Exploiting Innocence

[eisely 13]

A somewhat troubling story about the use of images.

 

Boy Scout In TV Ad Is Opposed To Fishing

By PHIL LEMOS

The Hartford Courant

July 13, 2001

 

Justin Aligata said he feels the conflict every time he puts on the Boy Scout uniform.

 

The West Hartford teen doesn't understand why the Boy Scouts of America offers merit badges in fishing when the organization's 1998 handbook says a scout "does not harm or kill any living thing."

 

Now he's really causing ripples. Aligata is starring in a commercial from the nonprofit People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that airs on local television today. The 30-second spot argues that fishing is cruel and inhumane.

 

PETA unveiled the ad Thursday at the Sheraton Hotel in East Hartford.

 

"I may be a scout patrol leader, but there's one merit badge I will never try to earn....Boy Scout law says we're not supposed to hurt or kill harmless things without reason. So I just couldn't hook helpless animals in the mouth, yank them out of their environment and still call myself a Boy Scout," says Aligata, dressed in full Boy Scout garb, in the commercial.

 

He concludes the ad: "It's wrong to hurt animals. Please don't go fishing."

 

Aligata, who will be a sophomore at Conard High School this fall, became a vegetarian after attending Earth Day festivities in 1999. He was asked to appear in the commercial after he posted his beliefs about fishing on the PETA website. He said he's since been subjected to some good-natured ribbing among his troop members.

 

The scoutmaster of West Hartford's Troop 12, Tony Sebastiao, said Aligata didn't tell the troop until after he had done the commercial.

 

"It was kind of a shock," Sebastiao said. "But he's got his own views. He's not your average 15-year-old. If that's the way he feels, that's the way he feels. But that's not necessarily the views of the rest of the troop."

 

PETA said the commercial would run today on every local network except WVIT-TV, NBC30, which PETA claims would not air the commercial because it is too controversial. Officials at WVIT-TV refused comment Thursday.

 

The spot also runs today and Saturday in Dallas, where the Boy Scouts of America is headquartered, and may be seen nationwide at the website www.fishinghurts.com.

 

Since March, PETA has asked the Boy Scouts of America to scrap the fishing and fish and wildlife management merit badges, PETA spokeswoman Dawn Carr said.

 

Though Aligata has the Boy Scouts of America's blessing to appear in the commercial, the fishing merit badges will stay, said Gregg Shields, the organization's national spokesman.

 

"We have a merit badge on fishing that is totally optional. He can still be an Eagle Scout without getting all the merit badges," Shields said. "The whole point of fishing merit badges is to teach young men how to fish, how the ecology works, how to preserve the environment and how to clean up after themselves."

 

Despite being the butt of jokes, Aligata said he sticks to his beliefs.

 

"I'm proud of what I've done. Most kids my age might be at home playing video games. I'm out there making a difference," he said.

 

 

 

 

 

[jmcquillan 10]

Sorry I can't hang around to give this issue my full attention. I'm going fishing.

[Mike Long 10]

Wait up! I'll bring the worms.

[Tiny1pj 10]

I have to take a stand opposing the BSA allowing the boy to wear the uniform to promote the "anti-human" approach of organizations like PETA. They are truely terrorist organizations, promoting the hurting and possible killing of people involved in fishing, hunting, and use of natural resourses.

 

This boy needs to be taught that he shows himself representing scouting when he appeared in the add wearing his uniform.

 

These are the same organizations that align themselves with pro-homosexual, pro-murder (abortion), and anti-2nd ammendment groups. They cannot stand killing and eating a fish, but condone killing a baby that has not been born yet. They condone killing scientist that are trying to find cures all forms of diseases.

 

This young man needs to know the WHOLE truth about what he is being a spokesman for.

 

Paul Johnson

[jmcquillan 10]

And, I'm not so sure that the young man understands the WHOLE TRUTH about what, by wearing the uniform, he's doing to the organization that he professes to love and still wants to be part of.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

 

This is from a website called nofishing.net, I couldn't connect with Fishinghurts.com. Its at the end of the article

 

 

"...Please write to the president of the Boy Scouts of America, urging him to replace the outdated "Fishing" and "Fish and Wildlife Management" merit badges with a "Waterway Cleanup" badge. Scouts could perform a marvelous service to the community and to the environment by clearing fishing debris from rivers, ponds, lakes, and other waterways. Scouts can also learn to appreciate nature, rather than destroy it and its inhabitants, through birdwatching, hiking, and many other humane outdoor activities that merit badges.

Please send your letter to:...."

 

And then it lists the address.

 

I wonder if anybody in this group took a minute to look at the program. We have bird study, hiking, and numerous other outdoor merit badges which no doubt you all know. I know in our community bank restoration and waterway clean-up is so popular a topic for Eagle Projects, my son picked dry land project just because he was tired of working with his feet wet.

