this is inführiating

[JamesWatson]

Watertown Daily Times | Nazi merchandise causes no Führer at gun shows

We should all drop him a line and let him know that there IS a devoted group of collectors, not nazi-sympathizers, that value historical items that speak to the history of the 30's and 40's in Germany.

It's one thing to read about German militarism, it's another to look at and hold the items that materialized in its wake. There are some unseemly individuals in this field who do have fascistic yearnings, I won't deny it, but we shouldn't let the uninformed go about uninforming in regards to the reality of this community: that we are largely just history buffs who like to hold history in our hands, and not just read about it in books.

There's also the human/crow-like gathering/collecting quality that seeps in whenever a market and an interest creates "collectibles." I shouldn't speak for others, but only for myself. I collect because of some primordial desire to hoard valuable things, and also, and more importantly, because these things come from HUGELY IMPORTANT historical time periods and events.

Would love to hear your twenty-two cents.


-JW

[KradSpam]

I think that website has blocks in place for foreign viewers, perhaps? The main text appears to me as "---- -- ------ - --- ------ -- etc etc"

[Adrian]

Well I'm sure he knows what he's on about.

I bet there are many things to see and buy at gun shows that aren't guns yet he focuses on Third Reich artifacts because it is sensational.

To me it is a rambling rant about not one thing in particular by someone who has column inches and needed to fill them.

[KradSpam]

Strange episode that, now it is showing up fine for me....

[Erno]

This is just ridiculous political propaganda from someone who has no interest in knowing what he's talking about.

[daniel1234]

Poor piece of journalism imo

"The worst part was that this individual knew there was a market at the gun show for selling crap like this" this sums up the writers views.
Never once did they get the opinion of a collecter who would of said something along the lines of "they are preserving history"
I am pretty sure 95% of people who collect are not neo nazis or anti ( insert nationaliy).

I think the funniest part was how he suggested "people in america have guns hold hostile views toward racial minorities".
To me that suggests he is saying gun collecters or people who have guns are racists or hold stereotypical views... that fits in well with a nazi article.

Just poor poor journalism by someone who did no research

[lew07]

Clearly just one persons attempt at fueling the anti gun campaign which seems to be fashionable at the moment

[Nathan362]

Why do research when it debunks everything you want to write about! The last think a journalist cares about is the truth.

[douglas2496]

Its very common unfortunately for people to see no difference between collecting TR memorabilia and being a Neo Nazi.

In my experience, serious collectors of these items understand better than most the brutality that lies behind them.

[StefanM]

I have a premonition this reactionary thread is more likely to infuriate gun-toting TR collectors rather than engender any discussion....my two cents worth.