Maybe I have the wrong idea of what guild is.acorring to what I found by looking up this word

Main Entry: guild
Date: 14th century
: an association of people with similar interests or pursuits; especially : a medieval association of merchants or craftsmen

I guess we fit in under that and have made a great place for chit chat and sharing knowlage between us. But I feel a guild is more of this idea

Main Entry: guild socialism
Function: noun
Date: 1912
: an early 20th century English socialistic theory advocating state ownership of industry with control and management by guilds of workers

To me this is what we should be doing bringing the lists 160+ members into one voice then making the number grow.To make us heard by who ever we feel needs to hear us . Goverment, Promoters weithter they are good or bad. Insurance companys. Fire tool venders.clothing vendors.
We are the workers but yet we have very little control over our own work place or play place if that is your only interest.
We are forced to comform to laws written out of ignorance to our art form most are forced to work under illegel conditions
because fire laws are so unfairly written or we are ran off by local law enforcement from our favorite burn spots we gather at.again by someone ignorate to what we are doing.Or saying we are using weapons I have heard both.and when they only hear 6 or 12 people trying to defend their right to do thier art it falls to deaf ears.
I am a memeber of a another group not fire that has gone though this same thing we are now over 1000 strong on an international level when we are ran out of a park (that is were we gather oh by the way we are Whip crackers) we plead out our case nicely and then leave if told too.Then that parks offical
hears the voice of the 1000+ members when the rep of the group contacts them with the knowlage of the group along with some printed matter to explain our art and our saftey guide lines for our selves and the people watching. so far 4 groups across the usa have been ran out of parks and after contact from a group rep all have been invited back. our group here in tampa bay gets invited to all kinds of public functions put on by the goverment.We do them for free trust me this comes in very handy
we needed permitts for one of our functions they already knew who we were and the permitts were given to us without any hassle.

This is only one example of what My concept of a guild could do for all of us.another would be going to vendors we do bussiness with letting them hear our one voice then ask for group discounts.This does work I have done it before for large companys.Yes I will put my money where my mouth is i will offer a 10% discount to any member of this guild for anything they buy from me.


another would be lobbying law makers contacting the NFPA trying to get better and clearer and more uniform guildlines for our art and most of getting out from under the grouping of pyrotechincs.Yes this requires work and time you wont get paid for and yes you might not even get to reap any of the rewards of your work but it might pave the road for that 8 year old out there who is spinning glowsticks who will be doing fire in 10 years or so.

Maybe I have just taken to many drugs in my life and my mind is really wacked out.And my concepts are mere delousions.If they arent and you agree please step up to the pump now and let your voice be heard. then go back to your local group and enoucourage them to join this guild.I feel there are enough of us there to make a differance.

Riz