OUTRAGE! American Flag Removed from Scouting Museum

[HarborScout]

First time on these boards, folks, so please excuse this long rant. I was outraged enough to bring this to everyone's attention for comments and suggestions to correct this unfortunate development.

 

I am a long-standing Scoutmaster in the Circle Ten Council here in Dallas, Texas. Living and working in close proximity, I enjoy personal and troop visits to the National Scouting Museum in Irving. If anyone is familar with the museum lobby layout, there are three pillars, one each with an inscribed Scout Oath & Law flanking a large fleur-de-lis. On either side of the middle Scout emblem are (were) two flag poles, one flying the American flag and the other flying the International Scout flag. This dramatic and impressive display makes for a very nice photo op for troops, packs, etc. During one of my many lunch time trips, I noticed that not only were the flags missing but the flag poles had been removed! When I asked a resident staff member, I was informed that some lady complained at a recent Eagle CoH that the lobby flags interferred with their troop flags and it made for an akward photo shoot. The museum staff made the incredible decision then to remove the lobby flags!

 

I immediately called HQ to make a complaint and was nicely told that there was plenty of American flags posted at HQ, next door to the museum, and that was respectful enough. Becoming more outraged at this response I recently spoke to a dedicated volunteer Docent who told me that the museum staff thought the flags put the lobby "out of balance", and that was the reason they were removed. At this writing the National Scouting Museum does not have ANY American flags inside or outside the facility to represent a Scout's duty to country.

 

It was also brought to my attention that the ladies that comprise the management of the museum have, collectively, no Scouting experience, their sons are not in Scouting, and that there is an inhererent predjudice and bias towards men, boys and the wonderful volunteer Docents. These Docents were recently told that they are to have NO contact with the staff except through written communication.

 

I understand that Ross Perot donated $M to dedicate the museum lobby in honor of a fellow Scout back in Texarkanas. I would believe he would also be upset that the American flag has been removed for some twisted vanity reason. If anyone feels this is an insult to Scouting, I would like to add your voice to the growing list of concerned volunteers here in the Dallas area. I, personally, will never take my boys to the museum again as it has ceased to become an inspirational destination. And this doesn't include the sloppy museum operations where exhibits are mislabeled or simply not working for long stretches of time.

 

As we approach 2010 this should be our diamond jewel to celebrate all that is Scouting and it is being descreated by staff apparently more interested in tea parties and long lunch breaks that promoting the story of the B.S.A. Please join my protest and complain to either Marketing & Commmunications or Willie IIes, who has charge of the museum staff, both of whom can be reached at HQ.

 

Good Scouting to all!!

[evmori]

I e-mailed the museum & got this response

 

Thank you for your inquiry.

The Grand Lobby area of the museum was recently re-configured to allow

for more capacity seating, better event set-up, and smoother visitor

traffic-flow. The installation and relocation of a new admissions desk

affected the layout of the Fleur-de-lis centerpiece. The flags that you

are referring to were built into this centerpiece, which was initially

built to accommodate the old admissions desk. In the reconfiguration,

the centerpiece underwent restoration and the flags were removed to

balance the layout.

 

The museum has freestanding Scouting American and International flags

for display and use in the Grand Lobby area.

 

Janice E. Babineaux

Executive Director, National Scouting Museum

Boy Scouts of America

[OldGreyEagle]

Thank you Ed for your time and efforts

[evmori]

............. and in response to a 2nd e-mail

 

Both the American and the Scouting flags are displayed in the Grand

Lobby.

Again thank you for your inquiry.

 

[HarborScout]

Thank you fellow Scouters for your concern and assistance in attempting to garner further explanation for this issue.

 

I do not wish to speak ill of anyone or this museum, but I feel somewhat compelled to offer up some further comments on this Director's response.

 

Yes, indeed, the front desk was removed from it's old asymmetric position in front of the 3 pillars to a place by the front door in the Grand Lobby. This made the symmetry of the pillars and the 2 flag poles ever more grand. I do not accept her position that moving the reception desk caused the lobby to be "out of balance". In fact complaints have been made for years to have it moved and when this was finally executed, the lobby layout was improved!! There was absolutely no "design" reason to remove these flags or their poles. As I mentioned before, a past administrative official stated privately that these flags were removed based upon a complaint. This vapid rationale stated above is clear in its intent to obfuscate the real cause.

 

What I am reading here is, again, this director's arrogance in dealing with the membership as she deals with her own volunteer Docents. I would encourage anyone to speak with one of their fellow Scouters who dedicate their time to the museum to validate this indifferent behavior coming her and her staff.

 

BTW, this morning there were no flags present, but by noon here in Irving, flags had been placed in the museum Thank you for your proactive intervention! This issue has been resolved for now.

 

YIS......