Mr Scaramucci and Scouting

[cyclops]

One thing is for sure, after that rant by the new COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, the 'mooch' is the last person anyone should want to speak in front of the boys...it's like Larry Flynt is now directing communications in the White House....No, sorry, Flynt isn't nearly profane enough to match 'the mooch'.

[RememberSchiff]

The list of "inappropriate" government officials appears to be growing. Should the BSA just mail in "The Report to the Nation" in 2018?

 

With apologizing for the free-speech of the President, you encourage follow-up sanction demands: What will you do to prevent it in the future? Ban the President from future Jamborees, require video only with 7 second delay, fire him as honorary President of BSA, ban government speakers, ban trips to D.C., allow units/scouts options in attending any speeches at Jambo ...?

 

My $0.02,

[John-in-KC]

Moderator note:

 

Split from the President Trump and Jambo thread.  Different topic.

 

So...

 

Was he a Scout?
 

Does his language demonstrate Scout Spirit in his daily life?

 

What would you tell him at a SM Conf/BOR/ mentoring session?

[NJCubScouter]

The thing he said about Steve Bannon... wow... I think I have heard that expression once before in my life but the person was not speaking to a news reporter.   

[cyclops]

I've heard it before in certain 'circles' and I won't mention where that was or why I was there...lol.

But before now the worst I can remember from the White House came from Johnson who seemed to have feet of clay in many ways. But HE never could match THAT, at least nothing I ever read coming from Johnson could match it. Maybe Earl Butz?

 

I guess the best we can hope for (I hate to think about the worst) is to be able to watch this spectacle with horrified fascination. Trump supporters should just keep in mind: you wanted this.

[RememberSchiff]

So if a government official (whatever party, topic, venue) acts inappropriately in front of your scouts, just stand by and watch?

[cyclops]

So if a government official (whatever party, topic, venue) acts inappropriately in front of your scouts, just stand by and watch?

In the presence of scouts? No, that calls for an interruption of whatever is happening and maybe a private conversation to either change things or see the official to the curb (or if that's not possible, leave with the boys)...with a followup discussion with the scouts about what's right, wrong, helpful, hurtful, courteous, discourteous, and why.

What would you do? I'm open to better ideas.

Edited July 28, 2017 by cyclops

[RememberSchiff]

Well if I am teaching character-building, I would expect if my scouts felt it was inappropriate they would tell their SPL who would then inform me or better the SPL would say Mr. Schiff this is inappropriate, we should leave. I would allow them to quietly leave. No disruption, if no one bars our exit.

 

Freedom of speech goes both ways - speaking and listening. We have the freedom to respectfully listen or not listen (leave).

 

Either way, we would debrief later.

Edited July 28, 2017 by RememberSchiff

[cyclops]

I'm good with that approach. I was thinking more along the lines of a local official at a troop meeting, not a larger, more public venue.

 

But with respect to national news from internet or television, there's a point where I know I have to watch it to find out what people say. If possible, I'll try to view it with some humor (horrified fascination).

Edited July 28, 2017 by cyclops

[RememberSchiff]

I'm good with that approach. I was thinking more along the lines of a local official at a troop meeting, not a larger, more public venue.

 

Yes, good point. At the town level, this is where helicopter parents earn their pay.   Local officials are becoming more of a problem, rather than talk about how government works, they often use their invitation to rant about politics. Anyway parents either step in or leave and now the speaker realizes he/she is just ranting to perplexed kids.

Edited July 28, 2017 by RememberSchiff

[NJCubScouter]

I've heard it before in certain 'circles' and I won't mention where that was or why I was there...lol.

 

Neither will I, but let's just say that it is not unheard of for lawyers to use "colorful language" when speaking with each other, but not when appearing before a judge in a courtroom, or in any other formal setting, or in front of a client (usually) - or when talking to a newspaper reporter.  You mention LBJ, he sometimes DID let some expletives fly in front of reporters (as some of them wrote in their books years later), but those expletives did not find their way into the next day's newspapers, because there was an understanding among the "guys" (and they were almost all guys) that that sort of thing was automatically not for publication.  Just like when reporters in say the 50's/60's (or earlier) would learn of certain infidelities by the politician they were traveling with, this was not reported (at the time) by the "guys" either.  Obviously those days are long over, and I'm pretty sure Mr. Scaramucci understood that when he unleashed his "colorful metaphors".

Edited July 28, 2017 by NJCubScouter

[desertrat77]

It's my strong hunch that Mr. S knew exactly what he was doing, his protests afterwards notwithstanding. 

 

He was looking for a specific outcome.

 

Mission accomplished.

 

I've heard this kind of language for years in the military, at all levels. 

 

As for LBJ, let's remember that he was president in a different era.  If the press reported everything they knew about him, he would have been run out of DC when he was still a young representative from TX.    I've read several biographies on him, and what he said in public and private would burn off many peoples' ears today. 

 

The press had a completely different philosophy back then.  They didn't feel the need to report every foible and misstep by public figures.  That self governing aspect of the journalistic "profession" is long-gone now.

[RememberSchiff]

I thought Nixon originated the phrase Grab them....and their hearts and minds will follow but it was another President.

[Stosh]

Back in the '50's when there was something on the TV I didn't care to be exposed to, I got up and changed the channel.  Today, I just grab the remote and do the same thing.  Somethings in life change, other things don't.  I've dropped lots of people (including family members) off my FB account because I didn't care to be exposed to their free speech.  It's not that hard to quietly walk away.

[NJCubScouter]

Am I the only one who starts singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" when I hear this guy's name?

 

(Apologies to anyone under the age of about 35 who may not know what I am talking about.)