A reenactor pep talk!

I just saw a comment from someone who had taken a ten year old to a reenactment, the person was complaining that we don't show the horrors of war properly.  I am not sure how graphic he wanted us to be,  after all we have to balance between entertaining people and teaching people.  If we really showed a true battle scene, with corpses, blood and flying limbs, very few people would come out, especially with family's. As I pointed out,  History with all its graphic details is available to everyone.  As this persons ten year old grows and matures he can learn and see pictures about war, and all of its horrors.
   We do as reenactors have a job to do,  and our number one priority, we must honor those who came before us.  We have to show the public that we are taking our history seriously,  that we care about the people whose lives we are portraying.  because people are watching us. If we act silly or  don't care about putting on a display without plastic bottles, or cell phones, then people will have disrespect for us as reenactors.  
   Nothing makes me angrier then when we are portrayed as idiots in the movies, or television.  We have to fight that by being the best historians, and presenters that we can possibly be, by knowing our history, by sharing our history in a noble way, and by realizing that we need the public if we want interest in our reenacting to grow and continue.
   So as our season begins in earnest, please keep in mind that not only does the public see what we do, but other reenactors have devoted their lives to teaching properly the lessons of history, time and money goes into the serious reenactors portrayal.  Anybody has the means to go modern camping, but to devote yourself to the entire Civil War experience, to be cold or hot, to get rained on, to have bug bites, to get tired from hauling, and cooking, that's the beginning of understanding just what "they" went through, and so much worse then even we can imagine.   
   So lets get out there and fight for their honor, and our reputations, and have a great season!   Mrs Cook  Laundress