Welcome to your ultimate sex education resource


 

impp.org keyword stats



Most current MSN search phrases:

images women
chat malaysia flash
kissing clips subject
pakistani christian websires The risk of teenage pragnace
pregnacy sexuality
www.tenn chat.com inadequate
how to know is she is cheating older
penticostal first
want to get pregnacy? lips emotions for msn
waiting relationships
girls kissing girls PREGNACY PICTURES
kissing lessons child
passion camera
Boys French Kissing Girls rooms
school  

"Society for Creative Anachronism - jovial jousters or dragons in dungeons"

"Society  for  Creative  Anachronism"pedophilia with the knowledge and approval of
the SCA is unclear. However, despite his
Jovial  jousters  or  dragons  in  dungeons?conviction, the SCA failed to implement
child-protection policies which were almost
Peter  Webbuniversally enforced in similar organisations
all  over  the  world.
The "Society for Creative Anachronism" (SCA)
is generally believed to have originated in aThe next major bombshell for the SCA came
backyard graduation celebration for authorwith the 2004 conviction of Benjamin
and medieval studies graduate, Diana Paxson,Schragger on two counts of involuntary
in  Berkeley,  California  on  May  1,  1966.deviate sexual intercourse, two counts of
rape of a child, one count of indecent
The party must have been quite a spectacle asassault and six counts of corruption of
it developed into a "Grand Tournament" withminors.
combatants, wearing motorcycle helmets and
fencing masks, thumping each other withSchragger was known as "Lord Ben the Steward"
plywood swords and padded maces then spillingto the dozens of children he "mentored" over
onto Telegraph Avenue for a march styled as athe years as the local youth leader of the
"protest  against  the  20th  century".SCA. Schragger led the local chapter for more
than 10 years and also directed the youth
"SCA time", still employed today, dates fromprogram for the society's East Kingdom, which
that party and comprises the letters "AS"stretches from Canada to Delaware. Schragger
(Anno Societatis, "In the year of theco-authored the SCA document, "Your teenager
Society") followed by Roman numerals so thatand the SCA - some answers for parents",
1 May 1966 to 30 April 1967 was (and is)which is still freely available on the SCA
known as ASI, while 2007 is known as ASXLIwebsite. On weekends, children gathered at
(41).Schragger's parents' farmhouse (known as "The
Manor" or "Tulgey Woods", in New Tripoli,
The name, "Society of Creative Anachronism",about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia, to
is attributed to co- founder, Marion Zimmersew period dresses, make chain mail armour,
Bradley, a science fiction writer best knownengage in mock battles and other activities
for her fantasy novel, "The Mists of Avalon".related  to  the  period.
The behaviour at Paxson's party was clearlyThe offences, involving children aged from 7
"anachronistic" but it is the use of the wordto 14, occurred between June 1999 and August
"creative" which sets the SCA apart from2003. Much of the abuse happened during
other groups whose attempts to "re-enact"sleepovers while Schragger's parents were
medieval life are measured by their effortsaway. Schragger was sentenced to 62.5 years
to  maintain  a  degree  of  "authenticity".imprisonment with a non-parole period of 30
years. The SCA formally "banished" him but
From its earliest days, the SCA made nothe question of his ongoing membership is
secret of its desire to recreate the Middlestill unclear. Earlier this year, six of
Ages "as they should have been" (according toSchragger's victims, four boys and two girls
the  SCA!).brought proceedings against the SCA in the
United States District Court for the Eastern
It is the initial and ongoing associationDistrict of Pennsylvania. The victims allege
between the SCA's version of the Middle Agesthat the SCA was negligent in its failure to
and the realms of fantasy and science fictionimplement child-protection policies which may
which have attracted both members andhave  prevented  the  abuse.
criticism.
Breen's open espousal of pedophilia and his
Clearly, many shared Paxson and Co's desiresubsequent conviction was cited as an example
to escape from the drudgery of the "Mundaneof the SCA's "head in the sand" attitude to
World, as the SCA terms daily life in thechild  abuse  within  its  ranks.
20th  and  21st  centuries  AD.
The SCA's refusal to modify the wording of
