Have any of you 'concerned ACW buffs' read the articles members have provided?
It appears that the decision not to have a reenactment was announced in September 2019, well before the Beck event was announced in December 2019.
Among the reasons given for cancellation were:
- The risks and dynamics of hosting an outdoor event.
- The reenactment hobby is decreasing with an aging demographic.
- Visitor interest is somewhat varied because of the lack of related movies and shows, unlike in the 1990s and early 2000s.
<Mariana Veloso, "Gettysburg Anniversary Committee Doesn't Plan on Hosting Civil War Reenactment in 2020",
Hanover Evening Sun, September 4, 2019.>
It appears that the Beck event had nothing to do with the decision.
Further, for those concerned about Beck's event desecrating 'holy ground', the venues do not include anything inside the Gettysburg National Military Park. Instead, they include "the Eisenhower Inn and Conference Center, South Mountain Fairgrounds, Gettysburg College and other sites".
<Alex J. Hayes, "Glenn Beck Plans Massive Gathering in Gettysburg",
The Gettysburg Times, December 26, 2019.>
I am not now nor have I ever been a reenactor, so my opinion may seem somewhat insensitive to those who are reenactors. The bottom line is that interest in the ACW is dwindling. At the same time, concerns about liability and image associated with reenactments are increasing. That's not a good recipe for sustaining the hobby. Rather than blaming organizations, communities or individuals for this, it might be more appropriate to develop new and interesting ways to upgrade both interest in the ACW and the public's reenactment experience.
As to the Beck event, it may even promote interest in the ACW, as families get to experience the community and National Military Park, many for the first time.