View single post by Johan Steele
 Posted: Thu Jan 31st, 2008 02:43 am
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Johan Steele
Life NRA,SUVCW # 48,Legion 352


Joined: Sat Dec 2nd, 2006
Location: South Of The North 40, Minnesota USA
Posts: 1050
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Mana: 
 Been re-enacting quite a few years now.  Seen racist re-enactors wearing both the blue and the gray.  My experiance is that the more serious someone is about the history of the day the less racist they are likely to be.  The first batch of boys in gray I ever met were about the best I've ever seen; they set a very high bar which very few, unfortunately, have been able to live up to.

There are all sorts in the hobby: good, bad and indifferent.
As for everyone saying you're racist... everyone has an opinion and are allowed to give it.  Simply prove them wrong through your actions.

The CS soldiers of 1861-65 deserve to be remembered for what they accomplished.  They were men doing the best they could under difficult circumstances.

Parault, something you might enjoy.  My wife portrays a free woman of color and takes it very seriously to stay in first person (a "farb jar" collects quarters for stepping out of period).  At one event she was selling her period donuts, nickel a piece or two bits for a dozen.  Went over real well.  Some CS arty boys smelled the donuts and came over. One young man offered her a dollar bill for two dozen; she looked at the bill and said she wouldn't take any fake folding money; another Reb that knows us got the hint and handed her a repop CS dollar bill.  Her reply; "I don't need no kindling, coin or you boys get none o my bear sign."  I thought he was going to bust out laughing but he reached in and gave her a dollars woth of coins.  He got two dozen... no racism just a shared passion for history.

Joanie; I can sympathize.  I could never portray a CS soldier.  All of my ancestors wore the blue.  My intention through wearing the blue is not to glorify them but to understand them a touch more and to understand the reality behind the words in history books.   If one night sleeping on the ground or a five mile route march wearing the same kind of gear brings me to a closer understanding of history and the sacrifices made by the men of the day then I have suceeded.  If one of my presentations plants the history bug in someone then I have done well by them.

The average soldier of the CS was a fascinating fellow & IMO one worthy of respect... far more so than the politicians I'm afraid.