 

I am not sure any more what the answer is, I used to think if we ignored the lunatic fringe, they would burn themselves out, but instead we seem to be assaulted from if not all sides, more than I thought possible. What is the answer? Will national ever start extolling the positive exploits of Scouts? Boy Life always has a cartoon on Scouts In Action, what if they started to make a monthy commercial on that?

 

Or am I just paranoid, that could happen

 

[Mike Long 10]

You guys need to understand that we are not dealing with reasonable people here that are trying to understand us and work with us to come to an equitable solution to a percieved problem. We are dealing with narrow minded, narrow viewed people who spew dogma to "prove" their point. They pick an aspect of the program and harp on it without even bothering to look at the totality of our program. These people aren't even aware of the huge amount of public service we perform or the scope of the education we provide to our boys. The facts do not matter to these people and any facts that they use to "prove" their point are almost ALWAYS taken completely out of context.

 

Let me prove my point.

They don't like fishing and feel that it is cruel. OK, fine. Yes it is true that in order to earn fishing merit badge you must kill one fish. They then declare that Fish and Wildlife Management is also a cruel award. This begs the question of did they even read the requirements? If if they read them did they understand them? There is only one requirement for F&WM where you would need to kill anything (7c Examine the stomach contents of three species of fish and record the findings.) and it is an optional requirement. They go on (further exposing their ignorance, arrogance, lack of attention to facts: pick your favorite description) by suggesting that we create "new" badges for hiking, nature study, birdwatching ect. Oh yes, we should also do community service in the form of environmental work. A Scout as we all know (because we spent a few hours reading the advancement requirements) can achieve his Eagle without harming a single living thing if he so chooses and is required to perform more community service than any other youth organization that I am aware of.

 

OldGreyEagle you are exactly right, National should do a series of commercials documenting all of the hard work and strong character of our boys.

 

We can not ignore the lunatic fringe. We must know the facts and be prepared to present them in a peaceful, positive and respectful manner. As long as we can prove our point (and you all know we can) we will expose the lunatics as just that, people with no understanding of reality. Just expect them to get very nasty because when they can not prove their point they ALWAYS resort to slander.

 

[jbroganjr 10]

I think that the only new merit badge to be created should be named "Exploiting Innocence" where we teach the boys that there is always more to the headlines.

I hope everyone else in scouting is out promoting the good that scouting promotes in youth, as Hell will freeze over before there is a national campaign.

I am happy to report that the many people I encounter feel that scouting is on the right path.

thanks

john

[eisely 13]

Mike Long - worms have feelings too. Shouldn't you be using an artificial lure of some kind? Of course that may become "fishing debris." My we are conflicted aren't we.

[jmcquillan 10]

Imagine the damage that might be done to the fishing bait industry. Imagine all those folks out there who "farm" mightcrawlers. Eliminating fishing would put many out of work. Think of the commercial fishing industry. We're talking millions of dollars here. We need to support these folks in these most important industries. We need.....oh, it's time to leave.

 

I gotta date with my fishing rod and a can of worms. I never hook the worm, ya know. I've taught them how to sit of the hook...and whistle...you know how to whistle, don't you? You just put your lips together and blow...just like my worms.

 

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Ok, you guys are in trouble now, I've been doing some thinking.

 

fishing is wrong, what does PETA think we should do with pelicans? Eagles? And other fish eating animals.

 

It didn't take many Marlin Perkin's Wild Kingdoms to prove to me that nature is a pretty nasty place where as they say are "... A million ways to die".

 

The way of nature is animals eat animals, does PETA freak out when a raccoon does in a crawdad for lunch or an African lion takes out a gazelle for dinner buffet? I guess I just dont get it

[Rooster7 11]

I think the neighborly thing to do is to invite PETA over and to discuss our differences over a fish fry.

 

By the way, perhaps we should make MODEST the 13th point of the Scout Law. I say this, because it appears that these special interest groups (PETA, Gays, etc.) are appealing to these boys vanity by making them the center of attention and a national spokesman for their cause. Perhaps, we should try to teach our boys a little more about the admirable quality of being humble and the evils of self-adoration. I know that sounds a little harsh, but judging by news-of-the-day, it does appear to be in style.

 

[jmcquillan 10]

Hey Rooster...

 

I'll bring some fish. Great idea!! I've got extra fishing tackle, perhaps we can have a fishing derby. :-)

 

"A Scout is humble..."

 

I like that.

 

[Mike Long 10]

Rooster, what you describe is actually a brainwashing technique used by cults and other lunatic fringe groups to gain and retain members. The term used by law enforcement (FBI) and physcologist to describe that technique is "Love Bombing."

 

Hey I love the idea of a fish fry! I wonder how feasable it would be to hold a Scouter.com forum user fish fry? Travel would be a beast though.

[jmcquillan 10]

No travel required. Imagine this...individual Scout Troops nationwide holding "The First Annual PETA Fishing Derby and Fish Fry" with media coverage, et al.

 

Or, would that be just a wee bit too politically incorrect? :-)