Pennsylvania Battle Re-Enactors Up in Arms Over Fighting Ban

[ImminentDanger]

Just another effort to expand BIG GOVERNMENT to control every aspect of your life. The Nanny State will continue to Protect You From Yourself since no one but the GOVERNMENT is intelligent enough to know what's good for you.

See Bushy Run reference at the end of the Colonial Wars
http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/c...1681-1776.html

(Note: This is a static, archived version of the PHMC Pennsylvania History website which will not be updated. It is a snapshot of the website with minor modifications as it appeared on August 26, 2015.)

I wonder how long this 'will not be updated' claim remains true in the face of continued WOKE rewriting of history?!!!?

Future demands of the National Park Service will BAN Frisbees, Baseballs & Boomarangs because 'You Might Shoot Your Eye Out!"

...

[bogey1]

https://bushyrunbattlefield.com/

I hope nobody shows up.

[Wild Eagle]

Another good article about this "ruling".

https://triblive.com/local/westmorel...n-other-sites/

Because the decision fell in the field of professional interpretation, it was made by PHMC staff and was not voted on by PHMC*s commission that includes elected officials and other state leaders.


This is because, also in mid-January, Bushy Run leaders said PHMC staff told them that, effective immediately, they would no longer be allowed to have non-Native reenactors portray Native Americans at the site, according to Rob Malley, who sits on the heritage society*s board.


I suppose that means any kind of re-enacting, even non-combat scenarios like living history/campsite/lectures. The real agenda of "PHMC staff" is evident.

[Lemanshooter]

This whole thing is nothing more than an anti-firearm policy laid out by a bunch of tit-sucking liberal thinking idiots.

I contacted the PHMC here https://paggdc.powerappsportals.us/PHMC-Contact/ using their "Contact Us Form". I urge everyone here to send them your thoughts (keep it clean) on this matter. The more they hear from actual residents, the more "pause" will occur in their stupid thinking.

And....here's the response I got from PHMC (aka tit-suckers) when I voiced my displeasure on their matters: I know this is a bit long....but scan thru it and you get the ghist:

Thanks for your email.

The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) works in tandem with friends groups across all the historic sites in its system. This model is employed at Bushy Run Battlefield, where the Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society (BRBHS) is contracted to run the site’s day-to-day operations, including the annual commemoration of the Battle of Bushy Run. PHMC remains responsible for overseeing the strategic and interpretive direction at the site.

PHMC and BRBHS were conferring about plans for marking the 260th anniversary of the Battle of Bushy Run, so PHMC was surprised when BRBHS announced the cancellation of the battlefield reenactment portion of the anniversary, citing a pending discontinuation of force-on-force reenactments at PHMC sites to reflect the National Park Service’s standards and best practices, as outlined in NPS Management Policies, 2006, 7.5.9.

Battle reenactments and demonstrations of battle tactics that involve exchanges of fire between opposing lines, the taking of casualties, hand-to-hand combat, or any other form of simulated warfare are prohibited in all parks. Even the best-researched and most well-intentioned representation of combat cannot replicate the tragic complexity of real warfare. Respect for the memory of those whose lives were lost at these sites and whose unrecovered remains are often still interred in these grounds precludes the staging of inherently artificial battles at these memorial sites. Battle reenactments create an atmosphere that is inconsistent with the memorial qualities of the battlefields and other military sites placed in the Service’s trust. The safety risks to participants and visitors, and the inevitable damage to the physical resource that occurs during such events are also unacceptably high when seen in light of the NPS mandate to preserve and protect park resources and values.

PHMC had shared with BRBHS that in the interests of public safety, education, and respect for those who died in violent conflict, the agency was working toward adopting similar standards and practices for our sites. This modification would only limit force-on-force activities – reenactments in which individuals fire weapons at other individuals or engage in hand-to-hand combat. PHMC would continue to permit reenactors to participate in other aspects of living history, including discussion of battles and tactics and historic weapons firing demonstrations, at its sites.

BRBHS expressed an understandable concern about moving away from the force-on-force reenactment. PHMC appreciated the concern and was considering a phased approach to introducing this change, but there had been no final decision or further communication between PHMC and BRBHS on the matter until we learned of BRBHS’s decision to cancel the battle reenactment via social media.

The need to consider a phased approach was eliminated with BRBHS’s announcement of the cancellation of the force-on-force reenactment at the anniversary event. As BRBHS has announced the discontinuation of all force-on-force reenactments at the site, PHMC has now adopted and published these standards and practices with an effective date of May 1, 2023. Text of these standards and practices can be found on the PHMC website.

PHMC is pleased that BRBHS, in making their decision, recognizes that these types of reenactments create an atmosphere that is inconsistent with the memorial qualities of the historic sites placed in PHMC’s trust, especially those that hold the remains of our ancestors. PHMC has enjoyed many years of productive partnership with BRBHS. We applaud their decision and look forward to working with BRBHS, local partners, and representatives of federally recognized tribes to develop programs and events to mark the anniversary of this historic conflict with the most engaging, educational, authentic, and respectful commemoration possible.


To which I responded back:

With all due respect:

—Your adopting a “monkey see monkey do” attitude via following a manual written by….who?…Who’s that? I’m going to bet there was no input from any USA Military, long term career General\Admiral\Chief consulting this alleged “Best” nonsense.

—The Bushy Run reenactment has been going on for decades with no “injuries” to participants nor spectators. Your simply touting a phoo-phoo sky is falling attitude. You may get in a car accident if you drive to the store……hence, you should adopt a policy to never drive to the store.

—An “Understandable Concern”? Since when do YOU make law?

