I am depressed...

[herveus]

My King writes:

This is just a quick note to inform all order principals of a slight wording change that will take place during Our upcoming curia. This is simply to bring Kingdom Law into a more unified and codified set of verbiage. Nothing in the process of choosing new principals will change, the Crown will still solicit the counsel of the orders before making a decision. Again, this is simply a clarification of wording since there are no "votes" and the selection of order principals has never been based purely on a majority rules scenario. Copied below is the current section of law followed, in italics, by the planned revision:

It's less than accurate. It certainly goes to great lengths to downplay the scope and significance of the change. I have written to my Crown to offer my counsel as a peer, but I fear that the King is resolute and will not be swayed. I could write more, but that would be a Bad Thing. You may extrapolate.

Cousin stitchwitch, I do not think that I will be considering quite the course that you have spoken of, but I fear that this will give further impetus to some significant changes myself -- changes driven in part by non-SCA factors as well.

*sigh*

Update: I have written to both Crown and Coronet (Crown before posting this).

Comments

[herveus.livejournal.com]

As a Peer of the Realm, I have a duty to offer my counsel to the Crown. In the instant matter, I offered that counsel at some length and breadth, both in public settings and in direct email conversations. In return, I was publicly labeled a "rabble rouser". Now, here, in another public place, you accuse me of much that is bad. You slur me mightily, using all manner of darkly-colored words. That is not the conduct of a mighty prince, but of a mean-spirited bully who cannot tolerate being gainsaid. When the King speaks in this manner, it sends a message that such conduct is not merely acceptable, but to be encouraged as fashionable. That is shameful.

What have I said here that I didn't say to you directly? I did note that there was much more I could have written, but that I restrained myself from putting on a public temper tantrum such as you have treated me to here. Perhaps my restraint was a "sign of weakness" or "cowardice" to you.

We exchanged private emails a some length back when this was "current events". Your tone of voice to me, both in private and in public, support the interpretation that you were not interested in actually listening to counsel that disagreed with you. Now, nearly two months later, you stumble across this thread and lay into me. Openly.

I *did* engage in direct, one-on-one conversation. It was singularly unproductive. While that was going on, your public response to my public request for people to offer counsel was spat upon when you insisted on labeling me a "rabble rouser". It was the conduct of a bully.

When the topic first surfaced on the Golden Dolphin list, I participated.

I ask you "how, exactly, do you come to the claim that I 'refused' to speak with you at Twelfth Night?" Why do you liberally lard your missive with insulting phrases. What is this "dark corner" that I "slinked" off to? If you are really "done with me" (as you had earlier noted in private email), why did you feel moved to come here and repeat it in public?

You make numerous assertions about me and my past and future conduct that are nothing more than straw men or are absolute fabrications. Lies, if you will.

You claim to have reminded me of the town hall meeting at Twelfth Night "four or five times". I received no personal correspondence from you or an agent on that point. The town hall *was* mentioned in various announcements, but you have no assurance that I received those announcements, nor that I read them. I certainly did not look at the Town Hall meeting as a place for me to "pound the pulpit"; that would have been boorish on my part. Did you take note of one of your Baronage observing that they did not have the opportunity to give counsel at you curia? That person's impression was that you gave no sign of comprehension -- that it rolled off you as water on a duck's back. I don't see how me trying to visit the subject would have been of any particular value.

At Twelfth Night, my first obligation was to support my lady in her mercantile efforts. Unfortunately, the only space suitable for us to set up our displays was in the back (dark) corner. Had my apprentice, Margaret Cochrane, actually been able to come to Twelfth Night, the public celebration of that status would also have been very high on my priority list. I did manage to overlook the Arts & Science displays and give counsel and encouragement to the youngest entrant.

I leave your words here on display as another monument to you.