Reenactments

When did the Civil War, one of the bloodiest moments in American history, become a celebration, or a picnic where modern Americans gather together to recreate their favorite Civil War moment. If Lincoln, Johnson, or Grant, are watching they must be moaning and rattling their chains like Jacob Marley. The Civil War was fought for many reasons. Millions of Americans died both soldiers and civilians. Many of those who died did not even understand the root causes of the war and what they were dying for. Even today over one hundred years later scholars are still debating the cause and effect of the war. What I don't understand is the desire to reenact the bloodiest battles of the war. What is the thrill in recreating each charge? What joy can be found in falling to the ground in the throes of a faked death? Why relive each and every bloody moment of a terrible war? When did war become a game? Why did we allow that to happen? When war becomes a game it deadens the reality of the cost. Society begins to slowly look at war as a strategic event and not a conflict that cost the lives of men, women and children. It especially cheapens the lives of those who die on the "other side". We forget that for each bomb dropped a child may have died or lost its mother. War sometimes is a necessary evil but we, as citizens have to remember to keep the genie in the bottle, has long as possible. We need to remember that once removed the genie is difficult to put back. Finally we must remember that even if our cause is just it can become shrouded in darkness if we are not careful.