A Letter to Glenn W. Lafantasie

I've been talking about writing a retort to this article for a while now, but have had a hard time doing so. You see, I wanted to write an intelligent response, like a lady, but every time I read Dr. Lafantasie's article, it would make me too angry to do so. Finally, more than two weeks after I first read it, I am able to try to get my response out there.

Ahem.



Dear Glenn W. Lafantasie,

Before composing this letter (which I am still tempted to actually send you, in hopes of a response) I googled you. I think a part of me wanted to find a reason behind your hurtful and, frankly, ignorant article, "The Foolishnes of Civil War Reenactors." I read your biography on Western Kentucky University. You seem like a nice enough and, certainly, very intelligent guy. So why the reenacting bashing, sir?

First of all, your title is extremely insulting. Not only are you degrading an entire population, but you are stereotyping as well. Later in your article, you have the gall to chastise reeenactors for race issues and stereotyping? You may have correctly assumed that I am one of these fools you wrote about. Well Dr. Lafantasie, I may not possess the number of advanced degrees as you, but I possess a lot more experience as a living historian...although, you, sir, may call me a reenactor. You see, I have no qualms about being called a reenactor, that is what I am and reenacting life during the American Civil War is what I do.

Allow me to dispute another assumption that you stated as fact: I don't reenact to commemorate the war. Quite honestly, I don't know any reenactors who got involved in the hobby to commemorate the war. I have heard of people who reenact because his great-great-grandpappy fought with Stonewall or what-have-you, but I have yet to meet them. Personally, I reenact for a variety of reasons. My primary reason was to get as close to the time period as possible...when I was 15, reenacting seemed like the closest thing to time-travel. Is it now? Of course not.

This leads me to another point...living history. I hope you did not think you were original with your "I'm a living historian! Whatever do these fools mean by saying they are "living historians"?" Because, frankly, that is a really old joke. A living historian, which you did figure out. is a person who does living history as an activity. Why call it living history? Because we are bringing things that are found on pages in books back to life. Its not rocket science, Dr. Lafantasie...really, it's not even that creative.

Here is another bee you've put in my bonnet...you went on and on about how there was a severe shortage of African Americans in reenacting, that reenactors are overweight, and so on and so forth. Well, Dr. Lafantasie, I'm a young caucasian woman reenacting as a cook for the Union headquarters. Exactly what do you suppose I do to increase the number of African American reenactors? More importantly, should I throw my impression out the window because the Confederate Army doesn't have enough "slaves" in it? Really?

As for weight, yeah, America is a fat nation. I will give you that one...if I wanted to be catty, I'd say, well, Pot, perhaps you should practice what you preach in that department. Should reenactor's go on diets? Sure, but like I said, so should the rest of America. I know plenty of overweight reenactors, but they all are well aware of it. It's not just weight though, honestly I'm probably too tall to be an "average" woman of the 1860's. My boyfriend is over six foot.  Should we stop teaching history because we're taller than average?

In closing, your argument is remarkably weak and petty for someone of your standing. Imagine how annoyed you would be if I wrote a review on your book, Twilight on Little Round Top, without actually reading it. You have never been to a reenactment and I would be surprised if you spoke to any reenactors before writing this article.

Before you write such nonsense again, you should remember the old saying, "You know what they say about people who assume? You make an a** of you and me." Well, Dr. Lefantasie, you made reenactors look like fools to your readers and made yourself look like a fool to reenactors. Tell me who wins.

Cordially,

Mary