—I can only hope my representatives can whisk away your folly sky is falling approach to life. Battles were fought. Men died in the conflict. Recreations educate those who watch and communicate the understandings that war is real. Conflict creates death and tragedy. Perhaps with the actual watching of such conflicts, young individuals will not only be educated in how real it is, but know going forward that our country ALWAYS needs to be prepared for such conflicts, but know from their life experiences how real such conflicts are. And armed with that knowledge they will just work harder to resolve potential conflicts in a peaceful and diplomatic manner.

—I understand that your phoo-phoo position is something that you believe in and feel is right. Except it’s not. I doubt any of the Board Members of this folly of a Commission has ever been to Bushy Run, let alone witnessed the reenactments.

Your response is a joke, folly, and you do nothing to promote the welfare of our State, our Children, and our Country.

Have a good day. And don’t drive a car anymore.

Also, contact your State Representative and State Senator and send them a copy of what you sent PHMC. PRESSURE is the only way to change this stupidity.

[TSimonetti]

So it seems like PHMC is blaming Bushy Run for forcing their hand, and that they actually wanted a "phased approach" to the bans. That's some real arrogance there. In the end, and in it's simplest terms, this is just about some adult history nerds wanting to dress in costumes and make some harmless noise and recreate history and teach the public about that history. That is a tiny but magnificent American style freedom that is being lost here. The notion that such a thing conflicts with honoring the combatants who fought and died there, or somehow risks injury, or destruction of historic property or the memorial like atmosphere that the PHMC is tasked with protecting is just a bunch of horse crap.

[Lemanshooter]

While those who do the reenactments may be referred to as "adult history nerds" (AHNs), these same groups who "perform" (like those in films....oh yeah...."Actors") are responsible for the majority of the fundraising that allows the park to run year round, and provide the visiting public with a lesson in our country's infancy.

These same AHNs are in fact "the public".

The PHMC has declared an edict to ban a presentation of what actually occurred in my "backyard". The PHMC has provided no proof of "Park site damage", no evidence of "Working in Tandem with Friends and Groups", and most importantly, the "Who" that developed said no-conflict policy is a best practice, and exactly how this "best practice" will provide the best "interpretive direction" for Pennsylvania public historical battle fields.

The PHMC is not responsible for the passing of laws. And laws affect what people do in their lives. If a battle reenactment is not your "cup of tea" then don't go to the battlefield during that week. You got 52 other weeks to go.

The PHMC has "edicted" that individual freedom will be taken away in the interest of being "today's PC". In other words....damn the history....we will steer the education in the direction we want.

Send an email to the PHMC stating your displeasure with their unilateral, unfounded policy. Send a copy to your State Representative (Mine is George Dunbar who grew up not far from Bushy Run Park) and your State Senator (Mine is Kim Ward). That will be the only way to stop the ever increasing maddness of a "woke" view of forcing half-truth educations to Pennsylvania residents.

[TSimonetti]

While those who do the reenactments may be referred to as "adult history nerds" (AHNs), these same groups who "perform" (like those in films....oh yeah...."Actors") are responsible for the majority of the fundraising that allows the park to run year round, and provide the visiting public with a lesson in our country's infancy.

These same AHNs are in fact "the public".

The PHMC has declared an edict to ban a presentation of what actually occurred in my "backyard". The PHMC has provided no proof of "Park site damage", no evidence of "Working in Tandem with Friends and Groups", and most importantly, the "Who" that developed said no-conflict policy is a best practice, and exactly how this "best practice" will provide the best "interpretive direction" for Pennsylvania public historical battle fields.

The PHMC is not responsible for the passing of laws. And laws affect what people do in their lives. If a battle reenactment is not your "cup of tea" then don't go to the battlefield during that week. You got 52 other weeks to go.

The PHMC has "edicted" that individual freedom will be taken away in the interest of being "today's PC". In other words....damn the history....we will steer the education in the direction we want.

Send an email to the PHMC stating your displeasure with their unilateral, unfounded policy. Send a copy to your State Representative (Mine is George Dunbar who grew up not far from Bushy Run Park) and your State Senator (Mine is Kim Ward). That will be the only way to stop the ever increasing maddness of a "woke" view of forcing half-truth educations to Pennsylvania residents.

The PHMC seems to have been delegated broad powers by Title 37 PA Legislation. Title 37 permits them to set rules and regulations and educational agendas concerning these parks. Now if they have done this outside of their normal procedures and bylaws then that's another story, but I think that throwing out claims that they are not allowed to do this will be playing right into their strength

[Wild Eagle]

Here's the page listing current members. They last met in September, and will meet again in March. Looks like they meet 4 times a year.
No mention of them voting on this issue in the last meeting minutes.

https://www.phmc.pa.gov/About/Leader...ommission.aspx

[sawgunner73]

Glad I was able to participate in the 250th anniversary battle reenactment of Bushy Run. Now the Bushy Run park will probably fade into obscurity.

[Lemanshooter]

Glad I was able to participate in the 250th anniversary battle reenactment of Bushy Run. Now the Bushy Run park will probably fade into obscurity.

Here's the law that empowers this Historical Commission:

HB 1731 P.N. 3148 provides for the powers and duties of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. In chapter 3, Section 302 item (5) states5) Historical commemorations.--Develop, coordinate and
23 carry out plans for celebrations commemorating important
24 historical events, which shall be selected by the commission
25 or the General Assembly upon passage of a concurrent
26 resolution, in cooperation with qualified historical or
27 archaeological societies and other responsible organizations.

So, until and unless a grass roots effort (aka email your rep and Senator) demanding that they roll out a resolution that permits reenactments, then such events will fade into obscurity.

It doesn't take long to zing out an email....but it will be forever if this isn't addressed by those who believe it does matter.