Gettysburg

[ROCK-IT3]

Your assumptions and implications regarding my "values" is starting to piss me off, but I'm going to let it go to avoid getting banned.

I apologize for that, you are correct. I should not assume your values or imply they are misguided.

[ROCK-IT3]

I would strongly disagree with this. History does repeat itself. We learn from the good and bad. Erasing or trivializing events from the past makes it easier to dismiss what we can learn from the past.

Studying Hitler and nazi Germany is important. Understanding how they effectively used propaganda, marginalization and fear to control the masses is something that everyone should be aware of.

In America today you can see that reflection of people being afraid to speak their minds, marginalizing and trivializing people who aren*t in lock step with government approved messages.

Gettysburg is a historical attraction with museums to learn about the past from. The Nazi concept of ethnic cleansing was horrible, and many think how could it have happened, and some think it could never happen again.

While I don*t know I America is in danger of ethnic cleansing, I could see people at the far ends of the political spectrum being in favor of a political cleansing against people who don*t think as they do.

Knowing what has happened in the past and applying it to the present is the best defense against it happening. The story behind the artifacts gives insight into the zeitgeist of the time and has a lot of historical value.

Lots of museum displays travel around the world to other museums because they are different and gives visitors old and new a reason to travel to the museum where the display is. It no different than a traveling Van Gogh display.

In this case if it sparks interest into the past I am all for it.

I will back off of the statement that it has ZERO value in any aspect. Of course I understand all of the points made here about the importance of history and its lessons to posterity. Everything has a value in that regard. The lessons of the Civil War define my beliefs about race, to a large degree.

I will stick to my position that it has no historical value to Gettysburg. Historical events have a time and a place context. Certain historical events are so great, and surpass a threshold which sets the place apart and ties it to that event inextricably. The nature of the place changes, and the place becomes the event. Gettysburg is such a place. So is Auschwitz. Taking the history of one place out of its context and placing in the context of another diminishes the value of both places, and makes no sense. Would a Confederate uniform make any sense in a museum in Auschwitz? Or would it serve to confuse and belittle the events that changed the nature of that place.

[red dog]

Rock it3 I agree, Gettysburg isn*t the place to throw out the nazi war machine history. It will be lost there. Not to mention it will diminish the blue and grey history as well. History is a great learning tool but it needs to be held in context. When you mix it in with other history it diminishes both.

[Curmudgeon]

I will back off of the statement that it has ZERO value in any aspect. Of course I understand all of the points made here about the importance of history and its lessons to posterity. Everything has a value in that regard. The lessons of the Civil War define my beliefs about race, to a large degree.

I will stick to my position that it has no historical value to Gettysburg. Historical events have a time and a place context. Certain historical events are so great, and surpass a threshold which sets the place apart and ties it to that event inextricably. The nature of the place changes, and the place becomes the event. Gettysburg is such a place. So is Auschwitz. Taking the history of one place out of its context and placing in the context of another diminishes the value of both places, and makes no sense. Would a Confederate uniform make any sense in a museum in Auschwitz? Or would it serve to confuse and belittle the events that changed the nature of that place.

Rock it3 I agree, Gettysburg isn*t the place to throw out the nazi war machine history. It will be lost there. Not to mention it will diminish the blue and grey history as well. History is a great learning tool but it needs to be held in context. When you mix it in with other history it diminishes both.

Agree with both (as well as others I may have failed to quote).
I thought of some things to say, then realized it has already been well said.

[Ilikebuckets]

Would a Confederate uniform make any sense in a museum in Auschwitz? Or would it serve to confuse and belittle the events that changed the nature of that place.

I don*t think it would confuse or belittle what happened during the holocaust. Not everyone who lives in Pa or America will be able to go to Poland and experience Auschwitz. Or any European country to experience the impact of world wars. Exhibits like this bring the history of other places to people who might not normally see them. It*s one thing to read about Nazi Germany, but another to see artifacts and the stories that go with them. It brings about more of a personal connection and allow you to feel the weight of the events.

Same with a Confederate display in Poland. It brings a bit of American history that people might not normally think about in Europe to another country/continent. It gets people thinking other world events. It might even get people connecting the dots and thinking about events in Americas past and events in Europes past.

Exhibits like that also can get locals to Gettysburg or Auschwitz that have not been there in years. It*s a different piece of history. Museums need to keep people coming in to stay open.

[Gman106]

I apologize for that, you are correct. I should not assume your values or imply they are misguided.

Accepted. Thanks.

[bigandy1966]

so we should build one next to the Jewish holocaust museum then?
I mean, if context in the location is so important,

[alpacaheat]

There's a nice antique shop just off the Gettysburg square that has aot of Nazi items and other various non-Civil War items, uniforms and firearms for sale.

[prospero1919]

Chaperoned a trip to Gettysburg for my daughter's 8th grade class trip. The whole group walked Pickets Charge - most of the kids were just talking during the walk - I couldn't do anything but think of how anyone could believe they survive that charge - a good many kids a little older them died that day and wish the students had more reverence - the teachers tried the best they could. My daughter was somber - I had told her we had a relative that fought with the Union Army at Little Round Top - he was in a native of Gettysburg and actually survived the war. As far as any Nazi historical items, context is important, if these things don't remind you of the destruction, suffering and death they brought upon this earth and the horrors of war - then I guess they are useless and have no place there.

[ROCK-IT3]

so we should build one next to the Jewish holocaust museum then?
I mean, if context in the location is so important,

Which museum are you referring to? Did something happen there to hallow the particular place?

Any holocaust museum seems like a more appropriate place for nazi memorabilia, yes, although I suspect most holocaust-related museums already have displays of nazi symbols and materials.

So next time you go to the jersey shore (or your favorite East coast beach) plant a little French flag on the boardwalk, go stand in the water, and see if you have the same thoughts and emotions you think you'd have if you were standing on Omaha Beach in Normandy. Or put a few drops of oil in the water, and tell me if you think it's the same as being at Pearl Harbor.