Bartholomew, April 2021
When the NZ Principality idea surfaced in 2019, I didn't expect that an Alternate Selection Process (ASP) for the Coronet would become the major theme of the push.
But it certainly has. There are plenty of other reasons to favour a Principality, but a great many people also saw it as an opportunity to try shift the dial on how the SCA chooses its figureheads - even if only in our part of the Known World.
And that's hard. There's 55 years of SCA tradition, and before that centuries of romance underlying the idea of chivalric single combat as a way to choose and recognise champions. And, in the SCA's case, choose rulers. More than that: full-speed, full-weight rattan combat is arguably the most unique element defining the SCA, and for many people it deserves to be protected and nurtured lest we lose it.
Nonetheless, Grim's survey results make it clear that support for alternate selection is very strong here - and there's also also decent support from responders elsewhere in the Kingdom. New Zealand's generally-progressive and inclusive nature seems to be very well reflected in our SCA population, and Australia isn't much different.
However - Lochac is but one far-flung Kingdom of 20, with most of the rest tightly concentrated in the USA where rattan combat and traditions are still very strong. Although we won't know until we try, there's a very good chance that even our most fervent and effective appeal to permit an ASP experiment in our new Principality will fail - at least, the first time we try.
That concerns me, because I'd hate to see us needlessly divided by the fact of an attempt - or even more so a failed attempt. While social change can seem inevitable - especially after it's happened! - it's usually not easy. First, there's the cost to any who feel they'll lose out from the change. Second, there's the very high (and often prolonged) cost of actually pushing for the change. And finally, but far from least, there's the potential backwash and de-motivation from being rejected - once, twice, multiple times.
My cards have always been on the table: I would very much like to see a Principality form here, because I think it is now a demonstrably good idea for New Zealand groups and also good for our Kingdom. And I also support the idea of pushing for an ASP experiment here. That's because, if it succeeds, I believe it would be both very good for us and, ultimately, for the entire SCA - in spite of some of the potential costs and trade-offs involved.
But if our first ASP attempt fails, I'd accept a conventional rattan-based Principaity, rather than no Principality at all. And I sincerely hope most ASP-supporters would accept that also. If we make a strong and good-faith effort now, and maintain and build our cohesion in doing so, we can make an even more concerted effort in future. Maintaining cohesion means keeping the temperature low and the atmosphere calm and reasonable, even while dealing with marked differences of opinion.
So, to those who are uncomfortable about alternate selection: if you like the idea of a Principality itself, please bear with the rest of us as we try to make a careful, considered attempt to reform one aspect of the SCA locally as part of the Principality process. Your personal preference for rattan selection is the default, and has the upper hand where it counts - in the US and especially at Board level. Chances are, our best efforts to change it will founder. But please allow us the leeway to make a clean, well-constructed attempt.
And even more importantly - to people for whom ASP is important - please understand and be considerate of those who don't support it. This is their society too and, while we seek to change only one aspect of it, it's a significant one for many people. We need to treat fellow SCAdians as respectfully and fairly as we wish to be treated ourselves, even if we differ on this point. We definitely don't need to fall into the error of relitigating old culture wars or reopening old wounds.
This need for mutual respect goes double if we don't succeed on our first attempt - because it won't be local hesitancy that blocks us. It will be people far away from here, who vastly outnumber us, who currently feel quite differently from us, and who have the greatest influence by far on the rules of our game. Therefore we may fail for perfectly understandable, even democratic reasons.
However: if we keep our cool, create our Principality anyway and then continue to build - and continue to make attempts - then time is ultimately on our side. That's because a more-inclusive SCA is almost inevitable in the long run, because its long-term survival depends on it. It's simply a matter of who leads the SCA there, how, and by what means.
It might be us, and it might be our push for an ASP experiment in launching our new Principality. But if it isn't us, the simple fact that we made a good attempt might be one of the key catalysts for whoever eventually succeeds in opening that door.
Plus of course, there's always the chance we might succeed ;)
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