I've been looking in to this reenacting/rendezvous/trekking thing and there are a couple of salient points I have to study up on before I commit.
1. The PC Nazis, as they've been called, do they bathe everyday? If so, do they use lye soap? I have read many times that these real life folks didn't have much use for bathing. Some even thought it unhealthy.
2. Do they go to the bathroom? Not everyone grew corn (for cobs) and not everyone lived in an area with trees that had big leaves. I can't for the life of me recall documentation of using toilet paper.
I believe that if I had been treated in such a manner for asking simple questions, why, I'd have just followed the dude around till nature called and asked for documentation on his actions!
Yeah that's a great attitude. It sounds like you've made your mind up before you even give people a chance? Going into an activity with a chip on your shoulder is not a great way to start. Now, perhaps you were joking, but I didn't read it that way.
Guess that's why I'm still just considering the idea instead of acting on it.
So, in other words, you've never reenacted or encountered any of these "people", yet you perpetuate the term "PC NAZI" because you've heard it used by others?
I don't mean to single you out, but I've pretty much had it with the terms "PC Nazi" and "Thread Counter". It's becoming synonymous with "Reenactor" and it's a disservice to us all.
I've come to believe that most of the time the people using these terms have no experience to draw on, they are simply "parroting" what others have said. We've got people "warning" others about the "Thread Counters" when in fact, they don't know what they're talking about. That can be very misleading to young people who are considering getting into the sport.
Yes, some of us have met people who were way out of line, but that's by far the minority and not indicative of the reenacting community. Most people involved are generous and willing to help beginners, but you wouldn't know that based on all the name calling by those with no experience or who may have met a few bad apples.