Sorry. folks, but Eric Cantor is dead wrong on this one. Rich Iott is not a Nazi, does not support Nazism. He dresses the part for re-enactments. The same as someone who would dress as a Confederate at Antietam or a Redcoat at Lexington and Concord. Or any actor who has ever played the part of a Nazi in film.
These are actually important events, helping us to recall the past, relive our history. And it often teaches youngsters in a way books do not and can not.
So for the Dems to throw this out there as a smear is predictable and despicable.
But for Eric Cantor to then "repudiate and not support" Iott, instead of standing up calling them out and saying "Enough, this is stupid, you're idiots" just shows that maybe HE has been in D.C. too long and succumbed to D.C. pc pigheadedness. Perhaps it's time for a new Whip?
After all, SOMEONE has to be the Indians.
Fox News:
Congressional Candidate Under Fire for Nazi Re-Enactment Past
Published October 10, 2010
An Ohio congressional candidate is under fire after a magazine unearthed a photo showing him dressed in a Waffen-SS uniform as part of a Nazi re-enactment group.
The Atlantic magazine, which published the photo, reported that Republican candidate Rich Iott was involved for years with Wiking, a group devoted to re-enacting the actions of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking. He told The Atlantic he joined as a "father-son bonding thing" and quit the organization several years ago after his son lost interest.
House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., who is Jewish, said on "Fox News Sunday" that he "would absolutely repudiate" Iott's behavior.
But Iott, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, defended himself in a statement Saturday after Kaptur's campaign and other groups condemned him. Iott said that as a student of history he has participated in numerous military re-enactments since he was in college and meant no offense by them.
"Never, in any of my re-enacting 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, especially the Jewish Community," he said in a written statement. "I have immense respect for veterans who served our country valiantly, particularly those who fought to rid the world of tyranny and aggression by relegating Nazism to the trash heap of history. I also believe we need to 'never forget' what happened to Jews during that war."
Iott released several other photos on his campaign website that showed him in uniform as part of a World War I re-enactment and Civil War re-enactment in which he and his son donned Union uniforms.
According to the Wiking website, the organization is devoted to "presenting the history" of the Eastern Front division which fought the Russians, "never against the Americans."
The site said the members "honor" those "who really experienced the war" no matter their nationality, but stressed that the group prohibits racism "or any type of embracement of Nazi ideology."
A disclaimer on the home page says: "This page or anyone involved in its creation, or members of reenactment groups listed here, are in no way affiliated with real, radical political organizations (i.e., KKK, Aryan Nation, American Nazi Party, etc.) and do not embrace the philosophies and actions of the original NSDAP (Nazi party), and wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities which made them infamous. May the victims of this unspeakable horror rest in peace."
But Kaptur's campaign condemned the group and called Iott's participation "indefensible," questioning "who would honor such butchers?"
"My first reaction was shock, then my second reaction was dismay and then my third reaction was disgust, from what I've seen," Kaptur said in an interview with MyFoxToledo.
"To perpetuate such a twisted and dangerous view of history is outrageous and indefensible," her campaign said in a statement published by the Toledo Blade.
Iott called the charges against him "despicable" and said the election should be about issues, "not false character attacks."
13 comments:
Well fine, then, Cantor and Kaptur and the rest of the self-righteous hypocrites can criminalize ALL re-enactment of historic military events so NO ONE has to play the Hessian mercenaries, the Rebels, Japanese, Nazis or anybody else you believe our delicate sensibilities have to be protected from the sight of, even as fiction.
What a bunch of rhymes with swats.
I suppose every professional actor who has ever played Hitler or any Nazi in a movie should be blacklisted too. That would be quite a roster, including virtually every outstanding British actor for the past 60 years or so. Posers like Cantor will only tolerate the sort of re-enactor we call "tulips" up here in Massachusetts, because they only come out in April (for Lexington and Concord). Maybe he'd like to come up here an try scolding the "Redcoats" that swarm through my town every 4th of July.
And how is re-enactment a "twisted and dangerous view of history", Ms. Kaptur? Unless they were portraying the Nazis as the "good guys" which I do think would have got them busted as a hate group rather quickly. And if they were doing that, they'd deserve it. If Iott had stuck exclusively to the Wiking group I might wonder. But military re-enactors are absolutely nuts about re-enacting evreything in sight having to do with military history. I hope some of them come to his aid.
This is the danger of reacting with 'feelings'.
One has to wonder how the Congressman from for Virginia feels about the 4th Alabama re-enactors flying what is the arch symbol of racism when they make believe they are headed up little round top.
Cantor is no poseur, but he needs to think carefully about the ultimate destination of his line of thought, understandable - some might think, given his heritage, or not.
Just propose to ban reenacting because Nazi reenacting is too much and you cannot ban selectively (HERE).
And good luck with that!
Our high school had a history teacher (recently retired) who ALWAYS dressed in period for whatever period he was teaching.
