Should Darrell Lambert have his Eagle Rank revoked?

[le Voyageur]

No, No, No....

 

I've got a friend who's an Eagle Scout doing 5 years for two armed robberies (a year before the bank job, he was photographed by a security camera drunk and urinating on an ATM machine while in his scout uniform).

Dispite all this, he still remains an Eagle....

 

My feelings, until National treats all breaches of conduct equally the kid should remain an Eagle....selected punishment sends a poor message.

[slontwovvy]

Where are all these votes coming from? Do we have a "silent majority" or just people voting more than once?

[OldGreyEagle]

Actually I would like to see the poll results, I keep getting the voting screen and no results.

 

The Eagle was awarded, to revoke it may put this story back in the public eye. The BSA made its point, it is time to move on. (and train Eagle BOR participants of proper procedure)

 

OGE

Matt 7:1-5

 

 

 

[NJCubScouter]

OGE: Here is a cut-and-paste of the current results:

 

Results -- 39 total votes:

YES 16 / 41.0%

NO 19 / 48.7%

Not Sure 4 / 10.3%

 

In other words, 41 percent the Eagle should be revoked, 48.7 percent it shouldn't.

 

I have found that when I cannot see the poll results, it is either because I have not yet voted, or I have voted on a different computer. I believe the voting software puts a "cookie" on the computer when you vote, and after that, you see the results rather than the voting menu. (I hope that doesn't give anybody any ideas, but I am not a computer professional, so if I could figure it out, I'm sure most other people could also.)

 

By the way, OGE, I just looked up your Biblical passage. Excellent.

 

Slontwovvy: I'm not sure what you mean by "all these votes." As of when I just looked, 195 people had read this thread (which I guess includes multiple reads) and there were 1,088 people using this forum. So I'm not sure why 39 would be considered a high number. If you mean that there are not 39 different people actively posting on this subject, well, I think there always are more people "just reading" than posting, and some of the people who don't post might be more willing to cast an anonymous vote in a poll.

 

LeVoyageur: Armed robberies, my goodness. He had his own special interpretation of "A Scout is Thrifty," I guess. (Not to mention, "A Scout does not get drunk and publicly urinate on other peoples' property.)

 

On the issue itself, I agree with the posts of BobWhite, OGE and LV, and I voted no. (In fact, I was the first "no" vote, out of three votes at the time.)

[denver4und@aol.com]

well, poll results are stable, as of my vote it was 48% no, 42% yes.

 

No one has addressed another question. There is no process for revoking Eagle Awards. Thank goodness!!!!

 

Can you imagine? We could set up a whole "vatican-like" bureau for the annulment of Eagles, the revocation of Eagles, the confirmation of Eagles (for politicians convicted of crimes wanting to reaffirm their goodness), and the consecration of Eagles (for those who want to be Eagles all over again, or didn't get it done before they were 18). Lol, alot!

 

In all seriousness, there is no procedure. Once an Eagle always an Eagle, which is, of course, the fact that gives meaning to the Eagle Charge ("....you are a marked man....").

 

yis

[Rooster7]

denver4und@aol.com,

 

If I recall, Bob White said BSA can and has striped former Scouts of their Eagle rank. I don't believe you're supposition (once an Eagle, always an Eagle) is necessarily correct.

 

[denver4und@aol.com]

Interesting. I just spent 1.5 hours looking for the answer, and I can't find it. I also can't find a single copy of the BSA National bylaws, apparently called the Rules & Regulations, anywhere on the net.

 

I did look in all the usual places, Committee Guide, SM HAndbook, Advancement Policies & Procedures Committee Guide, etc. Nowhere in any of those materials is there even a hint that an awarded award of any kind, let alone an Eagle badge may be revoked.

 

So, if anyone has an idea of

 

1) any history, anecdotal or otherwise, of any authority for the claim that any award in Scouting can be "revoked".

 

2) where one can find the current national rules and regulations of the BSA.

 

yis

[ScoutParent]

I have heard that some Eagles have been revoked and that it is a matter that is kept private between the Eagle Scout and National. I don't know if it is accurate or not.

[purcelce]

No. He earned it, he keeps it.

[ExperiencedUniforms]

Hi All:

 

Mr. Lambert was awarded the Eagle Rank distinction. Whether he earned it or not is mute now. Once bestowed, it cannot be rescinded. He is now, and will always hold the distinction of Eagle Scout.

 

A handful of Eagles have retuned their medallions to national accompanied by letters of protest, but I have never seen any documentation from the National Council revoking the award.

 

If anyone has verifiable evidence, can they post such proof here, please?

 

Keep on Scoutin' ora

[eisely]

There may not be any public writing on the subject, but it seems to me as a matter of general principle that any organization that creates and bestows an award has a basic legal right to revoke that award. We see this sort of thing in sports all the time. That may not be the best parallel, but it suggests that BSA would have the right to revoke this award.

 

Having said that, I remain in the camp of those who say leave well enough alone as far as Mr. Lambert is concerned. I am too concerned about motivating my teenager to finish his eagle to waste any energy worrying about taking somebody else's eagle away from them.

[evmori]

Whether he earned it is exactly the question! Mr. Lambert might have gone through the motions to earn his Eaglee, but he earned it under false pretenses.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[bt01]

As an Eagle Scout, I had to put down several references: including a religious one. How did he get pst this???? It sounds like an adult droped the ball.

[scoutldr]

To carry this logic a step further...I am a BSA Lifeguard Counsellor and Aquatics Instructor...in every BSALG class I have ever taught, scouts show up who can't demonstrate a proper breast stroke, side stroke, etc...some can't even swim a length of the 25 yard pool. Should they not have their Swimming and Lifesaving Merit Badges revoked and bust them back to Tenderfoot until they can prove they can meet the requirements properly????

 

Now that we've purged our ranks of queers and atheists, who can we go after next? Philanderers? Wife beaters? Alcoholics? Anyone who's ever cheated on an exam? Cheated on their income tax? Had premarital sex? How about all us fat guys ...should we get our Eagle square knots publicly ripped off our shirts too?

 

God and morality aren't the only criteria in the Oath and Law, you know...The line forms here.

 

Go ahead, guys...cast the first stone. Let's see who's left standing to "Deliver the Promise".

 

"When they came after the Jews, I remained silent because I wasn't a Jew....and then they came after me and there was no one left to speak out."

[ScoutParent]

Your point would have had more merit if you had left the quote out. To compare limiting membership in our organization to people who meet the membership requirements to the murder of millions of people is unconscionable. It really is not unrealistic to want to associate with people who share similiar values. Why do you strive to limit our freedoms so?