Best be careful what we teach

[Beavah]

http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/letters/ci_10725948

 

Booed by a Boy Scout

Janyth Dison

Article Launched: 10/15/2008 10:28:25 AM PDT

 

This Saturday morning as I was leaving my church's parking lot, I was booed by a Boy Scout because I had an Obama sticker on my car.

 

I can't believe that a Boy Scout would be so disrespectful. I spoke to him, but I really don't think it mattered to him.

 

The McCain campaign is spewing disrepectful rhetoric. Is this really what Sen. McCain wants? A Boy Scout booing a 65-year-old lady because she has an Obama sticker on her car?

 

Janyth Dison

Redlands

 

-----

 

Yah, forget McCain. Is that what we really want?

 

B

 

 

[John-in-KC]

What Council is Redlands CA?

 

It seems to me the SE needs to have a short talk with his Council Commissioner (and President too), then push his Commissioners into the field:

 

Simple lesson: A Scout is Courteous.

 

I think a blunt letter from the SE to each and every IH and COR is also called for.

 

I've made my decision on voting, and it won't be for Obama. That said, I'm also not going to boo the man.

 

I counsel Cit in Nation. My job as Counselor is NOT to declare my beliefs, it's to help kids discover how we think the system works.

 

Sigh.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[Gunny2862]

Look, neither my own son, nor wife can tell you with any degree of certainty whom I'm going to vote for.

 

I'd be having a very serious discussion about politics, getting along with your fellow man, and Scout Spirit if I saw a member of our Troop doing that. There just isn't any call for it.(This message has been edited by Gunny2862)

[scoutldr]

California Inland Empire Council, BSA

 

It appears the SE just retired and there is a search committee looking for a new one.

 

 

[funscout]

At Summer Camp, one of our scouts wanted to do a skit that "slammed" President Bush. This came from what he hears at home, and had nothing to do with the fact that he is a scout. But, because he is a scout, and was at a scout event, I reminded him that his idea went against the Scout Law. He was really disappointed to not be able to do this skit. I've also heard this scout "slam" any and all Republicans at non-scouting events. It's sad that his parents have taught him to be so mean towards people he disagrees with.

 

My kids know that my husband and I are Republican, but they also know that we show respect for all people. My younger son has told me of kids at school (both Dem. and Repub.) who are really mean to people who support the opposing political party. He can see that both sides are actually hurting their efforts by looking so mean-spirited.

[Gold Winger]

" I've also heard this scout "slam" any and all Republicans at non-scouting events. It's sad that his parents have taught him to be so mean towards people he disagrees with."

 

With few exceptions, most Democrats I know are vicious in their attacks on any and all Republicans.

[Kahuna]

I don't usually comment in these areas, but I am very suspicious of a Redlands, CA lady telling a newspaper that she was booed by Boy Scout on account of an Obama sticker.

 

Especially when she feels compelled to complain about McCain spewing disrepectful rhetoric.

 

You never know.

[OldGreyEagle]

heck, you wanna bet the scout has any idea why he thinks he disagrees with Bush?

[Gold Winger]

He disagrees with Bush because Bill Maher and Chris Rock say to do so.

[AlFansome]

 

Or maybe because the scout has a family member who's just come back from Iraq a changed man. That's my 9-year old daughter's reason.

[Gold Winger]

I'd respond but then everyone would call me a horrible person.

[AlFansome]

 

No go ahead, say what's on your mind.

 

I'm not condoning any of the scouts' behavior that's been noted in this post on either side and that wasn't the point of my post.

 

The reality is that for the first time in quite a while, there are a great number of kids in this country that have seen the physical and emotional scars of war close up and they are forever changed by it. How they react and process what they experience varies from case to case.

 

In my daughter's case, she's really been caught up in the election (as I recall being back in '76 when I was 8) since she understands that's how we pick our new leader. She's watched all 4 debates from start to end and has formed opinions based on what she's hearing. Alot of it admittedly goes over her head, but hearing the McCain voted for the Iraq War and Obama opposed it was pretty much a deal-sealer in her mind. She also keeps wondering why McCain says "My friends..." over and over... :-)

 

Her twin brother on the other hand could pretty much care less.

 

 

 

[evmori]

I'll bet if you ask this Scout what he thinks of Bush you would get "I dunno" as an answer!

[packsaddle]

The writer in the original post is making a point about a single boy who did something that happens all the time. If he had not been in a uniform, she wouldn't have had a story. As it was, the uniform was the real story and, unfortunately, there is no way...no matter how we respond...to keep isolated things like that from happening. I think this is being waaaayyyyyy too sensitive, given the isolated incident.

 

I think I mentioned a while back that I overheard the SPL lecturing the boys about how Hillary Clinton was a communist. At the time I just rolled my eyes. He and most of the other boys get whatever they get from school and from home, not from Scouts. I suspect the SPL was reflecting something a parent had said.

It might be worth a word to the families at a larger meeting sometime, about the points of courtesy, kindness, and friendliness. Maybe 'respectful' would be a good one to consider for addition to the list.

But I think I'd hold back on some broad response to a letter like that. Let her make her point, whatever it is. And get on with business.

[Lisabob]

I certainly think there is a role here for scouting to play in terms of encouraging all scouting families to follow the scout law and oath - not just the scouts themselves. I can see the outlines of a good scoutmaster minute out of this, maybe at an upcoming Court of Honor where a wider audience will be present.

 

I will say I do think adults have a bit more responsibility than eye rolling when they hear something along the lines of what you described, pack, especially coming from the SPL to a group of younger, more impressionable young scouts (or from an adult to a group of scouts). Living as we do in a very conservative area and being one of a small minority of liberal Democrats, I recognize that my political views are not widely held and even less so, it seems, in scouting circles. That's fine with me. I've had some very interesting conversations with adults - and sometimes with older scouts who have an interest in politics and ask a lot of questions - around the fire. I don't expect people to share my views.

 

On the other hand, my son has been on the receiving end of "lectures" from other senior scouts, both about religion and politics. He was drummed out of some merit badge sessions at a summer camp in NC a couple years ago because the scout instructor kept calling him an atheist and other (ruder) things, after asking my son to declare his religious and political affiliations on the first day. Apparently my son's responses were not acceptable to this scout. On that occasion my son chose not to make a scene (though I sort of wish he had) and didn't say anything to his troop's adult leadership while at camp - he just stopped attending that session. If some adult had overheard this kid do that, I would have wished for correction to occur, not just eye rolling. It is a lot to ask of a young kid to confront an older authority figure and demand an end to the mean-spirited teasing. Not only did that scout/instructor cause bad feelings for my son, but he also modeled to all the other kids present, that it is ok to behave like that. No doubt some of them probably learned that lesson at least as well as they learned astronomy from the young man. And worst, that scout may not have had any inkling that he was misusing his position of authority, or for that matter, that he was mis-stating BSA policy (last I checked, non-Christian, non-conservatives are still allowed to join?).