Adrianvs

So Thurmond's public views were fake? Interesting. He was just pretending to be a racist.. No, I think eisely and FOG are more on track here. A hypocrite is someone who preaches what they do not believe, not someone who lives inconsistantly with their preaching. Many hypocrites (the word means actor) live quite consistantly with their teachings. The actively drinking alcoholic who advises others against drinking isn't a hypocrite. The individual who neither cares for alcohol nor believes it dangerous who preaches against drinking is a hypocrite. He may be a perfect model of his rhetoric, but he is a hypocrite if he doesn't believe it. Strom Thurmond may have been a hypocrite, but that depends on whether he actually held racist views, not whether he was sexually attracted to the maid. I don't know whether it is worse to be a racist or to pretend to be one for political gain. It's not good either way..

"I never held anything against Lil because she was after all playing a game by its rules and not living in her everyday life." I think this is a bit of a cop-out. There is no indication that Survior contestants are encouraged to lie, cheat, and steal. They choose to because they can get away with it. Yes, it may be expected, but it isn't the rule of the game. It is too easy to say, "It's not her real life; it's just for this game." It isn't hard to extend that to, "It isn't her real life, it's just business transactions. Everyone expects opportunists. It's part of the game." "It isn't his real life; it's just what he chooses to do on Saturday nights." Lying and stealing may be a successful strategy. As Rupert said, "We're supposed to be pirates!" If he really wanted to play that game, he would have remembered that ol' Blackbeard's head ended up suspended from a wall. I doubt the producers would have been amused if the other tribe showed up to the next immunity with his head on a stick. We are always willing to suspend SOME of our morals FOR THE MOMENT, always supposing that the morals we choose to keep will be kept by everyone else. Contestants are forbidden to physically attack one another or plan to share the money. There are a lot of other legal strategies to get rid of fellow contestants that aren't as cute as lying to someone. Arrgh, matey.

Perhaps National based their shoulder loop decision upon consultations with the select group of crazy volunteers like myself; I perfer the green loops on the green uniform to any other combination which has come to mind.

SPLT15, I made the gazebo reference to heckle one of the posters. I think that a blood drive could be the center of a "worthy" project. Given the routine and professional nature of the blood drive itself, you should develop more related to and supporting it in order to demonstrate leadership. It is good that you are on this board asking for suggestions of ways to improve the project. It seems to me that you are involved in planning the project and preparing to carry out the leadership when the time comes. I don't think that a project needs to be some object that a brass plaque can be attached to. That being said, the blood drive alone wouldn't be enough. I like the t-shirt idea. If you show leadership in the design, supply, and distribution of these items then they are an excellent addition. Just be sure that nothing is begun until the project formally starts. If the troop has these shirts made while you are planning (even if you come up with them), then they aren't part of the project. Perhaps you could make the blood drive part of a larger event. You could plan some sort of health awareness expo or something of the sort of which the blood donations are a part. The blood drive could be the main part, but the more you plan and carry out around it, the more the project becomes yours and the more you can demonstrate leadership. In all of this (and I'm sure you've heard this before), the main point is that you demonstrate leadership. For much of this, you should be appointing tasks to volunteers, but some things may be done by yourself (training, designing, contacting, etc). In the planning stages, don't let all your volunteers know what is likely to be done unless you are asking for advice. Then take all the ideas and formulate a master plan. Reject the ideas that won't work and accept those that do. Then you can present the plan to your volunteers and get feedback. Otherwise, people just start doing things that they heard of or think of new things to do and you are no longer a project leader. I don't know exactly how far you are in the planning and approval stages, but hopefully some of this will be helpful. You seem to be interested in making this a good project and I commend you for that. I'm sure that you can make the blood drive the center of a good and worthy project. Yours in Scouting, Adrianvs

SIC TEMPER TYRANNIS

Remember that you are an actor in a play, and the Playwright chooses the manner of it: if he wants it short, it is short; if long, it is long. If he wants you to act a poor man you must act the part with all your powers; and so if your part be a cripple or a magistrate or a plain man. For your business is to act the character that is given you and act it well; the choice of the cast is Another's. -Epictetus We must remember that the future is neither wholly ours nor wholly not ours, so that neither must we count upon it as quite certain to come nor despair of it as quite certain not to come... -Epicureus Sorry; I'm reviewing some Greek and Roman philosophy at the moment..

What, exactly, does the NESA do as an organization? I assume they have some sort of newsletter of interest to Eagle Scouts. Are there any other opportunities as a member? I ask because I am reminded of a time (exactly one year ago) that I was speaking at youth's Court of Honor and it came up. Well, I was presenting special awards from dignitaries and reading some letters and there was a certificate of membership or the like from the NESA. I attempted to comment on the organization, but could come up with nothing more than the name of the organization and the rather obvious fact that its membership is reserved to Eagle Scouts. On a side note, it's rather frightening when I am the closest thing to a BSA representative around.. haha

Would you rather have a gazebo?

