WWII Reenactment and cosplay in middle Tennessee

[Marian the Librarian]

The Courter family, of "Dominion Skills" fame, took over downtown Linden, TN last month for a shoot-em-up. Many pics on the event's FB page. Look closely, and you'll see several of the Botkin kidults in costume, as well as fundie historian/friend of Dougie the Tool, Bill Potter.

Mercy, these people do love their guns...

facebook.com/RememberingWWII

dominionskills.com

[Antimony]

Uh? I mean, reenactments aren't a fundie thing to do and when theyre done properly they aren't a 'shoot em up'. This looks like a pretty big, well researched event from the photos I see.

The last WWII days I was at was huge in Reading, PA and included American, French, Canadian, Russian, Japanese, Nazi, and Nazi Africa campaign camps. Everybody there really knew their stuff and it was a weird mix of sadness, reevrence, education and nostalgia (they even had an Abbott and Costello show). WWII vets were there as well.

It's not like a guntoting thoughtless shenanigans past time which is what I feel like you're implying? My roommate reenacts professionally and does pre-Rev colonial, American Rev, WWI, and Vietnam. The events have regular spectators and the reenactors usually have characters and do speeches on their role in particular and stuff, it's really cool.

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

I thought about posting about this earlier, but got sidetracked. Definitely check them out. There are some truly gorgeous photos of Anna Sofia.

[Coco]

That is amazing. They're really authentic.

These things kind of creep me out a little bit because i spent 10 growing up years in a religious sect that tried to create an separate reality through outward appearance. (pseudo Mennonite-y/Amish-y) And some people can take hobbies like this too far. (Imo the VF and Botkin fundies might be neglecting reality a little). :lol: But as living history it's really awesome.

The best thing about elaborate memorials of old wars is that it means we're experiencing enough peace that we have the luxury of looking back and spending time on something not vital to immediate survival. We really are a fortunate people right now.

[DGayle]

What bugs me, aside from the "scared civilians" laughing like they're having the time of their lives, is how this is being promoted as something to for "Teaching Life Skills for Generational Family Dominion." It's less about history itself, and more about teaching modern families to abide by dominionism. Enforce the old gender roles, make it seem fun and hope participants carry it over into their regular lives and see it as a sort of game. Great way to get women to be complacent if you make it seem like a game complete with cute little 1940's-style aprons for them to wear in the kitchen.

I may be reading into it a bit, but when the main webpage for this event includes the tagline "Teaching Life Skills for Generational Family Dominion," I can't help thinking this is less about living history to appreciate it for what it was, and is more about teaching people to continue the gender roles of the past and to promote dominionism.

[ViolaSebastian]

What bugs me, aside from the "scared civilians" laughing like they're having the time of their lives, is how this is being promoted as something to for "Teaching Life Skills for Generational Family Dominion." It's less about history itself, and more about teaching modern families to abide by dominionism. Enforce the old gender roles, make it seem fun and hope participants carry it over into their regular lives and see it as a sort of game. Great way to get women to be complacent if you make it seem like a game complete with cute little 1940's-style aprons for them to wear in the kitchen.

I may be reading into it a bit, but when the main webpage for this event includes the tagline "Teaching Life Skills for Generational Family Dominion," I can't help thinking this is less about living history to appreciate it for what it was, and is more about teaching people to continue the gender roles of the past and to promote dominionism.

Besides, great teacher Lori Alexander says that the greatest generation is the blame for all our current woes. Who oh who do I believe???

[Marian the Librarian]

What bugs me, aside from the "scared civilians" laughing like they're having the time of their lives, is how this is being promoted as something to for "Teaching Life Skills for Generational Family Dominion." It's less about history itself, and more about teaching modern families to abide by dominionism. Enforce the old gender roles, make it seem fun and hope participants carry it over into their regular lives and see it as a sort of game. Great way to get women to be complacent if you make it seem like a game complete with cute little 1940's-style aprons for them to wear in the kitchen.

I may be reading into it a bit, but when the main webpage for this event includes the tagline "Teaching Life Skills for Generational Family Dominion," I can't help thinking this is less about living history to appreciate it for what it was, and is more about teaching people to continue the gender roles of the past and to promote dominionism.

Yeah. That.

:clap:

[docmom]

I didn't look but I'm guessing none of the women dressed at Rosie the Riveter? I thought WWII was generally disliked by fundies because it gave women the crazy idea that they could work outside the home and do just as good a job as men...

[Marian the Librarian]

I didn't look but I'm guessing none of the women dressed at Rosie the Riveter? I thought WWII was generally disliked by fundies because it gave women the crazy idea that they could work outside the home and do just as good a job as men...

No Rosies, at least none that I've seen. Lots of aprons and veils, though.

<>

[Coco]

They're doing it next year, iirc from fb. Maybe we should go as the FreeJinger riveters. :twisted:

[GeoBQn]

Here is a sampling of skills they recommend learning:

Drama

HISTORY (have Christian vets share their experiences, give lectures on God working in a specific time in history, etc.)

Gunsmithing

Death/casket making

Yup, it totally makes sense to learn all of these things in one place. And Jewish vets, go home. You clearly have no experiences worth sharing.

[thoughtful]

[thoughtful]

I didn't look but I'm guessing none of the women dressed at Rosie the Riveter? I thought WWII was generally disliked by fundies because it gave women the crazy idea that they could work outside the home and do just as good a job as men...

Yeah, it's revisionist history, as usual. Besides no Rosies, I didn't see any WAVEs, WACs, Marine Corps Women's Reserve members, servicewomen from other countries, nurses . . .

