Trouble For Confederate Reenactors

[CMWinkler]

September 10, 2017 15
Trouble For Confederate Reenactors


It should come as no surprise that reenactors who don Confederate gray and display the Confederate battle flag are meeting more and more resistance from people who question their motivation. A group of Maine men, who reenact the 15th Alabama, have experienced this firsthand in the form of heckling during parades and from those who question their racial motivation.

More: http://cwmemory.com/2017/09/10/trouble-for-confederate-reenactors/#comments

 

[War Horse]

Public propery is just that public. State and Federal property, which also happens to be public property such as parks is somewhat different. You can't force people to view things they may find offensive in the course of their everyday activities. However, you also can not censor real history. Battlefields and reenactments have their justifiable place. No one is forced to visit or attend. As they say, here is where the assphalt meets the rubber. True history buffs, as well as truely educated Americans will not stand for it. We may have given an inch, they may have taken a mile. In the end we will see what wins the day. In my experience it has always been what's right!

 

[LoriAnn]

I must say that I am surprised the Confederate flag is allowed in some parades.

A reenactment is one thing. The flag is in context. But a parade is not a CW or even a history-specific event.

 

[Bee]

I must say that I am surprised the Confederate flag is allowed in some parades.

A reenactment is one thing. The flag is in context. But a parade is not a CW or even a history-specific event.

Following the shooting, and further focus on the CBF, I suggested that reenactment groups would best serve their purpose by adopting their state specific battle flags when operating in the public arena. As mentioned elsewhere, in a sound-bite society, perception is everything, and unless the reenactment groups want to get sucked into the vortex, they will have to adapt. The CBF is now synonymous with all things evil, and there is no going back on this. It is time to fold it up in the public arena.

 

[LoriAnn]

Following the shooting, and further focus on the CBF, I suggested that reenactment groups would best serve their purpose by adopting their state specific battle flags when operating in the public arena. As mentioned elsewhere, in a sound-bite society, perception is everything, and unless the reenactment groups want to get sucked into the vortex, they will have to adapt. The CBF is synonymous with all things evil, and there is no going back on this. It is time to fold it up in the public arena.

I think this is a pretty good suggestion.

 

[cash]

Following the shooting, and further focus on the CBF, I suggested that reenactment groups would best serve their purpose by adopting their state specific battle flags when operating in the public arena. As mentioned elsewhere, in a sound-bite society, perception is everything, and unless the reenactment groups want to get sucked into the vortex, they will have to adapt. The CBF is now synonymous with all things evil, and there is no going back on this. It is time to fold it up in the public arena.

Union units had state flags, but I don't believe most confederate units had them.

What I enjoy seeing is during the Remembrance Day Parade in Gettysburg in November, several confederate units will carry both their ANV battle flag and a United States flag.

 

[cash]

Anyone reenacting as a confederate needs to anticipate they will be asked why they are choosing to portray confederates. The confederacy did exist to perpetuate slavery, so they should anticipate they'll be asked if they think slavery was a good thing, if they are racists, and if they wish the confederacy had won. These are questions the general public will ask.

 

[mofederal]

What I enjoy seeing is during the Remembrance Day Parade in Gettysburg in November, several confederate units will carry both their ANV battle flag and a United States flag.


I thought some Virginia volunteer units carried state flags. I have seen some paintings of New Market, where the cadets carried state flags. The Missouri State Guard carried the Missouri State flag.

 

[JerseyBart]

Anyone reenacting as a confederate needs to anticipate they will be asked why they are choosing to portray confederates. The confederacy did exist to perpetuate slavery, so they should anticipate they'll be asked if they think slavery was a good thing, if they are racists, and if they wish the confederacy had won. These are questions the general public will ask.

Excellent point. It is the historic and honest nature of the beast now. Simple answer too: This is a reenactment. Who are those boys in blue over there going to "fight" against if we're not here.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

The CBF is now synonymous with all things evil, and there is no going back on this. It is time to fold it up in the public arena.

