(What community?)

...I DO hear what you're saying... but I guess that I just don't see Weres as having a "community" at this point. Ask the average person what a Were is and they think that you're drunk or something. It may be possible, in time... but right now it seems more like a bunch of scattered people. I think part of what makes a community is coming in contact with one another... that's why I can see it online. Online we come in contact with one another... it's a bit of an "underground" community... but it's here. Offline, there are no Were bars or hang outs, just a few howls every now and again. As well, other than calling yourself a Were, it's nearly impossible to define what exactly a Were is. It's easy with leather or religions or sexualities... but there is no set definition of "Were"... and I'm not sure that there ever will be above and beyond "you just are, sort of are, or aren't". Another thing that makes a community is the coming together of individuals... It's packs of "Were-like-me"s... I do see it slowly taking form... Weres are forming small circles, and eventually those small circles will connect... it just hasn't happened yet. Even within established communities there is fighting about "terms". How often do people in the Gay community fight about whether or not someone is still part of the community if they're bi or trans? There's "Gay like me" and not. What makes it a community is that despite the fighting, proudly flying the Gay colors still makes you rank above the rest of the world in a way... it's a "you and me against the world" type of thing. I don't see that in Weres... there are no Were colors... Weres don't even exist in the society handbook yet.

You mention being a member of many communities... that was exactly what I was saying... that the Weres I know find kin in many places... many communities... they rarely belong to just one group. As I said, "their communities are a combination of people... not just others that call themselves "Were". Perhaps it was not the best way to word it... but what I meant was that the Weres I've met basically pick and choose from a lot of groups... and they fit in well with many groups. I think that maybe I should have said... "their close friends are drawn from many different communities, and they do not seem to have only other Weres as close companions."? They seem to, in a way, create their own communities out of a mixture of people from other established communities.

I know... I'm not making sense to myself either... there are Mercury boogers in my brain.

I dunno... maybe, one day, there will be a Were community... but for now I think that it's just an online thing.

As for taking someone's word on whether or not someone's a Were... I just can't do it that way. I've tried that route... and I won't do that again. For me... it's my own gut that I have to follow... or my own Ravens. If one perches on your head, then I'll know. *shrugs* I'm just a cynic, I guess. I'll take a person's word for it that another person calls themself a Were... but in order for me to see someone as pack, sibling, or or even "Were-like-me"... I have to sniff them out. Yes... I still consider them members of the Were community, as existant or non-existant as that may be... but when it comes down to playing favorites, it doesn't mean a thing to me to know that you're using a term that I use.

About leading and setting an example... that's exactly the point I was trying to make. To me... what I consider to be an Alpha is one who just IS... who sets an example just by doing and by being. I've just noticed that most Weres I've come across (or most that I've considered to be Were) are people like that.

Will Weres beat out TV? Every time. Weres influence the writers of the programs... Weres write the programs... If you look really hard at TV, you can see it. It's spoon-fed most of the time... but the truth is there... and so is the Were influence. (my opinion, as always.)