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Ralph, I appreciate your efforts to set the record straight in a way that reflects the Scouting values to which we both clearly ascribe. You have been extraordinarily patient and measured in your responses. My family has always felt welcome in Scouting. Our troop is great, and we have a lot of fun together! Never has politics become a divisive issue in any of the units to which we've belonged. It saddens me to read comments from people who purport to have been involved in Scouting who seem ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Thanks for demonstrating tremendous Scout spirit in your on-line commentary. You set a great example. YIS...Randomparent
And many people will focus on that and I hope they do.
But others are horrified by the direction Trump is taking our nation. No need to go into it here, plenty of threads on that.
So when the BSA leadership doesn't immediately recognize that this call-and-response, partisan political event was beyond the pale, then only reluctantly apologizes in response to criticism, one can't help but wonder if the BSA leadership supports Trump's agenda.
Then you start wondering why you would want your son to be involved in an organization that supports "fake media" attacks on our free press, where the organizations leaders don't have the courage that the pastor had in Flint, MI to step up and insist that Trump lay off bad mouthing Clinton and Obama and say something inspirational.
You wonder what BS leaders are talking with the kids about at the pack meetings and around those campfires.
When you buy BS popcorn, snacks, wreaths, tickets to the spaghetti dinner, fall leaf-blowing, spring mulch spreading, bulbs, barbecues, pancake breakfasts ... how much of that goes to support an alt-right political agenda?
I suspect that Trump-supporting families will wave this off and go on.
But many will file Boy Scouts of America under nothing we want anything to do with.
And that's a heartbreaker.
you are just getting ridiculous with this. this is not the BSA's fault. the 71 year old president of the united states should have known better. he even says who wants to talk about politics before he goes on his silly rant. he has absolutely no impulse control. it wouldn't have mattered if someone went over his speech beforehand and ok'd it without any politics mentioned. he would have gone off like he did anyway. he can't stop himself and has no filter. to try to keep putting this on the boy scouts organization is just ridiculous.
you are just getting ridiculous with this. this is not the BSA's fault. the 71 year old president of the united states should have known better. he even says who wants to talk about politics before he goes on his silly rant. he has absolutely no impulse control. it wouldn't have mattered if someone went over his speech beforehand and ok'd it without any politics mentioned. he would have gone off like he did anyway. he can't stop himself and has no filter. to try to keep putting this on the boy scouts organization is just ridiculous.
That's exactly the point.
Trump can't help himself. He'll yammer about "fake news" to the NYTs. Tell law enforcement officers that the murder rate is up (it's not) and encourage them to rough up cooperative suspects. The old favorites -- bashing Obama, bad mouthing Clinton, claiming millions of illegal immigrants vote, ... I doubt even he knows what's coming out of his mouth next.
The BSA leaders knew this when they gave him a stage to hold his political rally.
They also knew that BSA has a long history of being non-partisan.
But they went ahead anyway and here we are.
You can call me ridiculous if you want.
You can call the thousands of Scouts and Scouting families who are appalled ridiculous if you want.
But the fact remains that the BSA leadership let Trump turn their Jamboree into a political campaign rally complete with boys and leaders cheering him on and booing Obama.
Scouts and families that are fine with this will likely continue on as before, oblivious to what others are upset about.
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