By the end of 1969, SCA membership hadits advice to parents of teenage participants
expanded rapidly, both numerically andmust make it vulnerable in such an action. In
geographically, to the extent that the firstanswer to the "question", "With so many
three "Kingdoms" were established in the USA:adults around, will my teen be exposed to
West,  East  and  Middle.sexual situations or be tempted to engage in
sex?", "Lord Ben" replies, "Flirting,
By 2006, the SCA claimed some 30,000 membersromance, flattery, and light physical contact
in 17 "Kingdoms" world wide, including the(hand-kissing, hugging, neck massages) are
"Kingdom of Lochac" (Australia, New Zealandthe norm in the SCA in some areas.
and parts of Antarctica) which was founded inGenerally, such activity does not proceed
2002.beyond this point, and does not betoken
anything more than friendship. However, it
The SCA's current headquarters is insometimes happens that a person, especially a
Milpitas, California where a Board ofyoung one, is taken in by all the flattery
Directors (known as "BoD" in the SCA)and courtliness and misinterprets gentle
dictates policy for the rest of the "Knowneflirting as genuine interest and develops
World".crushes, or conversely, as pressure to engage
in sex. If your teen is confused about such
Despite my background in research (historicalfeelings, or is not sure what constitutes
in particular), I have found the structure ofproper behavior, he or she should discuss
the SCA mind-bogglingly complex,these issues with you. A (separate) talk with
necessitating an almost obsessional effort onanother adult in the group may help to guide
my part to form a picture of the organisationyour teen through these situations. Second,
behind its most public manifestation -most of us are adults. If your teen looks
jousting knights and delightful damselslike a grownup, he or she will probably be
performing a variety of pseudo-medieval featstreated as one and could become the object of
at "Medieval Fairs" in schools andsomeone's amorous advances. Therefore, it may
communities  across  the  country.be necessary for your teen to let others know
that  he  or  she  is  underage."
For an overview of the world wide
organisation, the best place to start is toThis "advice" constitutes the most arrogant
enter "Society for Creative Anachronism" onabrogation of responsibility I have
your chosen search engine. You will readilyencountered in any organisation involving
find the SCA website and, like me, you willchildren in its activities. As a parent, I
probably be staggered at the number of linkswould find no comfort whatsoever in the SCA's
found  under  that  heading.blatant attempt to shift the onus of
responsibility in such situations of risk
For an overview of the SCA's presence inonto  chidren  and  their  parents.
Australia, start with "Kingdom of Lochac" and
follow  the  links  to  your  local "Barony".One could only pray that such teenagers did
not pick "Lord Ben" or one of his ilk for the
For me, the local "Barony" is the "Barony ofsuggested  "separate"  talk.
Innilgard".
Why am I opposed to the "Society for Creative
Depending on interest and time available, youAnachronism"?
should be able to gain some picture of the
nature and extent of this organisation bothMy view of the world is not so simplistic as
world-wide  and  in  Australia.to suggest that the SCA is full of Breens and
Schraggers but I find it totally unacceptable
If you think anything like me, by this stagethat, in the light of serious attempts by
you will be starting to wonder if thisorganisations as diverse as the Catholic
organisation is just a group of fun-lovingChurch and the Boy Scouts to redress the
pseudo-medievalists or a massive, secretivewrongs of the past and make sincere and
cult full of aliases (called "personae" ingenuine efforts to prevent the atrocity of
the SCA), swearing "fealty" to burlesquechild abuse in the future, that an
caricatures of "royalty" with names likeorganisation like the SCA has the audacity to
"King Hugh the Little" (current "King ofpublish the kinds of attitudes proferred to
Lochac") and deciding its leadershipprospective parents of teenage participants
positions  by  "right of arms" (full combat).which are so clearly out of touch with the
social  norms  of  civilised  countries.
If you run across the SCA at a local
"Medieval Fair" (and, as in the USA, scarcelyWhy am I opposed to the involvement of the
a week goes by without one somewhere inSCA  in  Australian  schools?