That may be your opinion . . . along with many others, but the fact remains our constitution protects freedom of speech.

Last I heard, the Confederate Battle Flag still falls under that constitutional protection.

I'm afraid that whether you like it or not, the Confederate Battle Flag simply can not be removed from the "public arena" just because you and other people don't like seeing that flag.

 

[jgoodguy]

State and Cities have started charging reenactors to use public parks in Alabama. That continues a problem of finding places to reenactment.

 

[Bee]

I was thinking of these state flags

 

[jgoodguy]

That may be your opinion . . . along with many others, but the fact remains our constitution protects freedom of speech.

Last I heard, the Confederate Battle Flag still falls under that constitutional protection.

I'm afraid that whether you like it or not, the Confederate Battle Flag simply can not be removed from the "public arena" just because some don't like seeing that flag.

Constitutional protection is on private land. CBF can be banned from public property and has been.

 

[Bee]

That may be your opinion . . . along with many others, but the fact remains our constitution protects freedom of speech.

Last I heard, the Confederate Battle Flag still falls under that constitutional protection.

I'm afraid that whether you like it or not, the Confederate Battle Flag simply can not be removed from the "public arena" just because you and other people don't like seeing that flag.

Read. My. Post. Again. Note the word: PERCEPTION as in public opinion. My opinion has no relevance here, as judgment has already been passed, and the train is barreling down the tracks.

I rarely bother with personal opinion around here. Nothing good comes of it.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

CBF can be banned from public property and has been.

Yep, you're right.

But I wasn't talking about the Confederate Battle Flag flying over a public facility.

I'm talking about the right of a common citizen to walk down any street in this nation carrying any flag he/she chooses.

 

[jgoodguy]

Yep, you're right.

But I wasn't talking about the Confederate Battle Flag flying over a public facility.

I'm talking about the right of common citizen to walk down any street in this nation carrying any flag he/she chooses.

True. However as part of a parade or organized group, the leaders of the parade or organized group get to decide.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Read. My. Post. Again. Note the word: PERCEPTION as in public opinion. My opinion has no relevance here, as judgment has already been passed, and the train is barreling down the tracks.

I rarely bother with personal opinion around here. Nothing good comes of it.

I did note your phrase perception is everything. And I agree with your conclusion.

I was referring to your next sentence:

The CBF is now synonymous with all things evil, and there is no going back on this.

 

[Bee]

I did note your phrase perception is everything. And I agree with your conclusion.

I was referring to your next sentence:

The CBF is now synonymous with all things evil, and there is no going back on this.​

It is about self-preservation, regarding the reenactors As long as they carry the CBF, there is no getting out from under the baggage it carries. There is no rehabilitating/separating the CBF image from those who carry it at this point.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

As long as they carry the CBF, there is no getting out from under the baggage it carries. There is no rehabilitating the CBF image or those who carry it at this point.

I do understand your point, but without getting into another ad nauseam CBF debate, it comes down to what part of these United States one lives.

I would say more, but I would be in violation of this site's modern politics rule.

 

[AUG]

I suggested that reenactment groups would best serve their purpose by adopting their state specific battle flags when operating in the public arena.

I thought some Virginia volunteer units carried state flags. I have seen some paintings of New Market, where the cadets carried state flags. The Missouri State Guard carried the Missouri State flag.

Some Confederate regiments carried a state flag very early in the war and there were a few exceptions where both a state and regimental flag were used, but by mid war most Confederate regiments only carried one regimental battle flag and that could vary depending on what army or theater they were serving in. For example, Pat Cleburne's Division carried its own battle flag throughout the war, but by 1864 the rest of the Army of Tennessee used the regular CBF pattern.

I'm not a reenactor myself, but I think many authentic reenacting groups would not go with something other than the CBF if it was not historically accurate to the unit they were portraying. Though I doubt the authentic reenactors would be at something like a parade in the first place.