This lesson discusses offensiveness, both in armory and in names.
Section I of the Rules for Submissions, General Principles, says: "Offense - No name or armory will be registered that may be offensive to a significant segment of the Society or the general population. No submission wilt be registered that is detrimental to the educational purposes or good name of the Society, or the enjoyment of its participants because of offense that may be caused, intentionally or unintentionally, by its use. See Part IV, Offensive Names, and Part IX, Offensive Armory.
Part IV, Offensive Names says: Offensive names may not be registered, as is required by General Principle 2 of these rules. Names may be innately offensive from their content, like "John Witchburner". A name element can also be offensive because of its usual associations or the context in which it is placed. Names may be considered offensive even if the submitter did not intend them to be. This section defines the categories of names that are generally considered offensive.
1. Vulgar Names - Pornographic or scatological terms will not be registered.
Obscene
terminology, sexually explicit material, bathroom or toilet humor, etc. are
considered inherently offensive by a large segment of the Society and general
population.
2. Offensive Religious Terminology - Magical or religious terminology that is excessive or mocks the beliefs of others will not be registered.
Magical or religious words are not usually inherently offensive, but may offend by context. For example, although the name "Jesus" is common in Spanish, the juxtaposition of it with reference to other religions, like "Jesus the man", could be considered a mockery. Use of art unusual number of religious elements might disturb both devotees and opponents of a particular religion.
3. Stereotypical Names - Allusions to derogatory ethnic, racial, or sexual stereotypes will not be registered.
Such stereotypes, even if documented from
period sources, are innately offensive. This is true whether the stereotype is
inherent in the usage, such as "Pedro the Dago", or created by context.
4. Offensive Political Terminology Terminology specifically associated with social or political movements, or events that may be offensive to a particular race, - religion, or ethnic group will not be registered.
Even if used without prejudice in period, such terms are offensive by their modern context. Thus, names that suggest participation in pogroms or repressive movements, like "Judenfeind", which is a period German name meaning "enemy of the Jews", may not be used."
Part IX, Offensive Armory reads: "Offensive armory may not be registered, as is required by General Principle 2 of these rules. Armory may be innately offensive from its content, or because of its usual associations or the context in which it is placed, such as the swastika which, although used in period armory, is so strongly associated With the Third Reich that it offends a large segment of the population. Armory may be considered offensive even if the submitter did not intend it to be. This section defines the categories of designs that tire generally considered offensive
1. Vulgar Armory - Pornographic or scatological items or designs will not be registered.
Obscene images, sexually explicit material, bathroom or
toilet humor etc. are considered inherently offensive by it large segment of the
Society and general population
2. Offensive Religious Symbolism - Magical or religious symbolism that is excessive or mocks the beliefs of others will not be registered.
Magical or religious symbolism is not usually inherently offensive, but offends by context. Both devotees and opponents of a particular religion may be offended by an excessive display of the symbols of that religion, for example, a Calvary cross surrounded by four Paschal Lambs and surmounted by a crown of thorns and a whip. Similarly, although a Paschal Lamb is a standard heraldic charge, dismembering the lamb and surmounting it by a pentacle creates a context that could be offensive.
3. Stereotypical Designs - Allusions to derogatory ethnic, racial, or sexual stereotypes will not be registered.
Such stereotypes, even if documented from
period sources, are innately offensive. This is true whether the stereotype is
inherent in the usage or created by context, like placing a Moor's head within
an orle of watermelons.
4. Offensive Political Symbolism - Symbols specifically associated with social or political movements or events that may be offensive to a particular race, religion, or ethnic group will not be registered.
Even if used without prejudice in period,
such symbols are offensive by their modern context. Thus, designs suggestive of
the SS, the Ku-Klux Klan, or similar organizations, may not be used.
The list of offensive charges available at this time is:
Note also that charges that are inoffensive in their own right may be organized so as to create in offensive picture.
For example, "Argent, a cat tergiant gules, overall three bars wavy sable." is unacceptable. The total picture is that of a cat with tire tracks across it.
As another example, "Or, a club bendwise sable distilling a goutte de sang and in base a seal gules." can be interpreted as clubbing seals, which will offend people.
"Sable, a bunch of three oak leaves fructed and environed of a laurel wreath." is a lovely, simple design. Unfortunately, it was the badge of the 16th SS Mechanized Division "Commandant SS" (Reichsfuhrer SS)Because of its association with the SS, this is offensive.
I once heard the tale of a gentle that painted his shield with a nice heraldic design and took it to a tourney. Another gentle recognized the design on the shield as being that of an SS unit. This second gentle was ready to do violence to the first gentle over the offense given. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed; the offender did not realize that the design he had come up with was tainted by association. That shield was never seen again.
There is no quiz for this
lesson.
Credits:
Armory content written by Herveus d"Ormonde (mka Michael
Houghton)
Name content written by Jaelle of Armida (mka Judy Gerjuoy)
Web layout, design, and additional editing by Frederic Badger (mka Brander
Roullett)