Should certain re-enactment groups be banned?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph....olocaust-victims.html

It is obvious that asking a Jewish couple to act out the roll as Holocaust victims would be totally wrong, but should certain uniforms be banned in case they cause offence?

Why these re-enactment groups choose to dress up and take part in these re-enactments is yet another question, but I suppose they do attract audiences.

But ban one,and where does it end, ban the Sealed Knot lot, in case it offends certain Royalists or Puritans?

Ban re-enactments of the Battle of Waterloo in case it offends the French?



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[emmie]

naomi, this isn't about erasing history, you can't do that. But some might feel very uneasy seeing these people wandering around wearing uniforms they might have last seen as children back in Poland, Germany.
You cannot wear the Swastika in Germany i believe, so why is it more acceptable here.

[Mosaic]

Andy, that is not what I'm saying.
What I'm trying to point out is that a volunteer-run organisation of this sort is going to struggle to police the random turning up of nazi-uniformed weirdoes.
But at the same time it is their responsibility to do so.

[naomi24]

Andy, the way I see it, it is. Those who do not want to see it wish to ban it, thereby preventing anyone else from seeing it. Personally, I don't agree. Anything that serves as a reminder of the horrors of the holocaust - especially to new generations - is ok by me. It should never be forgotten - or hidden.

[andy-hughes]

Mosaic, i fail to understand what the volunteer aspect of this has to do with anything.

Any citizen responsible for a public facility such as a railway is entitled to post notices advising that the wearing of inappropriate clothing will result in the police being called - although I utterly fail to see why these people are attracted to a railwsay station anywy.

The fact that the railway is staffed by volunteers is entirely beside the point.

The railway organisers have a responsibility to ensure that their premises are not hijacked by any tom dick or nazi who feels like turning up on a nice day - and the police would be delighted to back them up in that position.

Lack of payment for labour does not absent anyone from their responsibilities to the general public.

[naomi24]

Em, I don't agree with shoving unpleasant things out of sight. That's why I don't 'do' political correctness. Have them out in the open. Hiding unpleasantness doesn't cure it - but education can.

[tonyav]

Was it Eisenhower that said make sure you film all of this and take many photographs as in years to come no one will believe this ( on capturing one of the concentration camps from the Germans 1945 ).

[emmie]

these people are not going around wearing these uniforms to educate people, so it serves no purpose othen than to get up some peoples noses. Or make them wonder what their agenda is.

[emmie]

tonyav, i have seen enough footage from the camps to last a lifetime,
it is a part of history that many want to forget but cannot.

[tonyav]

Exactly em.

[andy-hughes]

maomi - I suggest that your approach to the idea of everyone doing everything they want because education should sort out peoples' attitudes is seriously flawed.

I think that excess drinking is unpleasant. I understand the reasons for it, and the effects of it, and I am entirely in favour of education to prevent it.

That does not mean that I will accept a stranger vomiting in my vicinity - the two aspects of the issue are not in any way connected.

Society has rules becuase some people are simply not able to behave in a way that society as a whole feels is acceptable. These rules exist so that the majority can go about their lives safetly, and hopefully not distressed by the behviour of others - and that is the issue here.

Stopping people parading in Nazi uniforms in this context is nothing at all to do with subverting history of stifling education, it is about unacceptable behaviour that was not correctly addressed in adcance, as it should have been.

[naomi24]

Tony, exactly.

http://www.eisenhower...ories/death-camps.htm

Em, I've seen more than footage. It must never be forgotten.

[Mick-Talbot]

sp1814
By the way - here's a question...

You know historical re-enactment societies generally recreate famous battles? Well, exactly what was this sociert re-enacting???




Exactly what I was thinking sp.

But then again when you are most probably suffering from ..... Erectile Dysfunction....you have to get some fun from somewhere .

[humbersloop]

So what and how is exactly the education lesson to be drawn from this then?

Short of standing and pointing at them while saying "Look, people who like to dress up as Nazis. Who were very unpleasant" I'm not sure what else there is.

[naomi24]

Andy, please don't preach to me. I disagree with you.

[naomi24]

Humbersloop, if I were there with young people who were unaware, I'd say rather more than that.

[andy-hughes]

naomi - it is not my inention to preach - please accept my apologies if this is the approach you perceive.

As far as i was concerned, we are simply exchanging views.

In view of your apparent offence, I will abstain from our discourse, apologies again.

[jno]

I agree with you, andy. People have been getting education for thousands of years. It doesn't seem to have done anything to clear the Nazi re-enactors from the streets of Bury, nor do I expect it to do so. If you want them off the street, you have to ban them, the same as you ban other things that a majority of people don't want, whether speeding, vomiting or asking Jews to pretend to be Holocast victims.

[naomi24]

Andy, just as I don't 'do' political correctness, I don't 'do' offence either. Simply pointing out that your attempt to explain society's acceptable standands to me was rather patronising.

[humbersloop]

Assurances naomi, it wouldn't be the youngsters who'd be getting my verbal attention first.

[naomi24]

Humbersloop, in that case, it would, in my opinion, be a good opportunity wasted.