05-27-2007, 01:42 AM
An interesting parallel that no one appears to have brought up yet: what to think of fasces? I'm sure several reenactors must have experience with using those ancient Roman symbols, which were also used by Mussolini.
I think it is easy for reenactors to explain why they use a seemingly fascist symbol: after all, it was Roman, and was a normal political symbol in the eighteenth and nineteenth century (e.g., in the United States, France, and Garibaldi's armies). Mussolini was just one of many users of that symbol. Something similar can be said about swastikas, I'd say.
I think it is easy for reenactors to explain why they use a seemingly fascist symbol: after all, it was Roman, and was a normal political symbol in the eighteenth and nineteenth century (e.g., in the United States, France, and Garibaldi's armies). Mussolini was just one of many users of that symbol. Something similar can be said about swastikas, I'd say.
