Vitriol sullies Boy Scouts' 'patriotic rally' [Patronizing Lib Alert]

Even today, many years later, those words from the Boy Scout pledge bring to mind camping trips and corny singalongs, troop meetings in dank church basements, summer camps and late-night whispering sessions in which we swapped dirty jokes that we didn't fully understand.

Unfortunately, something's gone awry in the Boy Scout movement I knew and loved. Last weekend, I went to a Scout fund-raiser in Lilburn billed as a patriotic "rally for America." It certainly had all the trappings of such an event, from a row of American flags across the stage to prerecorded patriotic music and polite, fresh-faced Boy Scouts, draped in merit badges.

In reality, though, this was a strident political rally, run by and for the Boy Scouts, in which the beliefs, patriotism and moral decency of roughly half the American people were considered fair game. That wasn't a surprise, though -- not when the evening's star attractions were syndicated columnist Ann Coulter and Fox News star Oliver North.

"The cowards and quislings of the Democratic Party have been exposed as the Neville Chamberlain of their day," Coulter said, setting the tone with her discussion of Iraq. "That will be the historic legacy of the Democratic Party. Apparently they think that's worth a warm handshake by Susan Sarandon."

Such rhetoric is hardly noteworthy in today's culture, but what made it sting was the fact that it came at an official Boy Scout event, with the Boy Scout emblem displayed prominently behind Coulter. Sitting in the audience, surrounded by cheering adults, I couldn't help wonder how the sons of "cowards and quislings" could possibly feel welcomed in the Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

This wasn't Scouting as I knew it, and part of the change can no doubt be attributed to the gay-rights issue. The Boy Scouts today bans gays from membership or leadership, even to the point of kicking out gay Eagle Scouts with long records of service. That has made the organization a target of gay-rights groups, and the darling of conservatives.

Personally, I disagree strongly with that ban, but I also understand why it persists. Attitudes toward gays may have changed dramatically, but some institutions simply cannot adapt as quickly as others. Scouting, with its core in small-town America, was always going to be one of the last to make that change.

At the fund-raiser, Coulter addressed the issue with her usual tact, talking of gays as perverts wanting to lure little boys into the woods. North also noted that he found gay Americans "personally offensive." But North and Coulter had something else in common: They were curious choices for an organization that stresses the importance of truth-telling.

North, after all, gained celebrity status back in the '80s when, as a key player in the Iran-Contra conspiracy, he was found guilty of destruction and falsification of evidence, aiding and abetting the obstruction of Congress and accepting an illegal gratuity. Those felony convictions were later overturned only on the sort of legal technicality that conservatives claim to abhor.

To his credit, though, North kept political attacks to a minimum in his remarks. He talked movingly about his experiences covering the war in Iraq, and about the bravery, skill and commitment of U.S. troops in that struggle. He also retold the story of Todd Beamer, one of four passengers who led the attempt to retake Flight 93 from hijackers on Sept. 11.

The story of Flight 93 is indeed a tale of bravery and self-sacrifice, and it ought to be recounted around Scout campfires for generations. But someday, I hope it can be told honestly.

In his version, North did not mention the role played by Mark Bingham, a big, strapping rugby player from California who joined in the assault on the hijackers. Because Bingham, you see, was gay.

He was no less brave for that fact, no less patriotic and no less worthy of being honored and remembered. Someday, I hope, the Scouts will acknowledge that.

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Jay Bookman is the deputy editorial page editor. His column appears Thursdays and Mondays.

I would like to know more about this event. However, from what I read I'd have to condemn it. The BSA is supposed to be apolitical, and should not get involved in sponsoring anything like this. The BSA is not a "conservative" organization. It is not a "liberal" organization. It is not a "centrist" organization. It should not be involved in politics at all. It has it's own message, and it's own way of promoting it.

Ann Coulter should not be speaking with a BSA symbol at her back, nor should any other politician or political commentator. The only people who should be doing that are BSA personnel talking about the BSA.

This does not mean that it cannot appear at political functions to perform civic duties such as a flag ceremony, etc., but when that's over they leave the stage and don't have anything to do with sponsoring the message being given there.

The Constitution guarantees the right of associating with people you choose to be with. If this idiot didn't want to be with people who choose not to associate with gays, he should have stayed away.

My personal opinion is that he went to this place with the expectation of being offended so he could write about it.

A Recall AND a Fundraiser? I'm toast.

Let's get this over with FAST. Please contribute!

From here, on National Council's own web site:

Scouting aims to immerse America's youth in character-building experiences without subjecting them to the politics of the day. No youth organization or club should ever be used as a vehicle for promoting a political or social agenda. Childhood is too important.

"The BSA is supposed to be apolitical"

Oh right. But it's OK for the BSA be thrown out of schools and maligned by liberals due to the Political Nature of the GAY LOBBY and the pervert loving ACLU.

Liberal socialists and haters of morality drew the BSA in to politics. Too bad they dont like it when morality fights back!

God Bless the Boy SCouts for standing up for what 85% of the American people believe in: GOD, TRUTH, JUSTICE, MORALITY!

Scouting, with its core in small-town America, was always going to be one of the last to make that change.

This guy should get his head screwed on straight. Rural America isn't the same as urban America. Those people living in the heartland aren't as easily swayed to perversion as are those living in crowded cities.

Such rhetoric is hardly noteworthy in today's culture, but what made it sting was the fact that it came at an official Boy Scout event

That kind of rhetoric wouldn't have been necessary a generation ago. Gays have brought the Boy Scouts into the political arena because they've been denied access to a body of boys that they see as prey.

