Obama not speaking in person at Jambo

[GernBlansten]

Funny how FoxNews made a big deal about the president deciding to go on the View and not to the Jamboree, but made no mention of the disrespectful behavior of the Scouts and Scouters at the Jamboree towards the president. I guess you can call that "fair and balanced".

Just think of the outrage had the president had a different letter after his name.

You are right though. let this issue die. It doesn't reflect well on the BSA or its membership. Lets just accept that the BSA has become a political tool for indoctrination of future conservatives.

[SR540Beaver]

I'm late to the party here as I was at the Jambo. I admit I've on;y read the first page of comments. Let me say this. Thank God he didn't come!!! Why do I say that? Not for any political reason, but because I was at the 2005 Jambo when Bush came. While it is nice that a boy gets to say he saw a real live President of the United States, the hassle is just too great. 2005 was a "cluster" if you know what I mean. It was so disruptive to the flow of Jambo, it simply wasn't worth it. The show should have been cancelled due to black flag heat conditions, but because the President was coming, BSA made the decision to go with the march against the medical staff and military's advise. Kids and adults were dropping like flies. We had to mobilize even earlier than needed and sit packed in an arena in the blazing heat for far too long. We couldn't carry daypacks due to security concerns. We had to go thru metal detectors to get in the arena. We had to empty our water out of our bottles to enter the arena. Did I mentionm that it was a "cluster"?

 

I'm perfectly fine that the President declined the offer. If I were at the top of the BSA, I would make the decision to never invite any President to the Jambo, ever! Our contingent fee was $3000. We want to get the most bang for our buck and wasting most of a day for a 10 to 15 minute speech by the President just isn't worth it.

[Narraticong]

Gern- Let's remember where and when public show of disrespect for authority became prevalent in our society. Most would agree it started in the 60's and 70's with the young people on the far left. President Obama has accepted some of those folks as his mentors. While I wholeheartedly agree such disrespect is wrong, the left must accept responsibility for the fruit of the seeds they sowed during that time.

 

Ken

[Bando]

Has nothing to do with the political left 40 or 50 years ago. Has nothing to do with security concerns. Has nothing to do with how hot it was in 2005, as this Jamboree made provisions this time around to make sure the Death March didn't happen again. And it certainly has nothing to do with The View or the ACLU or anything else.

 

The fact of the matter is that Scouts and Scouters IN UNIFORM booed the President of the United States. Period. And the BSA added to the disrespect by refusing to show the President's message during the actual show. Ted Nugent deserves his shot to congratulate the BSA during the show, but the President of the United States and the Honorary President of the BSA gets an afterthought intermission filler slot 15 minutes before the the show began?

 

If it was President Barack Obama ®, would this have happened? Where's Duty to Country in all of this?

[GernBlansten]

Fascinating.

The liberals 50 years ago were so powerful as to make the conservatives of today be such bad examples of polite citizenship.

The BSA is doomed.

[Eagle92]

Gern,

As I stated it earlier, the disrect is throughout all aspects of our culture. Watch TV, listen to the radio, surf the net, and yes even some churches and faiths (both the president's former pastor and the congregation protesting at vet's funerals come to mind). Not defending the scouts and leaders who did it, rather stating my observations.

 

We, as in all scouts and leaders, have an uphill battle to fight in the courtesy area.

[shortridge]

Public and political incivility is nothing new, and certainly can't be laid at the feet of American youth in the 1960s. American leaders in the 1860s? Well, they physically attacked each other on the floor of Congress. So I guess you could say just booing is an improvement.

 

For background on heckling in politics, see http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/09/heckling_of_president_is_rare.html

[BadenP]

Listen I was there and heard and saw it all, and all I can say that there were a number of scouts and scouters who acted very unscoutlike, period. You here defending or rationalizing the action are being unscoutlike as well. Look, I agree that Obama should have been there or at least done a live two way feed, but he still is the President and all that action did was to put the BSA in a very bad public light. The BSA as we all know has been declining as of late and all this did was to give the BSA critics even more ammo to discredit the organization. Any scout leader condoning this action or allowing their youth to participate IMHO should resign their membership immediately. This event was yet another very embarrassing moment for the BSA, and one that we will have to live down for a long time to come.

[GernBlansten]

BadenP,

What did you do when you stood amongst the unpatriotic, uniformed BSA members booing the President of the United States? Did you call them out? Did you ask them to stop? Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?

[Bando]

I most certainly did just that, loudly reminding those booing around me that a Scout is Courteous. Got a few cross looks and a few discrete thumbs up. It was an embarrassing scene to watch, and left me in a pretty sour mood for a good long time.

[BadenP]

Gern

In the area I was in I did speak out, especially to the leaders who started to calm down and shushing others. Then my crew officers started reciting the scout law getting louder and louder until other youth joined in. I was never more proud of those kids, and in our immediate area the booing stopped. "And the youth will lead them." I saw some of the scouts actually apologizing to my crew members for their behavior. A small victory in a sea of scouts but a victory none the less.

[scouts-a-lot]

http://weaselzippers.us/2010/08/06/boy-scouts-send-president-obama-a-little-message/

 

Wow that is just ugly! Still not a fan of the man but this makes me ashamed to be a Scouter. Listen to the comments.

 

All i can say is I am glad that this was not my Council posting this but it is still bad fro everyone....

[GernBlansten]

Those comments on the website where something, weren't they?

I don't think we've heard the last of this. That video is gonna make the rounds. But I wonder how FoxNews will spin it? They are running it aren't they? Haven't seen it on the lamestream media yet either. But they didn't cover the Obama/View/Jamboree hubbub either. Probably won't.

 

Do you think the BSA should apologize to the President now, or wait until next Jamboree when they invite him to speak again?

[theysawyoucomin']

Geez Gern,

Your goat's really been gotten!!!

 

Many, many people do not like this President. Many , Many did not like the one before him.

 

I don't think BO is sitting in the Oval office wondering how to get back at the BSA.

 

These kids are a section of the nation, not one bit better or worse than the nation they come from.

 

Bando said the BSA has to live with being homophobic. Maybe Mr. Obama has to live with calling me a bitter clinger.

 

Again I said not a word during his speech. I guess I'm still free to think what I want, I don't think this guy is the best thing for America and I will vote likewise the next opportunity I get.

 

I'd wager I'm quite a bit darker skinned than most on here so please don't assume it's a race thing. I am judging the man by his ideals and his experience.

[GernBlansten]

Do you think those scouts and scouters in that video demonstrated scout spirit? Do they represent the ideals of the BSA? Are they the best delegates our councils have to offer at a national event?

 

Upset, yeah. It takes a lot to offend me, but I find that very offensive. If you don't find it offensive, I wonder what character you are made of. What values you truly uphold.

 

In light of this behavior, it would be appropriate for the BSA to develop a training video and demand every unit view it on the proper respect the BSA should demonstrate to their honorary leader, no matter political bent. Especially at a national event. What I saw in that video was despicable.

 

I think the BSA needs to nip this in the bud. In no uncertain terms. A very clear message that the BSA is not a political arm of the Tea Party, Republican, any political movement. A clear message that disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. Period. Scouts and scouters need to leave their politics at the trailhead. If you can't, perhaps there's another youth movement looking for you.