Here is another issue we should address. Those of you who were SHAPE members a couple of years ago knew this was coming. This is the result of over 1million dollar "improvements' to the parks. More "improvements' like this are planned for the other NPS parks. This is just plain and simple rewriting of history and this is an issue that everyone North or South needs to get involved in.
Randy, Gator and Carolyn, can ya'll take this project on? Mark and I are up to our eyeballs with the apology issue. We will however offer assistance if you request. I am thinking letters to congressmen, senators and the NPS.
Thanks,
George
PS.
I am assuming I can post this letter since it was posted in a public forum. If requested I will remove the posting.
Gettysburg Foundation Robert Wilburn, President Post Office Box 3997 Gettysburg, PA 17325
August 1, 2008
Dear Mr. Wilburn,
My wife and I spent our spring vacation absorbing as much history as possible. Our vacation started on May 7th and we stayed in Centerville, Virginia for four days. While there we visited the Manassas Battlefield and many of the battlefield sites in Prince William County. The county has done a great job of identifying and marking the sites. We also visited the WW II and FDR Monuments and the Natural History Museum in Washington D.C.
We have been anxiously awaiting the opening of the new museum at Gettysburg. We were there in May and September of last year and saw the progress of the building. We had the opportunity to visit on May 13, 2008. My wife and I and two friends arrived shortly after 10:00 AM after driving up from Winchester, Virginia, where we were staying. Upon entering the building we were approached by a staff person telling us about the great movie in the visitors center. She said it was a new twenty-minute movie and she really encouraged us to see it. The admission fee of eight dollars was pretty steep…for that price I could see the new Indiana Jones movie twice, at that time of day. We all decided that since we were there and it may be a while before we would return to Gettysburg, we would pay the eight dollars and see the movie. The movies at Manassas and the one we saw at Antietam were only three dollars and they were well made and enjoyable. With this in mind we figured this would be even better.
Much to our surprise and horror, the first five or so minutes of the movie was all about how slavery started the war! We thought we were there to see a worthwhile film about the battle of Gettysburg. Instead, we were subjected to the idea that all Southern slave owners mistreated their slaves, which is the reason the war started. Why was this in a movie about Gettysburg? Just about the time I was ready to leave and request my money back, the movie changed into the history of the battle. As the film was nearing the end, it reverted back to the slavery issue, Civil Rights Movement and even included a picture of Martin Luther King!!! How did Martin Luther King, in any remote way, have anything to do with the Battle of Gettysburg or the War Between the States??? Why didn’t the movie producers just go ahead and include Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson?
The new Gettysburg movie is just as tragic as the war itself! The Gettysburg Visitor Center had a great opportunity to teach thousands of children and adults about the actual issues that spurred the war. Instead of the real reasons for the war they will see this trash and believe it, because they saw it at Gettysburg!
I think it is time to replace those that had anything to do with this movie and bring back the people that can tell the whole story without fabricating what they think the people of America should see.
I was also very disappointed with the darkened maze concept that was used to design the museum, not knowing where you were and when you would find the end. I sure hope this is not the new approach that has been adopted to display the artifacts and war relics.
The National Park Service at Gettysburg has lost the integrity and trusts given them by the people of this country and should be held accountable for this slander of the truth.
You have seen fit to brainwash the young of country and everyone that sees this film. I talk to many history groups during the year and I have already spread the word about the changes that have been made at the Gettysburg Visitors Center and will continue to do so! I will also use e-mail to see to it that the my fellow Compatriots, Skirmishers, Daughters, re-enactors, friends, relatives and historians are made aware of the path the National Park Service has seen fit to take.
In response to your request for a donation and to preserve my name and address on the Founder Honor Roll, I will NOT donate or be involved in any way with this pack of lies and deceit that your organization has so well orchestrated.
i will give any help i can. i'll try to find the name of the film producer and company that released it. the showing of this film is nothing less than disturbing. to think that people will now spread the untruth to others through simple conversations is damageing to the truth that should be known by all. but we know that the truth is not welcomed by those who wish to keep a one sided mind.
I am guessing the film company only did what they were paid to do. This came through the National Park service. I am thinking we need to contact some congressmen or senators for this. SHAPE has already had discusssions with the NPS protesting this change. I believe we have this posted on the old SHAPE message board.
They will say they want to reach a diverse crowd, not exclude anyone and you can bet they will say the WBTS was ALL about slavery...bla bl bla. I know we have 3 of you working on a similiar letter and I think its MUCH NEEDED..thanks for all your hard work.
I also think there are some points in this really amazing letter written by Mr Sharrett that we can borrow to make out letter even stronger than the great version I read this a.m from Carolyn
I have emailed you all the letter that Mark mentioned above. Please let me know what y'all think about its content. I also agree with Mark that Mr. Sharrett's letter was excellent in itself.
I don't know where we stand. I am still handicapped as far as using the internet. I have sent a couple of emails; but I am very cautious about logging as a member here until I get this phone problem sorted through.
I would like to send a donation by check for postage if someone can send me an address.
My mailing address has been sent to you. At the present time this address is being used as the homeoffice of SHAPE.
It is my thoughts that we would email all members of the house, senate and especially the committee for the NPS our letter of protest. Has ayone started doing that at this time?
George, not sure who you are asking here? Do we have Committees set up for these projects? If not lets do so. Carolyn understand your situation with internet. It its my understanding we are working 2 major projects now. One with NPS (Gettysburg) and the other on the House Apologies. George and Sheree are doing the lions share with the apology but not sure where we are at with the NPS. Who has the lead?
OK: Randy, Gator and Carolyn..you have the lead with the NPS project, George, Sheree with me in tow have the Apologies. Randy, Gator, with Carolyn off line now, we will need to ask you two to step up and take the slack for now. Please shoot me a note and let me know where you are at, what you have completed, plan to complete, and any help you may need. Thanks, Mark
i have mailed 4 letters to congressmen and represenatives in louisiana. i will be contacting some new canidates to see where they stand on supporting the southern heritage. it is election time here in louisiana. maybe some good will come from new officers.
Can you send emails to All congressmen and senators who have email addresses? It is a bit of work but I think in order to bring attention to this situation we must cover the reppresentatives like a wet blanket. I'll also get started on this issue as soon as I get the apology issue behind me.
On August 17, I had suggested that we send the letter to the following and Gator had responded to me by email that he would send letters to them. Since, I had the problems with AT&T and just got back online today, I don't know anymore than that:
National Park Service Department of the Interior 1859 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
Ms. Mary A. Bomar Director, National Park Service Department of The Interior 1859 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
Ms. Lindi Harvey National Park Service, Deputy Director Department of The Interior 1859 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
Mr. Dan Wenk National Park Service Deputy Director Department of The Interior 1859 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
Gettysburg Foundation Robert Wilburn, President Post Office Box 3997 Gettysburg, PA 17325
On August 17, I had suggested that we send the letter to the following and Gator had responded to me by email that he would send letters to them. Since, I had the problems with AT&T and just got back online today, I don't know anymore than that:
National Park Service Department of the Interior 1859 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
Ms. Mary A. Bomar Director, National Park Service Department of The Interior 1859 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
Ms. Lindi Harvey National Park Service, Deputy Director Department of The Interior 1859 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
Mr. Dan Wenk National Park Service Deputy Director Department of The Interior 1859 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20240
Gettysburg Foundation Robert Wilburn, President Post Office Box 3997 Gettysburg, PA 17325