:roll:

[nelliebelle1197]

Uh? I mean, reenactments aren't a fundie thing to do and when theyre done properly they aren't a 'shoot em up'. This looks like a pretty big, well researched event from the photos I see.

The last WWII days I was at was huge in Reading, PA and included American, French, Canadian, Russian, Japanese, Nazi, and Nazi Africa campaign camps. Everybody there really knew their stuff and it was a weird mix of sadness, reevrence, education and nostalgia (they even had an Abbott and Costello show). WWII vets were there as well.

It's not like a guntoting thoughtless shenanigans past time which is what I feel like you're implying? My roommate reenacts professionally and does pre-Rev colonial, American Rev, WWI, and Vietnam. The events have regular spectators and the reenactors usually have characters and do speeches on their role in particular and stuff, it's really cool.

There is a whole fundie subculture that is into reenactments. You obviously don't anything about it, so maybe a little curiosity rather than defensive posturing might be in order. Judging by the names on the photo tags, you are likely quite wrong in your assumptions that this was well researched and reflected actual, unvarnished history.

[lilith]

No Rosies, at least none that I've seen. Lots of aprons and veils, though.

<>

Anna-Sophia is dressed (gorgeously) as the war widow she may well have been if she came of age in the 40s. She would have had children, probably her own home, a small pension and probably a job. Sure, she wouldn't have had a husband anymore, but she doesn't have a husband now.

Her make believe identity is a lot more rounded and fulfilled than her real life.

[DGayle]

I didn't look but I'm guessing none of the women dressed at Rosie the Riveter? I thought WWII was generally disliked by fundies because it gave women the crazy idea that they could work outside the home and do just as good a job as men...

Since fundies like to re-write history, of course Rosie was just a mane-up creation by the modern liberal media to try ruining families. While all the men were overseas fighting, the boats and everything were magically made by God because God is on the side of America. All that stuff about women being helpmeets to the men only applies if they can wear pearls at home.

Besides, dressing up in anything but dresses and aprons isn't glamorous.

[PearlKrabs]

Anyone else having Vision Forum flashbacks? Fundie name dropping, revisionist history, costumes...

[lilith]

Anyone else having Vision Forum flashbacks? Fundie name dropping, revisionist history, costumes...

Oh, it's VF minus the Tool. Doug must be very upset to be missing out, although he and his family have also been on a WWII dress up fest this last week, inflicting themselves on veterans.

[PearlKrabs]

Oh, it's VF minus the Tool. Doug must be very upset to be missing out, although he and his family have also been on a WWII dress up fest this last week, inflicting themselves on veterans.

They did promote the event on their Operation Meatball blog. They talked so highly about it I wrongfully assumed they were there. So, yeah, Doug must be feeling pretty left out. Poor guy... :lol:

[ILoveJellybeans]

Anna Sophia is gorgeous!

I have a friend who is a WWII reinactor, and some of my family do them (but way further back than the 40s). I imagine theirs is more well researched than any fundie thing.

I bet Dougie is sooooo sad not being able to join in. He does love his costumes so much, but tough shit, he should not be allowed around regular society as he cant behave himself and not be a rapist.

[Marian the Librarian]

Here is a sampling of skills they recommend learning:

Drama

HISTORY (have Christian vets share their experiences, give lectures on God working in a specific time in history, etc.)

Gunsmithing

Death/casket making

Yup, it totally makes sense to learn all of these things in one place. And Jewish vets, go home. You clearly have no experiences worth sharing.

A quote from the Dominion Skills "vision" page:

We have found the ShopTimes have been equally valuable for the ladies and young girls. Though we have divided the ladies into separate workshops a few times (herbs, haircutting, cloth diapers, etc.), we have found that they generally enjoy being out in the shop working and learning with their fathers and brothers. It is important that we train our young ladies that being a “help-meet†doesn’t box them into only domestic skills. It means helping/supporting the men in their life, whether it is a father, brother, or husband. This may mean hanging drywall, pounding a nail, working in the garden, or slopping pigs….

[DGayle]

A quote from the Dominion Skills "vision" page:

And yet the public face they put on is one of women dressed in dresses with hats veils with their makeup just so, or in aprons cooking for the menfolk. Words on a website mean nothing when their actions don't match it, and especially when they admit to separating women into workshops for cloth diapers.

[Coco]

Just as long as they're hanging drywall or pounding a nail for daddy, not because they like to build or do carpentry.

Sort of disturbing that the skills they're learning are survivalist skills dressed up in living history. Death/casket making? Reminds me of some of the books on Petey's old Amazon list.

[PearlKrabs]

It's like they're trying to make the alternative work for women sound unappealing. I definitely understand that pounding nails and slopping pigs are things that need to get done like anything else. But are those really the best examples?

Well, if you're tired of frying chicken, mopping floors, and baking pies, how about... you work on that drywall!! Ooo fun! Or you could slop the pigs! Here, you pound these nails while I go work on the car engine, draw up the plans for the dresser I'll build, work on my sermon...

[Vivi_music]

Reenactments of events that are still quite recent (yes, there are some WWII survivors still alive, I consider it ''recent'') usually make me a bit uncomfortable to start with, even if it's not organized by fundies. This looks even worst. :|

Yeah, it's revisionist history, as usual. Besides no Rosies, I didn't see any WAVEs, WACs, Marine Corps Women's Reserve members, servicewomen from other countries, nurses . . .

:roll:

Even though nurses are usually considered a more feminine profession by most fundies, they couldn't even consider reenacting that. During WWII, most nurses on the field wore.... *gasp* pants! Check this cool image of women from the 10th Canadian general hospital in 1944, Normandy.