Regarding the pope, you should contact the papal nuncio (pope's representative) for the United States. His name is Gabriel Montalvo and he responds to Eagle Scouts. This is much more effective than attempting to contact the pope himself. Archbishop Montalvo's address is as follows: Most Reverend Gabriel Montalvo 3339 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W Washington, DC For some reason, I do not have a zip code.

"Perhaps to accomodate the older crowd and camp staff before they split for college?" Incidently, the date that has been used for the last few years is the weekend that at least two of the three state universities have the students move in.

Fellowship in the fall. Well, that and cranking out as many ordeal and brotherhood ceremonies as possible to raise money and numbers for "Quality Lodge."

Every party has a pooper; that's why we invited you. Party pooper. Party pooper. Just kidding.. Good reminders. "Three rules for long life: 1. All guns are loaded. 2. All snakes are poisonous. 3. All circuits are hot." While number one is always a good rule and number three would have spared our Lodge Chief getting knocked on his arse at a work weekend, I must protest that number two rather complicates our Reptile and Amphibian Study sessions.

I would like some opinions on this: Is the second to last weekend of August an appropriate time for a Lodge Fall Fellowship? Are there any reasons to justify such a date of schedule? This would apply to any regular seasonal District or Council event, of course.

Good question. It seems to be much more likely for an attending adult to be unregistered or a former "quasi-member" than a youth.

NJ, You make good points and your commentary on the religious tolerance and freedom in the Unites States versus other countries affirms my thesis that you really don't have much to be offended by, relatively speaking. haha, the Kennedy election wasn't quite within my lifetime. I was born the year that Reagan (and the pope) were shot. Regarding Kennedy, he was forced to, no, he chose to state that when it came down to business, he wasn't a Catholic at all. It's just something his family does every week. He helped to define the notion that one can be a "cultural Catholic" as if it were an ethnic group and not a religious affiliation. It is distressing. Today, those who do not renounce their Catholic faith are often barred from office. Just look at Justice Estrada. Catholicism is extremism. "Are you now or have you ever been a member of the pro-life movement?" What is most offensive, however, is being told that this is a secular country. Belief in a god is not a requirement of religion. Few people would insist that Buddhism is only a philosophy and not a religion. What the devotees of secular humanism assert now is that one must not hold other religious beliefs in order to hold office. If a potential governmental employee chooses to apply a religious label to themself, they must publicly state that their religion is a private matter (like a hobby) and has no influence on their person. You are offended by those who call America a Christian nation. That is your right. I am offended by those who call America a secular nation. I never claimed that the US does (or should) have a chief religion, an official religion, or a privileged religion. I simply consider theism, particularly Christian theism, to be the most significant hisorical and cultural influence.

I'm glad to see that a thread on Wood Badge has naturally turned to the troop program. Regarding their experience with the WB course, someone remarked: "Could I point to a specific aspect of the program that made it great? Yes, but it's the one that's been constant from the inception of the course -- comraderie. We had a good troop, but I have a great patrol. The 6 of us hit it off right away and had a blast." It seems to me that part of working any ticket should be helping to make a unit's program so that the feelings a scout has for his unit and patrol are like those that a course participant has for his Gilwell troop and patrol. The role-playing form of training is an excellent one as long as people realize that what they experience is to be translated into a unit program.

"The expedition hat as the catalog says is approved for the activity uniform." Are adults allowed to wear the activity uniform? Is it the polo shirt with official green shorts? I assume they have discontinued the khaki shorts as I haven't seen them advertised in the catalogue. (I've never seen them in real life.) Also, if the expedition hat is approved for the activity uniform, does that mean that it is not to be worn with the field uniform? If adults are not to wear the activity uniform and the expedition hat is to be worn only with the activity uniform, then it would seem that they are not to wear the expedition at all. But they are, so where am I mistaken? It just seems a little fuzzy..

BTW Dave, I would love to have you in this neck of the woods. I'm currently registered in the Mid-Iowa Council (the troop is in the corner of the council), but I live geographically within the Hawkeye Council right now.

I am wondering about the "officiality" of the BSA expedition hat. Specifically, I want to know if and how it differs from the campaign hat or cap. It is referred to as an "activity hat" in the catalogue whereas the campaign hat is not. What does this mean? Can one salute while wearing it? I don't see any qualitative difference between it and the campaign hat, especially given that the same official pins may be worn on both. We have a lodge advisor who is known for his ranting on the uniform. (To his credit, he has become much more friendly and courteous in his delivery the past few years.) Anyhow, at an outdoor LECM (Lodge Executive Committee Meeting), the advisor was sitting in the sun bareheaded. Some brought him an expedition hat, but he refused to wear it, barking out that it was an activity hat. I got the impression that his refusal had to do with his wearing the uniform, not the setting of the meeting. Is this correct at all? Are there any real differences between the expedition hat and campaign hat?

