Event organizers and co-ordinators, please take note!

From Michael A. Palmer

Lisbon, Ohio

I recently attended the Mesopotamia, Ohio, Civil War Reenactment held Sept. 19 and 20 [1998]. It's held every two years. All in all, the organizers did a great job, from a spectator's view at least, except for one incident that I'd like to mention.

As with any event, there will be a few ignorant, inconsiderate, and rude spectators that ruin the moment for some. I arrived at the battlefield a couple of hours early to get a "front row seat." I parked it right behind the taped-off area for spectators. Common sense told me to get there early for a good seat. Spectators filled the front lines then began filling in the ranks behind those fortunate enough to have front row seating.

At 2pm, scheduled time for the battle to begin, someone with a walkie-talkie pushed through the crowd. He came right past me, broke the tape and waved for spectators in the back to follow him. When he asked if any of us wanted to move up, some did. Directly in front of me sat some women in period dress. They had been waiting some time for the battle to begin.

I'm not the smartest guy on the planet, but at least I knew it was wrong to walk up in front of these ladies and stand so they couldn't see the battle! None the less, there went this parade of spectators past, led by someone boasting about being involved in organizing this event. The ladies in period dress couldn't see, those of us who waited a long time for "a good seat" couldn't see and to top it all off, the moron that led these people past us sat down in front of us with his walkie-talkie, blaring out communications from other staff personnel.

I'm sure those rude spectators, with thoughts of nobody but themselves, won't read this in this publication, but I would hope organizers of such events...will read this letter and take appropriate measures to assure something like this doesn't happen again.

On behalf of those stupid spectators, I apologize to the female civilian reenactors that sat in front of me. All spectators are not this ignorant.

 

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