This was a very large and very incredible Reenactment. The grounds of the Neshaminy State Park hosted several Encampments, vendor tables, musicians and the Battle itself which was specifically the Battle Of Bolivar Heights that originally took place in Virginia on October 16, 1861. Not only were there dozens upon dozens of Reenactors, the Battle also included cannons and horses!
The preparation:
Here are some photographs of a Confederate Dog that was standing by the tables for the Sons Of Confederate Veterans and Daughters Of Confederate Veterans!
Here are some photographs of the vast Union Encampment ...
Some suds are in the pot:
Confederate Encampment ...
The Battle ...
Opposing sides ...
The Battle rages on ...
A Confederate Soldier Review:
After the Battle, I walked through the Park and came upon a band called the Camptown Shakers. I saw them for the first time in Cape May in September of last year. The band is always a fine addition to any Reenactment, Encampment or Living History event.
As I mentioned earlier, the event featured vendors. Here are a few items I purchased ...
Some reproduction postcards referencing the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War:
Neshaminy State Park Civil War Reenactment April 30, 2011 Part 1: Various Scenes
This video includes seven parts ...
1. Confederate Troop/Soldier Review 2. Confederate Musket Gun Drill 3. A man chopping wood next to a Union Camp 4. Union Parade with a Military Band performing and a quick view of the vast Union Encampment 5. Pre-Reenactment practicing with horses, etc. 6. Pre-Reenactment practicing with cannons, marching, horses, etc. 7. Confederate Camp with Flags, food cooking, etc.
Neshaminy State Park Civil War Reenactment April 30, 2011 Part 2: The Battle And Final Confederate March
This video includes two parts ...
1. The Battle (it was specifically the Battle Of Bolivar Heights that took place in Virginia on October 16, 1861) with horses, wounded soldiers, musicians, muskets, etc. 2. The Final Confederate March
Here are the Camptown Shakers with a song called "Brushy Fork Of John's Creek". A nice rendition of a song written by a Confederate in 1864.
More information can be found at the website of the Twenty-Eighth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Company C Reenactor Group. Here is the url: http://www.28thpvi.net/neshaminy.html
DeLia's Gun Shop, a business that has been operating since 1969, has been the target of protests by an organization known as Heeding God's Call (they may also be known as "Neighborhood Partners To End Gun Violence" aka "NPEG" if NPEG is not a different entity altogether). The organization has been scheduling protests in front of the shop for the past couple of months. Leaders of the group have requested the owner of the business, Fred DeLia, sign a ten-point "code of conduct". This document is not legally-binding in any way and most of the points are already being followed meticulously per the law of both the State and Federal Governments.
Some of the protesters seemed nice and appeared well-intentioned, but they are severely misguided and are being manipulated. The fact is that the Heeding God's Call/NPEG members are horrified to address the real problem: 1.) the liberal left's atrocious and preposterous handling of violent criminals in the court system and 2.) ethnic demographics (who are the people committing these gun crimes in Philadelphia anyway???). The root of the problem is simply not politically correct and these cowards and zealots are too scared to discuss the truth.
As for the protest taking place today, Heeding God's Call bused people in from different areas and perhaps as far as Baltimore, Maryland. The number of people in Heeding's camp was expected to be 200 total ... there were certainly more than 100 people and the group may have in fact totaled 200. Counter-demonstrators, comprised of retired Police Officers and War Veterans among other individuals, made their presence known as well. First, the Heeding group blocked traffic on Torresdale Avenue long enough to make their way to their designated area on Benner Street (where they blocked traffic for about an hour).
As fate would have it, and no doubt a sign from Almighty God, an ice cream truck drove happily toward the demonstration. Due to interest from passers-by, the truck stopped between DeLia's Gun Shop and the area where the protesters were standing. God acted on behalf of the counter-protesters and delivered them ice cream ... twenty-first-century Manna From Heaven!! The Good Lord rewarded the counter-protesters for their determination and steadfastness against this well-organized foe that was using the Name of God and the Word of God for their own political and nefarious purposes. The truck was parked on the corner and the typical ice cream truck music played incessantly. It was a ubiquitous fixture and absolutely hilarious. Members of Heeding God's Call were furious over this since barely anyone past a few feet from them could hear their rants. In addition, since the truck was blocking the incoming traffic, drivers could not see them until they had just about completely driven by. The loud jingle was tantamount to the Deluge in Noah's time ... it drowned out the speeches and songs of the Heeding group as punishment for their collective iniquity. The ice cream flowed like fire and brimstone upon these purveyors of sin who had set-up camp on the corner of Torresdale and Benner ... Torresdale being a modern Sodom and Benner being a modern Gomorrah ... Heeding God's Call's plans became a pillar of salt ... frozen and devoid of life, much like Lot's wife.
