Jackson Jambalaya

Jerry Mitchell makes Obama look less buffoonish.

If Donna Ladd was single and Jerry Mitchell was straight, they'd be a match made in Heaven.

I'm a little confused.
Re-enactment?
Aren't re-enactments done on actual battlefields?
Aren't these SS uniforms and didn't the SS function somewhat differently?
How exactly is WWII re-enactment done?
I must admit after reading the MS Tea Party agenda that includes re-instating the committee to reinvestigate un-American activities and to let each county be entirely responsible for education, and that there are only 12 chapters with 11,000 members by their own count, that I can't understand how they even got a meeting with Phil et al.
If you just do school building maintenance, books, teacher pay and basic activities, and then look at county revenues and population, how exactly do they make the numbers work for county based education?
Indeed, has ANYONE looked at how many federal dollars Mississippi gets and what would happen if that stopped? Look at our population total and the cost of infrastructure and income and figure out how Mississippi would function.

The guy did not simply dress up as a German soldier. He was part of a group that dressed up as, and glorified, a Waffen SS division. The myth that the Waffen SS weren't "really" SS has been exposed for quite some time now.

The Atlantic's piece on Rich (Id)Iott has the advantage of quoting some people who know what they're talking about, and of demonstrating that the "Wiking" fanboys were indeed romanticizing a division that, as part of the SS, was ideologically Nazi by definition.

... Here's a quote from the Wiking fan club's website (via The Atlantic):

Nazi Germany had no problem in recruiting the multitudes of volunteers willing to lay down their lives to ensure a "New and Free Europe", free of the threat of Communism. National Socialism was seen by many in Holland, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and other eastern European and Balkan countries as the protector of personal freedom and their very way of life, despite the true underlying totalitarian (and quite twisted, in most cases) nature of the movement. Regardless, thousands upon thousands of valiant men died defending their respective countries in the name of a better tomorrow. We salute these idealists; no matter how unsavory the Nazi government was, the front-line soldiers of the Waffen-SS (in particular the foreign volunteers) gave their lives for their loved ones and a basic desire to be free."

I'm sorry, but if you can read that without wanting to puke, then "Nazi admirer" is not too far a stretch.

Sounds like the same denial when the truth about Kevin Jennings was made public.

Oops, Jennings still works for Uncle Joe Obama.

It's a pattern with Mitchell. He only sets up straw men he can slay with ease. If there may be answers to questions that don't support the end result then they are never asked.

He did it here too: http://thefloraharvester.blogspot.com/2010/10/mitchell-stretches-to-connect-dots-and.html

What a idiot.. How could you ever justify dressing up as a Nazi SS .

Making the argument that dressing up like a Nazi has a similarly innocent implication is just plain stupid and shallow.

The Romans did a heck of a lot more than feed christians to the lions, but the whole purpose of the Nazi regime was to exterminate the jewish people.

What a idiot.. How could you ever justify dressing up as a Nazi SS .

Making the argument that dressing up like a Nazi has a similarly innocent implication as dressing as a Roman soldier is just plain stupid and shallow.

The Romans did a heck of a lot more than feed christians to the lions, but the whole purpose of the Nazi regime was to exterminate the jewish people.

1. My point was that Mitchell did not present the whole story and slanted it to give only one interpretation.

2. If Mitchell is going to tell this story then he needs to point out the guy participates in different reenactments in a manner more specific than he did.

3. The Waffen SS was the SS. I got it. The SS was made up of the Waffen SS, the Gestapo, and the concentration camp portion. All evil and nasty creatures. In fact, at the end of the war, the SS was given no due process at all by explicit order of the allies as it was considered a criminal organization.

The Waffen SS had a strong reputation in terms of its battlefield effectiveness. I can see exactly why it attracts the attention of numerous military historians. I'm fascinated myself by the Viet Minh in the French Indo China war at Dien Bien Phu. Yes, they were communists who butchered the French in their POW camps and then butchered hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese after the French moved out but the way Giap moved the artillery and took the French head on has always fascinated me.

