Cage rattled...

I've been wrestling with this for a while.  There's a concrete point where 'misunderstanding', 'different goals'... and all sorts of stuff becomes "taking the piss".  Often these people hide behind the rules- don't hate the player, hate the game type people. For me, the dispute about a venue isn't about the venue- It's about extracting urine, we can all get along if we're honest.

The latest starts with me recognising my abilities and doing that with the appropriate amount of ego. When I say that somebody is a better teacher than me, I'm not putting myself down, it is because they are a better teacher than me. I respect them because they have earned that respect and some of them are the best in the world at what they do. Last week, we had someone being very apologetic while we insisted they went to Dave. That's what we like- 'sorry you're not for me, can you recommend a better teacher?'.

This is the very core of sportsmanship and gentlemanly behaviour, especially in HEMA. You get hit, you acknowledge it. A fair and well placed hit... is fair and well placed.

I've been half-teaching over the past 8 months or so. I stepped back because someone could do it better. I was ok with giving up my part of teaching because of this, I have a few grumbles thanks to lack of warning when things go tits up- but in general I am happy with the situation because of the skills in place.

So, the friction- we've worked hard to be inclusive and have a little place of our own. We have been happy to invite people in, share our knowledge..  shit like that. And a group has started to abuse out hospitality. What was a sparring group started to become a class and took some of our lot... became.

Backstabbing.  That's about the best way to describe it.  There was one 'person' who learnt under my better and when it was time for international competition, he coached opponents. Abused the trust and the kindness of tuition (we actually do this at cost to ourselves) and used that to score cheap points.

I can deal with a lot of differences of opinion. There's even room for libel born from testosterone poisoning and proving your worth by stating that you can wrestle a sad old clown that's twice your age.  (he can, and he'd do a lot of damage to the clown- but that proves nothing) The misunderstanding about the difference between a charity and a bunch of weirdos with swords- that can be explained away. Not cleanly, but close enough.

You turn up, you pay less than cost, borrow swords, and then you coach people to embarrass the person who took time out to teach you?  The explanation for that behaviour is one I 'd love to hear.