And he annually gave the kids (Juniors or Seniors) one helluva field trip to Gettysburg.
It would start Friday morning when he would give the kids Civil War period packs loaded with weights (provisions plus bricks books whatever) similar in weight to what was carried then. Then he would march them the 6 or 8 miles to Daniel Boone Homestead (where their real stuff had already ben delivered) and they would camp their overnight under period conditions (tents, cooking etc).
The next morning they would board the bus for two days at Gettysburg.
My daughters were never sure which they got more from -- the battlefield or the march.
We need more history teachers like that.
This is a classic liberal set-up. The worst you can say about his group is that their website espouses a somewhat sanitized version of this nazi military unit.
So start there and then smear by implication. I'm surprised smart conservatives like Cantor still fall for this crap. The best answer is to simply not comment on it.
From what little I've seen, military re-enactors are so crazy about military history that who was on what side is definitely a secondary consideration. Not my cup of tea, really, but that's how they are and it's silly to try to label them Nazis or slavers because they want to dress up and run (or tank) around make-believe battlefields.
Btw, one of the most moving accounts of a re-enactment ever is the first (I think it was) one of the infamous Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg by the elderly surviving soldiers who had actually taken part in the battle. Heartbreaking.
And if you can ever get to the Lexington-Concord battle re-enactments, do. Especially North Bridge in Concord, to see that instant where the whole world pivots and this country begins. Amazing.
Everytime you watch a movie or play, you are watching a reenactment.
Think about all of the movies that have been made, that include some of the most hateful of characters.
Start blacklisting all of those actors and Hollywood would go kaput.
Please!
A re-enactment is play acting and doesn't endorse a particular side or faction.
SF u r right. As a fellow american who happens to be jewish, I get his reaction, but he gets paid to think not react. ESPECIALLY as he considers himself a leader of the inside smart guys non revolt, revolt against Boehner like Bush fake conservatism.
This is why he needs to think carefully about what the rebel flag means to a boatload of Americans who happen to be black, when they see it among a bunch of re enactors who are re-inculcating the 'rebel spirit'. Is that ANY different from his reaction to some guy wearing feldgrau or with death's head insignia's?
It deserves thought.
If true, here is the money quote:
Iott said that as a student of history he has participated in numerous military re-enactments since he was in college...
Addendum: Every play "Cowboys and Indians"?
Did doing so make you a cowboy or an Indian?
The worst one can say is.... how did a guy with political aspirations let himself end up as Sgt Schultz?
And once he HAD such aspirations, how could he not find some way for his staff to deal with this pro actively.
Either way this whole thing sucks BUT NOT AS MUCH AS WHAT OBAMA IS NOW SCREECHING ABOUT OVER ROVE ET AL.
Food for thought....
RJC: Rich Iott Doesn't Merit High Office
Democrats' smear campaign against other Republicans is dishonest
Washington, D.C. (October 10, 2010) -- The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) today strongly commended Republican Party leaders for moving swiftly to sever ties to Ohio congressional candidate Rich Iott.
On Friday, The Atlantic reported that Iott had been a regular participant in historical reenactments of World War Two-era battles, and that as part of these activities, he would dress up in an SS uniform. Iott has issued a number of responses to the story, but his first statement showed no awareness of the offense this activity would cause to Jews in general and Holocaust survivors in particular.
RJC Executive Director Matthew Brooks stated, "Rich Iott's initial statement after the story about his Nazi-focused historical reenactments broke showed that he clearly lacks the judgment we should expect of lawmakers."
Brooks went on to note that Republican leaders had handled an unfortunate situation responsibly: "I was pleased to learn that the Republican campaign committee removed references about this candidate from its web site immediately. Jewish voters can also be pleased that House Republican Whip Eric Cantor forcefully condemned any activity suggesting Nazi nostalgia when asked about it on CBS' 'Face the Nation' program."
Brooks blasted Democrats for making unsupported allegations that Republicans excused Iott's bad judgement. "Unfortunately, in their desperation over anticipated midterm losses, House Democrat leaders like Chris Van Hollen and Debbie Wasserman Schultz want to use Mr. Iott's previously-unreported activities to smear the GOP. Let's be clear: There is no evidence that Republican leaders countenanced - or even knew about - this part of Mr. Iott's background until the story broke. Nor is there evidence that the insensitivity to Jewish concerns Mr. Iott has displayed is shared by other GOP candidates. For Democrats to baselessly claim otherwise is disgraceful and destructive."
# # #
This statement appears on the RJC website at
http://www.rjchq.org/Newsroom/newsdetail.aspx?id=92382c22-d82a-4313-86f4-a99135bb2c2c
This the the Dem 2010 strategy folks.
Find something obscure like this, get the Obama cheering section in the press involved, stretch it out of shape until Iott is a nazi, then broad-brush all republicans as nazis.
The dems play the press like satan's bagpipes...
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