are a guest at that time.  When you start using
my back yard by extending your own game of "tag" into it, you start to
annoy me, and I will likely either be somewhat surly (especially before
noon and without that pot of coffee in my belly), or just dripping with
politeness and sarcasm in equal measure.

	I had one incident that I'd like to relate for the contemplation
of others.  In a large, mutual encampment, several of us congregated.
We had essentially a ring of tents, with loads of space in front of each
one.  As is our custom, the friends I was attending with placed our
chairs in front of our tent and erected a roof of sorts.  Being lazy
viking-types by nature, we thereupon proceeded to drink beer and sit in
the shade, secure in the knowledge that life didn't get any better.  A
table to lay reading material and steins on, a chair to sit in, and
another chair to prop one's feet on are the epitome of good camping.
Enter the neighbors.  Soon our tables were covered with the belongings
of other people, our foot-resting chairs were instead supporting the
southern ends of others, and the cooling breezes blocked by the
sweltering bodies of uninvited tresspassers.  The kicker?  These were
my friends!

	Yes, my friends invaded my camp and annoyed me to some degree.
They did not annoy me because they invaded my camp, but they annoyed
me by doing so based on the assumption that I didn't mind.  If you
ask of me, I don't mind.  If you don't, I do.  Discounting times where
one needs something in a hurry and I'm not around to ask (you may offer
many apologies upon returning the item or leave word that you have it),
this lack of respect and consideration is what makes a person annoyed.
How can the person seeking a shortcut through my personal part of the
Dream not do otherwise?  Ask, and it shall be given of you, for that
shows respect and concern for the owner.

	In the mundane world, I once saw an elderly gentleman give a
young boy a dollar bill for retrieving an errant hat, blown away by a
gust of wind.  How shameful that we have to reward politeness and
courtesy instead of punishing its absence?

<Dan Sorenson, DoD #1066 |"There'll be angels on Ariels in leather>
<z1dan@exnet.iastate.edu | and chrome, Ridin' down from heaven    >
<viking@iastate.edu      | just to carry me home." -- R. Thompson >
< ISU thinks I need more education, which they provide for a fee. >
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