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 Lest We ForgetThis week I found myself, like most Americans, glued to the television staring in amazement and disbelief at the happenings that took place in the early morning hours of September 11th. I awakened as usual to my clock radio but instead of the weather and traffic reports I use to decide what to wear and which route to take to the university I was assailed by nearly hysterical reporters babbling about plane crashes and fires in high rise buildings. Clearly this called for pictures as well as words so I tumbled out of bed and snapped on the television. I was not prepared for what I saw. ABC was split-screened with a shot of the World Trade Center burning on the left and the Pentagon burning on the right. I didn't know at the time it was the WTC and the Pentagon as the graphics captioning the images simply said New York and Washington. The reporting was initially as vague as the words on the screen but as I tore myself awake and began to listen more closely the scenes |
In the days that followed we saw images that previously would have seemed possible only in a Hollywood movie. Again and again jetliners slammed into the twin towers, first from one angle than another. The buildings collapsed over and over, each time filling the skies with billowing clouds of ash. Ash that contained the dust of human lives as well as shattered concrete. But there were other shots too. Ordinary people buying American flags, lining up to donate blood, comforting those for whom the tragedy had become too great. There were pictures illustrating the dark side of the American psyche as well. Paint-spattered signs for an Islamic group, blood thrown at a Middle Eastern help center in America's heartland, an old Lebannese woman, 32 years an American citizen, singled out for hateful phone calls simply beacuse she advertised her services as a Arabic translator in the Yellow pages.
In his book The Killer Angels, a moving "novel" of the Gettysburg campaign, Michael Shaara has a crusty Irish immigrant sargent explain his feelings towards blacks to Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Slowly he says they must each be judged as individuals. "Any man who judges by the group is a pea-wit," he tells the colonel. I remember these lines very well, now perhaps more clearly than ever. We must not fall into the "pea-wit" catagory and judge people by the group to which they belong.
But what does this have to do with a Web site for historical re-enactors you ask yourselves? I mention this because as historians and re-enactors we have an unique perspective on this bit of modern "history." We know from our studies, research, and re-enacting that America has been through some very troubling times. Times when it was unclear whether we would survive as a people much less a nation. Yet every time the resillience of the American spirit has shone through, illuminating the dark places we found ourselves in, and eventually led us into the fullness of the light. Our struggle is just beginning. It will be long and hard. But it will come to a successful conclusion. It always has. We are, all of us, Americans.
I don't know yet what effect all of this will on our trip to Williamsburg and Washington, D.C. We are still going and will have a report for you all when we return. It will be the 220th anniversary of Washington's and Layafette's stay in Williamsburg while they planned for the seige of Yorktown. A large contingent of re-enactors will be on hand to recreate the event. Look for the second installement of Countdown to Williamsburg in this issue. We also review two books about Williamsburg in Between the Covers. Jean Baptiste is busy readying himself for the pre-1800 rendezvous to be held while we are in Virginia so I'll be taking over the latest edition of Camp and Trail Cooking. I only hope I can do it justice.I hope you continue to enjoy our offerings as much as we all enjoy bringing them to you. Your continued support is what keeps us going.
So, until next time, I bid you fare well on a familiar trail.---JBW