Australia), you may derive some comfort from
the presence of gentile "ladies" and theI say that the SCA's stated philosophy is at
demonstration of various "medieval" arts andodds with the commitment to child protection
crafts.and anti-harassment policies in Australian
schools,  both  public  and  independent.
Such a seemingly innocuous scene masks the
fact that SCA Headquarters has decreed thatI say, further, that any invitation issued to
all members must engage in full combat,the SCA to participate in schools' "Medieval
irrespective of their usual pursuits at SCAFairs" or any other aspect of the curriculum
events. The "Kingdom of Lochac" has beencould too easily be construed as promoting or
given until August 2008 to provide thecondoning such an "anachronistic" philosophy
training to comply with the decree or to weedas  that  espoused  by  the  SCA.
out any member who may wish to object to
being  forced  to  engage  in  full  combat.I question the relevance of the SCA's brand
of "recreational medievalism" in the
This apparent contradiction between what thecurriculum of the 21st Century Australian
SCA purports to be - "a group dedicated toschool. In a curriculum of finite duration
researching and recreating the Middle Ages inwhich has, over the years, been subjected to
the present" - and what it actuallyan infinite number of demands for extra
represents is not the only image probleminclusions ranging from work education to
confronting the organisation in the "MundaneAIDS prevention, each addition must
World".inevitably lead to a concomitant subtraction.
Along with Paxson and Bradley, one of theThe fad for "recreational medievalism" has
co-founders was one Walter Breen, a wellbeen embraced by many schools on the spurious
known coin collector and author of, "Waltergrounds that students will be inspired by
Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of US andsuch "history" and, thereby, encouraged to
Colonial  Coins".pursue other history (even our own) "down the
track".
Breen also had a somewhat less publishable
passion  -  for  young  boys.The sad fact, however, is that the study of
Australian history, particularly indigenous
In the 1950's, he was arrested for "lewdhistory, has fallen into a sad state of
behaviour" after exposing himself to youngneglect across the curriculum, partly, though
boys  in  Atlanta  City.not entirely due to the notion that "fun's
the  thing".
Despite this incident, Breen continued his
extensive research into homosexuality andWho says that Australian history,
pederasty and, in 1964, published the book,well-taught,  cannot  be  "fun"?
"Greek Love" under the pseudonym "J.Z.
Eglinton".If "recreational re-enactment" really is the
go, why not engage in "recreational
In the same year, he married fellow author,Australianism"?
Marion  Zimmer  Bradley.
Finally, the SCA's portrayal of the past is
Two years later, the couple were instrumental"bad  history".
in the foundation of the "Society for
Creative Anachronism", the same year in whichLack of serious research has led to a
Breen was awarded his Masters Degree fromplethora of ludicrous misrepresentations of
Berkeley. He was remembered as something ofthe Middle Ages in SCA "literature". The
an eccentric who wore his "Phi Beta Kappa"SCA's approach is as "anachronistic" in
key as a zipper pull on the fly of hisrelation to the Middle Ages as it is in
pants.relation  to  the  present.
Breen and Bradley had two children andThe jousting "gentles" and their "ladies"
separated  in  1979.were representative of, at best, 10% of the
medieval populace. Poverty, malnutrition and
In 1990, Breen was arrested on childoppression  were  the norm for the other 90%.
molestation charges and given a suspended
sentence  with  three  years  probation.The SCA's cartography of the "Knowne World"
in 1400 is about as accurate as the belief
In 1991, he was charged with a further eightamong Christopher Columbus' peers that, when
counts of child molestation and sentenced tohe sailed West in 1492, he would fall off the
ten  years  imprisonment.edge  of  a  flat  world.
Breen ultimately died of liver cancer inCook, Flinders and Co needn't have bothered -
1993.the "Kingdom of Lochac" was already well
mapped three or four centuries before they
The extent to which Breen had pursued hisset sail!



1 A B C D 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 71 72 73 74 75 79 80 81 82 89 90 92 95 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 108 109