Banning Civil War Re-Enactments Will Only Increase Ignorance, Prejudice | The Federalist
It's a mistake to ignore the complexities of history in the name of social justice. Obscuring the past will not make our country better or more just.
Source: Banning Civil War Re-Enactments Will Only Increase Ignorance, Prejudice
"The rush to obscure the past will not make our country better and more just. It is a tremendous mistake to refuse to examine the complexities of history in the name of social justice. It is culturally suicidal to reduce life into the binary categories of 'correct' and 'unmentionable.' Furthermore, it is a mistake to fail to recognize the benefits that historical reenacting can and does bring to America."
It is truly disgusting, depressing, heart-breaking, and yes, anger-inducing to see the depths to which we have plunged as a society in only a couple of years, to the point that the idea of banning reenactments – living history – is even thinkable.
The ignorance, arrogance, and authoritarian attitudes demonstrated by (some of) those who call themselves "liberal" or "progressive" are a disgrace to the terms. Such people, and such a worldview, have more in common with Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, Mao's China, or today's ISIS than they do with classical liberalism or progressivism.
And it is appallingly ironic that some of those who claim that it's possible, even admirable, to be "non-binary" where "gender" is concerned, have no trouble insisting on, as Ms Mussman accurately phrases it, reducing life into the binary categories of “correct” and “unmentionable.” If we continue down this path, we are doomed as a society. Doomed.
In such an environment, this essay by Anna Mussman is a ray of light and hope. Her list of the benefits of reenacting / living history to society are perfectly on-point. Kudos to her for writing this excellent essay! I just wish I didn't have the sinking feeling that she's preaching to the choir...