Note: As I was typing this blog entry, I noticed NPEG made reference to the ice cream truck on their facebook page. A member claimed the counter-protesters "co-opted" the ice cream truck that parked in their "space" and had the ice cream jingle play "for over half of the worship service" (Source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Neighborhood-Partners-to-End-Gun-Violence-NPEG/173469262688270). I will respond to these claims. The truck was going about its daily routine and was conducting business as usual. Ice cream trucks park when potential customers congregate. There was a line of customers and the man inside the truck was selling ice cream as it was ordered. The truck was never parked in their designated "space" ... it definitely blocked the view of their space from incoming traffic, but was never in their space. I have proof of this below. Heeding God's Call must heed Leviticus 19:11 and Colossians 3:9 ... its members are ignoring these relevant passages.
In addition to the ice cream truck drowning out the Heeding group, another funny event took place. Someone was on the street selling paper crosses. The person went up to Fred DeLia and asked if he wanted to buy one. He asked if the person knew who he was and then said he is the guy who runs the shop. After asking if the person would like to talk about the matter, the person said no and took off. No surprise since the leaders of this group advise/forbid members to speak to anyone. They do not want facts to get in the way of their agenda.
If this gun violence group was targeting DeLia's Gun Shop, why were its members assembled between a barber shop and a liquor/soda store (photographs below)? They were blocking traffic and causing problems for those two businesses (Sizzle Barber Shop and Brandts Beverages) that had nothing to do with this matter.
Local media showed up and in typical fashion, did not report the real news. CBS3 claimed the shop appeared to be closed and Fred was not around to comment. The shop was in fact open and Fred would have spoken to anyone.
DeLia's Gun Shop usually closes at 4:30 PM on Fridays, but they kept the store open almost ninety minutes longer. The commotion led to more business for the store. So far all these protests have been doing is giving the shop more business and free publicity!
The front of DeLia's Gun Shop with a banner provided by a counter-protester: A wooden sign made by a counter-protester: The Heeding group setting up:
This is when the group blocked traffic to cross (while incoming traffic had a green light, but had to wait): Note the Crucifix and Heeding's insult to the memory of Jesus Christ (on Good Friday no less) and the trivialization of Jesus's Sacrifice on the Cross: Fred DeLia and a supporter facing the group: Here I am wearing a DeLia's Gun Shop shirt featuring a Revolutionary Patriot and the Second Amendment quoted: A supporter of the Shop wearing two notes: The now-famous ice cream truck is on the left at the end of the street (more footage of it is in the video below) - as you can see, it is clearly not in the "space" provided to the Heeding protesters:
Heeding protesters falling asleep at their own rally: Close-up of the tired ones - see how many you can count: Local channels 3 and 6:
Here I am working the camcorder and tripod:
Here I am with Fred DeLia himself: Holding a sign I made (not one of my best signs, but I tried):
Here is a video of various points in the day. As you can see and hear, the ice cream truck made life miserable for the Heeding protesters since barely anyone could hear them. The timing was impeccable! Absolutely hilarious. Toward the end, cars can be heard beeping at the Heeding people crossing the street while there is a green light for these waiting cars. I interviewed Fred DeLia in his store after the fiasco ended.
UPDATE (April 23, 2011): I was looking around the net for other accounts of the protest/rally and I came across a post by someone named Camera Zealot. He claims the counter-protesters "went as far to arrange for an ice cream truck to show up" (Source: http://www.camerazealot.com/?p=736). Again, this is not true. He may have meant "went as far as to arrange" ... nonetheless, no one arranged for the ice cream truck to show up. CZ continues with this gem ... "It’s pretty ironic that a group whose chief complaint is that 'their liberties are being taken from them', is so quick to try to deny the opposition the same" (on his site, there were two spaces after the comma ... I fixed it here). There was no attempt to deny anyone's liberties. In addition, CZ has another website to host his photographs and they are for sale, including two examples that I am featured in: one depicts me looking very VERY tired (a monstrosity) and the other shows me setting up my gear.
There still may be more to this ...
UPDATE 2 (April 24, 2011): I have been told that the ice cream truck driver himself claimed his stop near the rally was arranged. I am going to keep the text as it was originally posted so people do not charge me with trying to backpedal. I will do my best to find out what happened and I am open to correcting the record if he was in fact called to the scene. The reaction of the counter-protesters would make one think they were just as surprised as the other side.
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