Welcome to the lands I call home!!! Dave describes the land and people well. Iowa is on the border between the woodlands and the great plains, so the landscape varies somewhat. What part of the state do you plan on being in? Unfortunately, the open parts of the country can seem quite desolate in the winter, as the fields have been harvested and the trees are bare. It can be really beautiful, however, as the snow dunes grow and shift around decrepit barns and farmhouses in the backcountry. In a sense, you are lucky that you won't be around for the legendary humidity of Iowa summers. On the other hand, you are missing out on the sight of a fertile land in full bloom. Black Iowa soil is never exposed; you must dig in order to find it. To get to my camp (home), you must pass through Amish country. It adds to the somewhat magical sense that you are going to a place wholly different from the "real world" as you travel to camp. There are also Amish near where I go to school here, but they will ride on the shoulder of the road. Down there, however, the road is theirs and you will wait your turn to pass if you wish to speed through their countryside.

I have some questions regarding the Wood Badge program. The Wood Badge itself, the name, and the Gilwell traditions seem to be shared by all the scout movements internationally. To what extent is this program (old or new) a national one and how might it differ from programs in other nations? If the national programs are different, what is the thread that ties them together. I have never taken the Wood Badge program, but I am familiar with Lord Baden-Powell's writings, history, and original scouting program.

There are special considerations all throughout the program; it isn't exclusive to Mormons. There are special Woodbadge sessions for observant Jews, Muslims, and Christians who may have a religious issue with some specifics. Rather than try to change the experience for everyone, they accomodate these individuals. The Jews' issues center around Sabbath activities and dietary restrictions, the Muslims' issues are dietary and prayer scheduling and many Orthodox are not allowed to wear shorts if I recall correctly. Not all courses have shorts as uniform, but some areas do (did?). Also, the Orthodox and Catholics have requirements for liturgical participation. All these groups (and likely more) are accomodated. We also know that the flag insignia is optional, the Oath is also called the Promise, and the Pledge is not required to be said for religious reasons. Some cannot make oaths and others consider venerating the flag idolatry. Neither of these are because of Mormonism. Regarding the Mormon Cub program, I believe that until the age of eight (9?), children are not to be involved in activities apart from the parents. This has to do with their notions of childhood and accountability. I'm not exactly sure how the program differs from the standard, but it doesn't seem as much of a stretch when every youth is only able to join at that specific age. All the other differences seem to be within the normal perogatives of any CO. I doubt that any other faith, if it presented similar requirements to the BSA, would be denied similar accomodations.(This message has been edited by Adrianvs)

I would rather have someone come into the school dressed like St. Nicholas of Myra and punch a heretic in the nose like he did Arius at the council of Nicea. haha, nevermind. "How do you think a Jewish citizen of the United States feels when he hears or reads that this is a "Christian nation?'" I don't know, but as a Christian, I would not be offended if I moved to Israel and heard that it was a Jewish state. I would not feel bad if I moved to Turkey and heard that it was an Islamic state or even a predominately Islamic state. As a Catholic, I would not be offended if I moved to Germany and heard that it was a Lutheran state or heard in England that it was an Anglican state. I would not feel bad if I moved to Russia and heard that it was an Orthodox state. I would not feel slighted if speakers in Taiwan stated that it was a Buddhist state. And lest you feel I am overly comfortable with hypothetical situations that do not involve my homeland, I can honestly state that it does not bother me that America is a predominately Protestant nation. Washington swore on a Protestant bible. It is always the Protestant Ten Commandments that adorn public buildings, but I do not lament. It does not offend me that John Adams was a vehement anti-Catholic or that he was not alone in the sentiment. Historically and culturally, America is a theistic (I consider deism a subset of theism), Christian, and Protestant nation. I don't feel slighted by this designation and I have pride in the Founding Fathers, even though I have the knowledge that many of them would likely rather spend eternity in hell than shake hands with a Papist like me. I guess it's a matter of perspective.

I've been known to spontaneously break into some Tom Lehrer tunes at camp and elsewhere. I wouldn't mind if "I Got It From Agnes" became a standard camp song. haha

Proud Eagle is on the right track regarding the Cub and Boy Scout programs. There's nothing wrong with the Cub Scout program, but Boy Scout age youth involved in a Cub Scout program is very geeky. Perhaps the geekiest.. Geekyist.. Geekious.. Geekesque.. Geekian.. Geekocious.. Well, the idea stands.