Having said that, the Waffen SS were murdering bastards. Tough bastards on the battlefield but murdering bastards nonethe less. See the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. See what they did to that town where Heydrich was assassinated. Key work in this paragraph is bastards. While it is true the average 18 year old entering the SS in 1941 had lived under Nazi rule for ten years and been in the Hitler Youth during his formative years for a long time, that is no excuse. They were butchers and that is putting it mildly.

Having said that, I don't have a problem with reenactments. If you are going to have battle reenactments, you need an enemy. That means someone has to play the bad guys. My point in this post is he was taking place in battle reenactments and was being crucified for it. The other side deserved to be pointed out. Is this guy some right-winger who advocates true Nazi-style policies? Is he anti-semitic? If it is just someone who is a military history nut and takes part in these WWII, WWI, and Civil War farces, then that is totally different.

If however, he is doing it just because he identifieds with them and wishes he really was one of them, then different story and he deserves what he gets. However, the other reenactments needed to be added to the story as well. Fire away.

Washington Monthly points out that it is NOT the re-enactment that's the problem: Making matters worse, Iott's little troupe said it was created in part to "salute" the "idealists" and "front-line soldiers of the Waffen-SS" and their "basic desire to be free." It also characterizes Wiking volunteers as "valiant men," overlooking the minor detail that they also rounded up Jews to be slaughtered.

If Donner K was single.......... Thats a good one !

Different story then. My point is still Mitchell didn't tell the whole story. Not a newsprint article so there is more leeway. Also why I like these discussions on this site because now we have BOTH sides presented and a better idea of what is going on then the picture typically provided by sloppy reporting. Now I've pointed out what he did in addition to this activity and you've pointed out what other news articles have discovered. Appreciate the comment.

I doubt this candidate had any idea that he'd one day be running for Congress when he donned the SS uniform. No matter how benign his intentions may have been at the time and may still be, he would have known that a picture of him in a Nazi uniform would be used against him in a political campaign. From what I've read, he's not a Nazi or a Nazi sympathizer or someone who thinks the Nazis were anything except the monsters that they were. Unfortunately, our political races don't always tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth when it comes to winning an election. Regardless of how innocent he may be, in a world of uninformed voters who make their decisions based on 15 second sound bites, this could indeed cost him the election, and I won't be surprised to see every liberal columnist (which is pretty much all of them, I'd guess) and every news outlet with a liberal bent (ditto) in his district to pick it up and run hard with it.

Jerry quit being a reporter and started being a columnist a long time ago, and it's not hard to predict which way he's going to try to turn a story. Not all bloggers are like you, KF, and try to present an objective viewpoint of every issue. We have to be able to tell bloggers from reporters so we'll know how many grains of salt to take with each. Bill Billingsley

Mitchell is as predictable as David Hampton. You can also predict with confidence that the C-L will continue to lose paid subscribers.

I've read his pieces a few times. Short, thin and frankly, boorish. Where's the beef?

I get it, he's kinda sick and tired of being controversial. Perhaps he gets the "I don't want to do anything to hurt my future chances at anything."

People play Confederate reenactments b/c they see something worth commemorating in the CSA's values and culture. Maybe rightly, maybe wrongly, but there it is. You don't have to buy into the "Lost Cause" myth to find some sympathy there.

Sympathy for the German army, let alone the SS, is utterly misplaced. You can pity the choices Rommel et al. made without thinking for a moment that they made the right ones.

Oh, Bill! That is rich. All journalists are liberals, and proof of this is that the media picked up a picture of a candidate DRESSED IN A GERMAN SS UNIFORM and are criticizing him about it.

There are many valid battles to fight in the great dem v. repub battle, but it is interesting that you pick this indefensible position to try and lay at the feet of the "liberal media".

Step out of your demented political cocoon for a minute and say it with me slowly-- fella DRESSED UP AS A NAZI, and now is trying to explain it away. This is a splendidly bad idea regardless of whether one has political ambitions or not. You've probably heard of Occam's Razor, no?

Just as a refresher, Nazis killed somewhere between 7 and 12 million people based on their ethnic heritage and the paranoid delusions of a demagogue.

