Golden Blade

From the President's Oct 2007 report

Publishable Summary: Persona Theft and False Awards and Honors. I find myself compelled to use this space to speak to the membership about a fairly rare problem that has tripled in quantity and directly detracts from the inherent value of the entire system of Theatrical reenactment and recognition of excellence that flavor so much of the Society. I refer here to the growing number of cases where we find someone either claiming to be possessed of the titles of a peer/noble/notable person-or outright stealing/borrowing the persona and titles of a person who labored long and hard for the honors and reputation being so casually nicked.
No sense of fame or positive regard is worth the ignominious and final demise that awaits the SCA career of anyone we catch doing this. And they are always caught. I do not write of this problem and ask the membership to teach our new folk the value of earning honors as opposed to sneakily claiming them because I worry the perpetrators will get away with the caper. They will not. I worry about the disheartening impact on the members and participants who work with good souls, a sound conscience, and can lose faith in what we are and seek to do when they encounter such crass thievery. This growing problem will be stemmed by the swift and final treatment of those caught in the act of persona theft/false honors-that is *my* job and I am all over it. It will also be eased by teaching our new folk what the path to recognition is and encouraging them to walk upon it.

Vice President of Operations (Society Seneschal) - George Reed (Aaron faheud Swiftrunner of the Stone Keep)