What the writer fails to mention is the magic of boyhood for homosexuals has more to do with sodomy than with merit badges. Rural people understand this and will not let their sons become prey to perverts as easily as urban parents will.

It should not be involved in politics at all. It has it's own message, and it's own way of promoting it.

I agree.

I do too! This was their message and this was their way of getting it out.

Now you see why we call it the Atlanta Urinal and Constipation around here.

The scouts were honored by every speaker there. Martha Zoller, mother of four, at least one an Eagle Scout, invited these speakers.

I was there and enjoyed every bit of it.

My personal opinion is that he went to this place with the expectation of being offended so he could write about it.

Bingo!

This is the guy that actually wrote me and told me that Iraq had no connection to terrorists.

I do too! This was their message and this was their way of getting it out.

No, it was not the BSA's message. Ann Coulter is not the BSA's message. Neither is Oliver North. Neither are Jesse Jackson or Bill Clinton. Politicians and political commentators do not have the right to speak with the impiratur of the BSA, and that's National Council policy. If these people want others to respect the BSA's policies, they should do so themselves.

Just to give you all an understanding on this, I tried to arrange to have a flag donated from our Congressman when we started our BSA Troop. Our local Council told me that this was fine, but that by no means was this to be used as a photo op so that the Congressman involved could use it in his constituent newsletter or campaign materials, nor was he to speak on a political issue at the meeting. And this had nothing to do with the particular Congressman or his politics.

The whole thing went by the boards when a local family donated the flag that had covered their father's coffin when he was buried.

BSA units and Councils are expressly forbidden from endorsing, either expressly or implicitly, a politician or politicial viewpoint. Individuals registered in the BSA are forbidden from doing so while wearing the uniform or while at a BSA function. That's National policy and it was quite obviously violated here.

"On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country ...." Even today, many years later, those words from the Boy Scout pledge bring to mind camping trips and corny singalongs, troop meetings in dank church basements, summer camps and late-night whispering sessions in which we swapped dirty jokes that we didn't fully understand.

No actually "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country" means "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country".

"On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country ...." Even today, many years later, those words from the Boy Scout pledge bring to mind camping trips and corny singalongs, troop meetings in dank church basements, summer camps and late-night whispering sessions in which we swapped dirty jokes that we didn't fully understand.

No actually "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country" means "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country".

I read the following:

this was ... run by and for the Boy Scouts,

it came at an official Boy Scout event, with the Boy Scout emblem displayed prominently behind Coulter.Sitting in the audience, surrounded by cheering adults, I couldn't help wonder how the sons of "cowards and quislings" could possibly feel welcomed in the Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Now, discounting the viewpoints of the author, and the ignorance that most media people have of how the BSA works, I still get the idea that this was a fundraiser run by and for the Northeast Georgia Council. That's a BSA function. And in any case, if a political speaker is on the dias, they shouldn't be talking about politics and political parties with a BSA emblem prominently displayed in the background. That makes it appear as if she's talking with the backing of the BSA, which in and of itself is a big no-no.

In reality, though, this was ... run by and for the Boy Scouts

"That will be the historic legacy of the Democratic Party. Apparently they think that's worth a warm handshake by Susan Sarandon."

... it came at an official Boy Scout event, with the Boy Scout emblem displayed prominently behind Coulter.

... I couldn't help wonder how the sons of "cowards and quislings" could possibly feel welcomed in the Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

The above was in the article. Now, discounting the viewpoint of the author and the usual ignorance of media people about how the BSA works, this still looks like a fund-raiser run by and for the Northeast Georgia Council. That's a BSA function. And whoever ran this should never have allowed Oliver North or Ann Coulter (and I add, any liberal politicanians or apologists, either) to speak with a BSA emblem hanging above them. Even the appearance of official sanction of a particular political viewpoint is forbidden by National policy.

"On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country ...." Even today, many years later, those words from the Boy Scout pledge bring to mind camping trips and corny singalongs, troop meetings in dank church basements, summer camps and late-night whispering sessions in which we swapped dirty jokes that we didn't fully understand.

No actually "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country" means "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country".

"On my honor, I will do my best to do my Duty to God and my Country" does mean exactly what it says. But, if upon hearing it doesn't evoke within you the things he's talking about, either you were never in Scouts or you were in an inactive Troop.

Boy scouts just last week had to kick out a sick pervert who fondled 4 boys he was supposed to be teaching scuba diving to! Don't give me this hogwash that Homosexuality is morally equivalent to heterosexuality.

I don't care what gays do in their bedrooms or their homes, but they are never ever going to be trusted en masse around teenagers and young adults... and frankly NOR SHOULD THEY.

Get over yourself, let your 12 year old hang out in the Castro district for a while and see how exactly "equivalent" it is... hell, just go walk down that street and tell me you would find the overt sexuality and nudity pushed into the public there anywhere else in america.

Sorry, Gays have no business en masse around teen boys in potentially compromising situations, no more than Heterosexual young men have any business en masse around teenage girls in potentially compromising situations.

I won't send my 15 year old daughter out in the woods with a 22 year old man alone, why would you think I'd send my 15 year old son out into the woods alone with a 22 year old gay man alone?

I'd be derelict as a parent if I allowed either. Gay men must be treated just a much of a potential predatory animal around teenage boys as straight men must be around teenage girls... Pure and simple.

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