The guy can like war history, and battlefield tactics, etc., but he doesn't have to DRESS UP LIKE A NAZI to do so.

Since your appearance on this blog via the Longwitz for Judge campaign, you are quickly filling out the standard Mississippi conservative stereotype. I'd love to get your take on the "Peculiar Institution". Bet you have some pretty good acrobatics on that one as well.

What impossible position shall you defend next? Let's play at a game of guesses.

"It's okay to hit/shake your wife when she's out of line with you"?

"Colonel Reb's retirement is a disgraceful contrition to those darn political correctness loopies"?

Just some suggestions. If you have a better one, go fer it.

And what can we attribute to your appearance on this blog 5:28 PM? Who will you be an asshole to next?

Was that too tough for you? I am sincerely sorry if I hurt your feelings.

Better?

KF, there is no " other side" to be told.
The "re-enactment" is crap.

What? Someone is playing a baby entering a gas chamber?

Re-enactment calls for two sides to re-enact a battle.

To equate this with Civil War or Revolutionary War or other re-enactments is insulting!!!!!

@ 5:03 pm :

Whoooooo Nellie,

Before you bring Field Marshall Erwin Rommel into this SS argument, get your facts straight. Rommel hated the Nazi Party, Specifically Ole Adolph himself.

Rommel was a key leader in the attempt to assassinate Hitler. ( And I ain't talking about the Tom Cruise movie last year )

As a hero for the German people , Rommel was given the option to commit suicide and have his family taken care of for life.. while also receiving a full military funeral with honors, or being hung as a traitor to the Nazi Thugs.

Rommel chose the cyanide pill.

7:49, Rommel opposed Hitler when Hitler started losing. Rommel contributed his talent to a wicked cause.

It's all very well and good to say how this German general or that hated Hitler and the Nazis, but worked anyway to bring Europe under the sway of the jackboot and the death camp. Color me underwhelmed.

Nazi's are evil. Y'all have too much time on your hands to think otherwise.

Rommel opposed Hitler from the start of the Nazi's rise to power. Rommel was a product of the "old School" Prussian military establishment. Not unlike Baron Manfred von Richthofen ( aka The Red Baron).

What was he to do ? Hell, ... the SS were after his type as much (if not more) than they were the Jews. Rommel represented everything the Nazi's hated.
Privilege, Money, ect. The thug Nazi's had an inferiority complex when the German nobility were in the room.

Ever watched the " Sound of Music " ?

BTW, Hitler was a long way from loosing the war when Rommel chose suicide over a Nazi hangman's noose.

Um, Rommel was not liked by the Prussian aristocracy. He wasn't old blood. Seen several programs on Rommel on A&E and Discovery stating how he had to work his way up the ladder as he didn't have the family connections or was part of the good ole boy network at the time.

I recognize Rommel's talent but can't admire someone who fought for that regime as some like Heydrich's Uncle, Admiral Canaris, secretly helped the Allies.

Lets see all the WWII reenactments:

Pearl Harbor

Another Pearl Harbor

Battle of the Bulge

Battle of Britain

needless to say, there are quite a few WWII reenactments.

This is the only site I ever would venture that could have this conversation intelligently, despite opposing views.

KF, you seem to be a bit confused about the difference between the WWII re-enactments you cited and this Wiking group.
I suggest you learn more about the WWII re-enactments you cite,and who sponsors and supports those re-enactments. I suggest you learn more about the participants as well and how roles are assigned.
To equate what Rich Lott was doing and legitmate re-enactments is just wrong.

This type of open sharing of ideas must be liberating for some. No spittoon sitting in the corner, just real speech, ideas that while we criticize, we claim "never forget."

"To equate what Rich Lott was doing and legitmate (sic) re-enactments is just wrong."

Yes, this is true. It is almost like someone put a Christmas tree ball in the White House with a photo of Mao on it.

Please, this guy is Republican, of course it is wrong, and anti-Semitic!!! Republicans hate Jews!11!!!

What was Mao's slaughter total again?

"BTW, Hitler was a long way from losing the war when Rommel chose suicide over a Nazi hangman's noose."

