Way back when I was in school...
I learned how "historical presentism" could creep into even the seemingly most dispassionate and scientific anthropological study of past cultures.

Basically I see the whole thing of reinacting as adults playing make believe and I think that can be a wonderful thing all by itself. The conflict comes when the make believe world crashes into documented historical record.

I'm not a reinactor--but I tell ya'...every once in awhile, I think I'd LOVE to get suited up in armor and smack the gobstoppers out of another guy equally prepared. But then again, I may have "issues" ;-)