Hit piece on Rich Iott

UPDATE: Althouse comments here. Riehl here and here.
  Gee, I wonder who released these photos to the press. I wonder who's worried about the election.  
  Working overtime to discredit as many Republican candidates as possible in as many novel ways as possible, The Atlantic has found and published a photo of Rich Iott dressed as a WW2 re-enactor, and now labeled Nazi. 
  Living near Fort Meigs means you see Civil War re-enactors frequently. In fact, the Toledo paper which shall go unnamed, has covered these re-enactments frequently, as do local tv stations. It's not unusual to be walking on a path at Sidecut Park and hear the boom of cannons on the other side of the river.
  Now The Atlantic writes an article about the "troubling" past of Iott being involved as a re-enactor, something for which most history buffs have professed admiration in the past. In fact, re-enactments (play-acting at war) have pretty much kept the History Channel alive, even though the History Channel itself favors the left wing POV and has been accused of feeding on its own in this politically correct age.
  In fact, history reenactors don't get much of a reenactment if you don't have people on the losing side. You can't reenact without opposition. 
  Apparently this means if you play a Confederate or a Nazi you are a slavery sympathizer or a Nazi sympathizer.
 And it's not like Iott was the only one doing it.
  How simple do we have to make it for these people?
  Here's a good explanation of why reenactors do what they do, particularly WW2 reenactors. This is from George Mason University's History News Network:

In seeking the ever-elusive “magic moment,” reenactors are not trying to time travel. Instead, they attempt to create their own authentic-looking illusions of history. But these are not replicas of the pure past. They are replicas of other representations of history. So rather than trying to recreate war itself, reenactors try to stage moments and scenes that duplicate elements from the films, photographs, and stories which they judge to be authentic representations of war. But this time it is the reenactors themselves who are in the center of these “authentic” representations. This is history in action. It’s an attempt to produce and consume history simultaneously. And reenactors revel in their power to create their own historical evidence: films and photographs that feature themselves at war. In doing so, they exercise a kind of power over representing history that isn’t available to them otherwise.

  The Toledo paper complains that Iott does not "apologize" and that Iott is interested in the historical maneuvers of the 5th SS Panzer Division? (In fairness, however, they do post the details listed on the Wiking website which clarifies that it is not affiliated with neo-Nazis. etc.)
  Does that mean if you collect Nazi memorabilia, you're a Nazi sympathizer? 
  If you go see Hitler's paintings, does that mean you endorse what Hitler did?
  Here's the title of the second Toledo paper's article: History re-enactors: Whose side are they REALLY on? (emphasis mine)
  Embedded in that title is posited the supposition that reenactors are divided in their loyalties to their country and the side that lost.
  Huh.
  In a typical hit piece common to the MSM these days, the Toledo paper which shall go unnamed breathlessly and extensively quotes various citizens who are concerned about anyone who is a, gasp, reenactor. 
  Some of the words used to describe Iott by these concerned citizens (including a UT professor and a peace activist) include "troubling," "unfit," "mislead[ing]", a "little bit sick," "questioned....his judgment", and declaring that Iott must have "sympathized" with "the Fascist movement" or Iott "wouldn't have done it." That very informed commenter goes on to say he thought the same of the tea party movement, a conclusion the Toledo paper which shall go unnamed is happy to pass along.
  Tea partiers are probably fascists.
  This paper's articles (there are two) are about as anti-Iott as a paper can get, juxtaposing the sympathetic elderly vets or survivors of Nazi aggression as the opponents of Iott.
  Only in an election year would this argument even be made.
  How much more absurd can this silly season get?
  Next thing you know, they'll be campaigning against the History Channel.
  Or not.

REMEMBER: WHEN REENACTING HISTORY, ONLY REENACT THE WINNING SIDE.