The attack on Hitler was July 1944, not coincidentally after the Germans failed to repulse the Normandy invasion. Rundstedt was quite correct about Germany's best hope after D-Day: "Make peace, you fools!"

Rommel killed himself in October. If you think Hitler was "a long way from losing the war" by that point, then you are not well informed.

... The Rommel myth is comparable to that of Robert E. Lee. Both were tacticians of genius who floundered at the strategic level. Both served evil regimes. Both were romanticized by their enemies, partly based on their genuine qualities, partly I think because gentleman losers tend to praise their conquerors.

Paul, I am unaware of a Christmas tree ball with Mao. I searched the 'Net and couldn't find this. Could you explain your reference?

Nevertheless, I do not think Rich Lott is representative of the Republican party or the Republicans are anti-Semitic.

But , is your argument that bad behavior by others is a reason to embrace or justify bad behavior?

I think it's a mistake for Republicans to excuse or overlook or support some of these Tea Party candidates.

Some are legitimate and more Libertarian than Republican but some are just nutso and if Republicans pretend not to recognize that fact, and defend craziness it makes the whole party look nuts.

I know taking the high road and qualifying candidates that are truly qualified and representative of the party is a novel approach these days, but given the climate, it's one that might actually be welcomed by the public.

I know KF doesn't like Mitchell for legitimate reasons with which I concur, but this isn't the battle to pick.

Anon 9:11, there are only 87,700 results on Google for Mao Christmas ornament and Google Instant displays it immediately with "mao ch" in the search box. You must not understand how to perform a search for information on a search engine.

No, my argument is that people that make this historic reenactment such a big deal are overwhelmingly Obamabots and utterly misinformed as a general rule. To NOT make a big deal about Obama dressed in his Muslim goat-herder garb at the same time makes it even more laughable. Or to NOT throw a hissy fit when the President's wife decorates one of the White House Christmas trees with Mao's image makes this even more ridiculous.

This Nazi thing that Jerry brought up was just yet another in the long list of disingenuous pap that comes from the Left to try to make their side look less stupid. Oddly, the opposite is achieved, as always.

Paul, I am unaware of a Christmas tree ball with Mao. I searched the 'Net and couldn't find this. Could you explain your reference?

I'm not Paul, but apparently the White House gave a bunch of Xmas ornaments to community groups to decorate, and one came back with an Andy Warhol "Mao" on it.

Not in good taste, I think, but I'm skeptical that any Obamas even saw the damn thing before the "scandal" broke. I daresay they were both too busy to inspect each ornament. And whatever intern was doing so, probably thought "ooh, that guy in the Warhol prints."

Anon, 9:21, yes, I am utterly positive that no one in the White House ever inspected something that was mailed in and brought into the residence. You are right, I am just being ridiculous!

As much as the left has talked about folks wanting to kill Obama, the white powder getting mailed around DC, and the general issue of the Tea Parties being violent racists. Sure, no one even looked at it before they hung it on the tree.

Good Lord, SERIOUSLY?

"yes, I am utterly positive that no one in the White House ever inspected something that was mailed in and brought into the residence"

Who said that?

I'm just curious: are you deliberately substituting something stupid for what I actually wrote, or were you simply not paying attention?

If you deliberately substituted a straw man, was it because of your contempt for me personally, or for the other readers as well? Do you think anyone here is dumb enough not to distinguish between "the Obamas didn't inspect it" and "no one inspected it"?

Thanks for answering, as I am sincerely interested in your motivations.

I have no idea who you are, so contempt is not possible.

No, you completely downplayed an incident that our PRESIDENT placed a Christmas tree ornament with Mao on it in the White House. Somehow, that situation seems so completely MORE important to me because we has a PRESIDENT that champions the slaughtering ways of Mao and is actively promoting policies that are similar to Mao's.

Of course, in this thread, we are discussing a marginal candidate that participates in historic reenactments as being a Nazi sympathizer, when nothing could be further from the truth, well unless one is completely insane, like Jerry Mitchell. Kingfish pointed out that Jerry Mitchell's blog post was completely disingenuous, yet circumstances that are HUGE in the direction of our country are not even commonly known.

