I just sent the following letter...

[callistotoni]

I just sent off the following letter regarding Ysabella's Level 2 Exile from the Realm. Cut out of politeness for my non-WK or uninterested readers.
To:
Hal Simon (Edwin FitzLloyd), Chairman of the SCA Board of Directors
Kimberly Harvey (Kenna Harvey), Society Seneschal
Marilee Lloyd (Arianna Lloyd), Representitive for the West Kingdom to the BoD

CC:
Merlin McGuire (Titus, King of the West)
Lee Forgue (Ellis, Queen of the West)
Laurie Hupman (Rose de LeMans, West Kingdom Seneschal)

From:
Toni Whyte (Genevieve de Vendome)

Ladies and Gentleman,

This last Saturday, September 26, 2009, I was shocked by the announcement that Rachael Zavala (Ysabella Dolfin) had been issued a Level 2 Exile from the Realm here in the Kingdom of the West. According to the paperwork she received, the reason for this punishment was "a continued pattern of harassing and hostile behavior in spite of counsel and mediation attempts, and your actions have displayed a disregard for the laws and customs of the SCA."

My conscience forces me to write you to say that I have never witnessed Ysabella exhibiting such a pattern of behavior. On the contrary, all my experience with, and observations of, Ysabella have been overwhelmingly positive. Ysabella has been a great asset to the West Kingdom and the SCA as a whole through her pursuit of the Arts (including cooking a stellar 16th C feast at a recent local event) and her continued service (such as being autocrat to the 2008 West/An Tir War, as well as a number of other Kingdom and Principality events). Furthermore, the shock and disbelief of myself and everyone I know over this sanction itself testifies against the veracity of this allegation.

I do not know what the specific charges are that prompted this Exile. However, I am greatly troubled by the Guilty-Until-Proven-Innocent official approach I see on the part of SCA officials. I believe Rachael / Ysabella should have been given the chance to respond formally to whatever the *specific* incidents/charges were before having this Level 2 Exile from the Realm leveled against her.

As I understand it, this level of sanction is automatically reviewed by the Society Board of Directors. I offer myself as a character witness on Ysabella's behalf; feel free to contact me at (cut since this is a public post).

I thank you for your time, and look forward to a just outcome on this matter.

Respectfully,
Toni Whyte (Viscountess Genevieve de Vendome, OL)

Comments

[semy-of-pearls.livejournal.com]

Well done.

[acanthusleaf.livejournal.com]

Good for you!

Yeah, she is *such* a problem to the kingdom that the royals waited until *after* she had busted her butt cooking the feast for His Majesty's home shire to declare this banishment.

[falzalot.livejournal.com]

Um, His Maj currently lives somewhere near Berkeley, so that would make his home group the Province of the Mists. He had nothing to do with any of the planning for the feast, and we were beyond thrilled to have Ysabella do such a wonderful job for us.

[joycebre.livejournal.com]

but wasn't he the original autocrat for the event? (until he won crown?)

[falzalot.livejournal.com]

no, not the feast of fine arts -- that's always been Johanna's baby. He was autocrat for October Crown, and the seneschal of the group, but then he won & moved & poor Chrissy had to take on everything.

[joycebre.livejournal.com]

sorry, my mistake. Thanks for reminding me! :-)

[acanthusleaf.livejournal.com]

I thought the same thing as Gianetta. Oops.

[red6count.livejournal.com]

OK,but their choice was to call her forward at the Esfeen event and do it? Or do it the week before, leaving Esfenn to scramble around for a feast leader? While this was a lousy thing to do, let's try to be a little balanced. :-) well unless you want to start singing... The King, is a fink, a fink, a fink,....

LvS

[ermine-rat.livejournal.com]

You make this sound like it was carefully planned in advance.

[beanolc.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmmmmmm.

[acanthusleaf.livejournal.com]

I am giving TRMs the benefit of the doubt in thinking that this was not a last-minute, whimsical step on Their part. I'm sure they went through exactly the thought processes that Leon describes. Just makes it a little awkward, and IMO, weakens any argument that she is such a problem for the realm that she must be exiled.

[dame-cordelia.livejournal.com]

Yes, I too noticed the timing on the banishment. Not a pretty thought, that.

[hyster1a.livejournal.com]

So is that why they declined to sit at table causing another (albeit smaller) scramble to reset the tables?

[thelbk.livejournal.com]

a well written piece.

Lov ya mom!

[sarahbellem.livejournal.com]

Well said.

[kareina.livejournal.com]

I have been mystified by all of this, seeing it only from afar. I don't believe I've yet met this lady, but I have seen countless mentions of her in my friends LJ posts, all positive, and seen a variety of posts from her on SCA-West, all positive. Whomever is having a problem with her has failed to complain about it in my hearing (not that I'd expect anyone to complain in my hearing, indeed, I encourage people to find good things to think/write about rather than complaints) but it is all kind of surprising to hear so much praise that I have been feeling like I'm missing out by not having met her, and then, suddenly, this. Doesn't match the character profile that has been being presented to me.

[syele.livejournal.com]

Well said, lovely one.

[etaine-pommier.livejournal.com]

Well done!

[khalja.livejournal.com]

Very well written.

[ula1066.livejournal.com]

Very nice letter.

[broider-barones.livejournal.com]

well said!

[goldenstag.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing. It gave me some ideas for my letter. Still working on it ... not an easy thing to write about and say it well.

[erzimagdalena.livejournal.com]

Very well said.

[falzalot.livejournal.com]

very well said!!

[spedgirl.livejournal.com]

Nice letter Toni. I'm glad folks are rallying about this.