Opening Weekend Recap

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Since the Nazi guy seems to be the dominant topic, I'm going to post on it and respectfully disagree with the majority opinion (including you Breandan, which is rare) and say that I believe some of the reactions are a bit harsh when you put things in context.  

Nazism itself and the acts committed by some of those who followed it are indefensible and I'm not going to claim for a second that the costume is appropriate for the setting or that folks wouldn't have a reason to be offended, just that perhaps some perspective on alternative views would help.  

I liken the issue to this: Being of Irish ancestry, I could choose to be offended by the constant glorification of all things British and Scottish at Faire.  British conquest and occupation did after all, cost the Irish untold lives and virtually destroyed the original culture of the island.  The average person's perception of Ireland now runs something like "generally British with a few quirks", but in history the truth is quite different.  Breandan could tell you a lot more about early Ireland and how it differs from modern Irish culture, but that would drag this even further off topic.

In my mind, both are deeply wrong, cost untold lives, wrecked cultures and I can't see getting any more worked up over one than the other.  The main difference to me is, nazism is just more recent.  

Now if you want to go on the tangent that it is inappropriate in a renaissance or fantasy faire setting, I am right there with you!  

* Singed prepares for the flames...  

Ok, all i'm wondering is why the Scots were lumped in with the English?    Scots have more in common, including blood, with the Irish than the English & Welsh.

[Shandi]

Rapier, if I had seen him I would have wanted to crack his arse sideways, so trust me, you're not alone on being offended. That being said, his goal was not to get into the mood of reenactment, it was to purvey rampant asshattery, get attention, and try and disrupt the faire for his own ego, and I refuse to let him ruin the show for me. Still, if he slipped in a mud puddle repeatedly...
*whistles innocently*

I agree!
The reason the weed puller dressed the way he did was to get attention ( which he did) and to get a rise out of people ( which he did). I have a good friend who's mother was in the concentration camp, she made it, most of her family did not. The "Natzi's did horrible horrible things, as far as I'm concerned there is NEVER a right time to dress as a NATZI....
He didn't belong at TRF and that's that! now if we get into the discussion of costuming etc...for that matter Gene Simmons (the guy dressed as) didn't really belong either. The difference is the guy dressed as Gene Simmons was doing it for fun, the guy dressed as a Natzi was doing it to hurt and to shock.
This somehow has turned into a a lets talk about the opening weeking, to getting a bit hard and serious and  becoming a discussion about the rights and wrongs of dressing as a NATZI at a TRF.
I am all for being unique and original and being different. Hurting people for the sake of shock is just wrong... maybe some could care less what he was wearing...I care about the kids that saw and it may have affected (effected?) (not very good at spelling or grammar please forgive) kids remember crap like that, they are little sponges and they learn from watching and observing,,, I'm glad I won't have that  to explain to any of the kids in my life.
Can we go back to the good things about opening weekend? I'm sorry to have mentioned seeing him....

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

FAIRE! 

[Breandan]

Fraser, when are you getting your butt out there?

Since I didn't get much of a chance to get out, due to smithing Sat and being broken Sun, I didn't see much. I did hear about a whip show that was there for that weekend only, anyone get to see it?

[paul42]

dressing as a Nazi is stupid, insensitive, etc...
However, we live in one of the few places in the world that has freedom of speech.
Advocating violence as a means to take away a persons freedom of speech is MUCH worse than dressing like a Nazi.

How do you think Nazism got started?  It started because somebody didn't like the way somebody else dressed, talked, looked, and they decided to use violence to stop it.

Nobody is asking you to like his message.  However, you must respect his right to convey it or we will all be on the slippery slope towards freedom for no one.

[wyckdblyss]

*Perks up* Whip show? I missed a Whip show?

Bloody hell...

[Lishy]

We get to see it several times a day, as the falconry stage is right by our tent.  He is REALLY good and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Singed]

I'm going to make this my final post on this topic, on this thread, but I find the conversation interesting (and surprisingly flame free), if we'd like to continue in a more appropriate venue, I'm game. 

I don't mean to be argumentative or get too far off topic, but I have to disagree with you on this one.  I am not an expert but I believe the British mainly wanted to colonize Ireland.  At least in the beginning I do not think they strove to annihilate a race.  Possibly you could compare that to what the Nazi's did in Poland or Eastern Europe but there is no comparison to how they treated the Jews, Gypsy's, Freemasons and others

Though there are notable differences, I do believe Cromwell's conquest (an English re-conquest) of Ireland is comparable, whatever the intent, the end result was still the death or exile of 15-25 percent of the Irish population, some less reliable estimates put the total as high as 50 percent.  Slaughter is slaughter and dispossessing a population is dispossessing a population whether the reasons are religion, culture or race. 

Back to the main argument, does this make someone walking around in English renaissance era clothing flying Cromwells banner offensive to me to the point that I would advocate violence or "inducing an accident"?  No, it does not, in fact I would barely take note of it.  Same with the nazi uniform. 

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Fraser, when are you getting your butt out there?

Since I didn't get much of a chance to get out, due to smithing Sat and being broken Sun, I didn't see much. I did hear about a whip show that was there for that weekend only, anyone get to see it?

*sigh* The bane of us all, MONEY(and work), has kept me from those fair gates... fear not, AHE i will be there!

[KiltedPrivateer]

Kitara and I caught a small part of the whip show while walking past toward the privies.  What we saw was pretty good but nothing out of the ordinary for a whip show.

Lishy: I didn't know you working over there in the tents.  Which one are you at?  I probably past by you several times on Saturday and didn't even know it.

[Lishy]

Lishy: I didn't know you working over there in the tents.  Which one are you at?  I probably past by you several times on Saturday and didn't even know it.

We are The Emerald Merchant, in the maroon and white tent, selling the wooden puzzles & games.  You should def stop by and say hello!

[Lady Kett]

Ok, am I the only one dying to see a picture of this most awesome tail EVAH of Blue's? Hint hint....

[eloquentXI]

I left for home RIGHT after she got it and I didn't even think about getting a photo of it....I know someone did though.

OMG! Breandan, I nearly smacked myself when I realized that I didn't see you once this weekend. I have got to come over to the shop AHE and bug you and meet the wifey!!!

[Breandan]

We won't be there most of Sat, have a gun show to attend, followed by the Lone Star rally and a Lynard Skynard concert. We'll be back in Sat night, and will be there Sun

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

We won't be there most of Sat, have a gun show to attend, followed by the Lone Star rally and a Lynard Skynard concert. We'll be back in Sat night, and will be there Sun

Lucky dog... i wish my bike was running but owning a Triumph, you get used to them being broken.