...such as the ornament on one of the trees in the White House or the nominations of people for czar positions that are admitted Communists.

has=have by the way.

Grammar, who needs it?

And, Paul jumps the shark! Epic thread hijack, my man. Epic.

Andrew Newcomb

Anonymous at 5:28 PM yesterday, please read my post again. I didn't say that all journalists are liberals, although I still believe that most are, nor did I say that all media outlets are have a liberal bent, although I still believe that most do. Further, I didn't "pick this indefensible battle" as you seem to think. I merely gave my opinion on an item that was posted on a blog. I don't need your history lesson - I suspect I've been around longer and done more reading than you have. My opinion remains that the guy made a stupid mistake that will probably cost him the election, but the media reports are making him out to be a Nazi or a Nazi sympathizer, which I believe to be inaccurate.

I'm involved in several campaigns other than Will's, and I am proud to be considered a Mississippi conservative. As you can see by taking a simple survey of the current statewide office holders, there are plenty of others like me who prefer conservative leadership. I'm against slavery, always have been, always will be. Okay so far?

Finally, your suggestion that I would defend domestic violence sickens and offends me. You should be ashamed of yourself for saying something like that in a public forum to someone you don't know. Until that point in your post I couldn't understand why you chose to remain anonymous, but it's easy to see how that comment identifies you as a coward who tries to sucker punch someone and then run for cover. I'll be glad to engage you in a debate, public or private, on any subject of your choosing, but if you decide to attack me personally or impugn my integrity the discussion will end. Bill Billingsley

Anon 10:16, I have no clue how you think that I have hijacked this thread. The post is on how disingenuous Jerry Mitchell is and there are those that are completely going overboard about historical reenactments while ignoring important things.

Sorry, if you are not up to speed. But, to fixate on one thing, like Lott photographed in Nazi garb, when the similarities in the Christmas tree ornament (or even Lott also taking part in other reenactments where he was not dressed as a Nazi) are totally overlooked is exactly the point that Kingfish was making.

But, let's call my comments jumping the shark, hijacking the thread, or strawman arguments, instead. We gotta keep stating that Republicans are Nazis, that must continually be done.

"we are discussing a marginal candidate"

Republican nominees are marginal? Would that it were so.

"a PRESIDENT that champions the slaughtering ways of Mao and is actively promoting policies that are similar to Mao's."

Ah. Despite your not answering my questions directly, I think that gives me a general idea as to where any lack of cognition lies.

Oh, that must be another strawman of mine, Anon 4:51. Rich Lott is running for Congress in the 8th district of OHIO. Jerry Mitchell writes for a barely read local newspaper in Jackson, MS. I can see how this is quite possibly the biggest story that Jerry could find upon which to opine. Not really, he wrote about it to attack a Republican and try to make the STRAWMAN argument that all Republicans are Nazis.

I have answered everything asked of me in this thread. I have no clue to what you are referring.

I guess that it is really just too difficult to add a name or handle to someone's comments here so you can determine who is commenting. The way that I handle that is to simply assume that every single Anon here is a different person, by the way.

Study what it takes for someone to play a role, particularly one that they don't make a living doing. What does it say about that person? Civil War reenactments are one thing. They directly involve the history of this country, though a bad one.

Take this "Tea Bagger" playing part of the SS. Who are the sides? The SS and Russia. What has that got to do with the US? Nothing.

There is no justification for a person playing such a role to be any part of the US government any more than Ahmadinejad.

I still have not figured out if the local and national Republicans embrace this guy and his actions or dismiss them. I would guess they embrace them, until the lights come on.

Tea Bagger. That makes Kingfish's point about Jerry Mitchell quite nicely.

Christie! Christie! Christie!

What does "tea bagger" mean? Is that some sort of cute insult to people in the Tea Party movement? I've never understood why so many people on the other side use that term. BB

No, Bill do not ask, you do not want to know.

Yes, it is meant for the purpose of degrading people that are Pro-Freedom.