10-10-2010, 12:20 AM
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arch...azi/64319/
Rich Iott, second from right, in a Nazi SS Waffen uniform.
Rich Iott, second from right, in a Nazi SS Waffen uniform.
Asked whether his participation in a Nazi re-enactor's group might not upset voters, particularly Jewish voters, Iott said he hoped it would not: "They have to take it in context. There's reenactors out there who do everything. You couldn't do Civil War re-enacting if somebody didn't play the role of the Confederates.is something that's definitely way in the past. ... [I hope voters] take it in context and see it for what it is, an interest in World War II history. And that's strictly all."
Rabbi Moshe Saks, of the Congregation B'nai Israel in Sylvania, Ohio, a suburb of Toledo that sits in the 9th district, disagreed. "Any kind of reenactment or glorification of Nazi Germany, to us, would be something unacceptable and certainly in poor taste, if not offensive," he said. "I think the reaction here will be very negative. And not just among the Jewish community, but the broader community."
In a follow-up email today, Iott seemed at pains to address concerns that his conduct may have alienated veterans groups but made no specific mention of possible offense to Jews or human rights groups: "Never, in any of my reenacting of military history, have I meant any disrespect to anyone who served in our military or anyone who has been affected by the tragedy of war. In fact, I have immense respect for veterans who served our country valiantly, and my respect of the military and our veterans is one of the reasons I have actively studied military history throughout my life." He added that he has participated in re-enactments as a Civil War Union infantryman, a World War I dough boy and World War II American infantryman and paratrooper.
The actual Wiking unit has a history as grisly as that of other Nazi divisions. In her book "The Death Marches of Hungarian Jews Through Austria in the Spring of 1945," Eleonore Lappin, the noted Austrian historian, writes that soldiers from the Wiking division were involved in the killing of Hungarian Jews in March and April 1945, before surrendering to American forces in Austria.
It will be interesting to see if this guy wins in November.10-10-2010, 12:52 AMMe and the guys in my Khmer Rouge reenactment group were just discussing what a bum rap
this guy is getting. Jimmy (our Pol Pot reenacter) is especially hurt by all the negativity focused on him
when he drives his pick up truck covered with skulls. More political correctness run amuck is what he says.
: -/
Seriously - this guy is comparing The American Civil War to Nazi genocide and other atrocities?10-10-2010, 01:12 AMReenacting a Civil War battle is one thing, and yeah, somebody has to play the Confederates. Or the British, if you're reenacting the Revolutionary War.
WWII re-enactors, from what I've seen, tend to just dress up and hang around at air shows, model airplane and armor shows, memorabilia conventions and the like. I can understand this, although it does sometimes cross the line from "I enjoy history" to "Wishful thinking." I personally would never, ever wear any kind of SS uniform or emblem. I question the judgement of anyone who would. Playing a Waffen SS is somewhat different than playing a Wehrmacht or Luftwaffe regular. You may as well go around wearing a brown shirt and a swastika armband.10-10-2010, 01:18 AMLOL lafinfil!
He and his son played SS on the weekends as a father-son bonding activity? He "admires" Nazi "accomplishments?"10-10-2010, 01:19 AMDon Kiyoti wrote: Playing a Waffen SS is somewhat different than playing a Wehrmacht or Luftwaffe regular. You may as well go around wearing a brown shirt and a swastika armband.
:agree:10-10-2010, 01:24 AMAs bloody and brutal as both the Revolutionary War and American Civil Wars were, I don't believe that either one
was know for out and out genocidal atrocities aimed at specific ethnic groups.10-10-2010, 02:06 AMWhat? Still no connection to John Boehner? It is all there. You guys are slipping.10-10-2010, 02:25 AMOne vote in favor of "Nazi dress up" - noted & recorded
