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 Greetings! You are reading an article from The Mudville Gazette. To reach the front page, with all the latest news and views, click the logo above or "main" below. Thanks for stopping by! December 3, 2004 Recognize these medals?By Greyhawk
They’re Boy Scout Religious Emblems. From left to right, Baptist, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Roman Catholic, and Zoroastrian – the Scouts require faith from their members, but not in a specific God. That distinction doesn’t appear in the media coverage of the issue though, does it? The Scout Law declares a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. They don't claim a monopoly on any of those. To the best of my knowledge, other than the reverent part the ACLU has no problem with the Scouts. Odd isn't it? Why isn't the ACLU going to bat for those who refuse to bathe? Why not attack the Scouts for excluding the deceitful, backstabbing, troublesome, mean, rude, unruly, morose, extravagant, cowardly, and dirty Baptists or Hindus that are denied membership too? Further explanation of 'reverent' from the Scouts home page: "A Scout is reverent. He is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion." Yea, I can see where that's offensive. Three cheers for Don Rumsfeld and Congressional Republicans who are working to halt the spread of cancer of the common sense in America: First the Pentagon plans to send away the Boy Scouts. Then Defense Secretary (and Eagle Scout) Donald Rumsfeld promises he won't allow that. Now Congress is making noises about backing up the Scouts with legislative protection. A growing number of legal scholars think the arguments against the Boy Scouts of America no longer stand scrutiny, and we're heartened to hear it. Though alas, a minor jeer to the Washington Times for repeating that erroneously over-simplified 'belief in God' bit. More info on the myriad religious emblems Boy Scouts are authorized to wear on their uniforms here. There is an upside to this - that such things inspire the blogosphere's own powerful poetic genius, Russ Vaughn.
Posted by Greyhawk / December 3, 2004 6:58 PM | Permalink 1 TrackBackThey are from an organization that has been in the sights of the ACLU for at least the last decade for being an "exclusionary and overtly Christian organization". Mollbot, I know you can ace this one, so no telling. You can give hints in the comments ... Read More 16 Comments |
November 26, 2010America@war [Greyhawk]
I think anyone who's ever pondered the "comment" option - once only available on blogs and bulletin boards, now ubiquitous on almost any web site - will appreciate this:
The so-called faculty of writing is not so much a faculty of writing as it is a faculty of thinking. When a man says, "I have an idea but I can't express it"; that man hasn't an idea but merely a vague feeling. If a man has a feeling of that kind, and will sit down for a half an hour and persistently try to put into writing what he feels, the probabilities are at least 90 percent that he will either be able to record it, or else realize that he has no idea at all. In either case, he will do himself a benefit. That's wisdom from the past, captured for posterity at the US Naval Institute, shared via the web on the institute's 137th anniversary. From their about page:
"The Naval Institute has three core activities," among them, History and Preservation: The Naval Institute also has recently introduced Americans at War, a living history of Americans at war in their own words and from their own experiences. These 90-second vignettes convey powerful stories of inspiration, pride, and patriotism. Take a look at the collection, and you'll see it's not limited to accounts from those who served on ships at sea, members of the other branches are well-represented. I'm fortunate to have met USNI's Mary Ripley, she's responsible for the institute's oral history program (and she's the daughter of the late John Ripley, whose story is told here). She also deserves much credit for their blog. ("We're not the Navy nor any government agency. Blog and comment freely.") We met at a milblog conference - Mary knew (and I would come to realize) that milbloggers are the 21st-century version of exactly what the US Naval Institute is all about. Once that light bulb came on in my head, I mentioned a vague idea for a project to her - milblogs as the 21st century oral history that they are. "Put that in writing," she said (of course - see first paragraph above!) - and here's part of the result. Shortly after the first tent was pitched by the American military in Iraq a wire was connected to a computer therein, and the internet was available to a generation of Americans at war - many of whom had grown up online. From that point on, at any given moment, somewhere in Iraq a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine was at a keyboard sharing the events of his or her day with the folks back home. While most would simply fire off an email, others took advantage of the (then) relatively new online blogging platforms to post their thoughts and experiences for the entire world to see. The milblog was born - and from that moment to this stories detailing everything from the most mundane aspects of camp life to intense combat action (often described within hours of the event) have been available on the web... And et cetera - but since you're reading this on a milblog, you probably knew that. And you know that milblogs aren't just blogs written by troops at war, that many friends, family members, and supporters likewise documented their story of America at war online in near-real time, as those stories developed. The diversity in membership of that group is broad, the one thing we all have in common is the impulse to make sense of the seemingly senseless, and communicate the tale - for each of us that impulse was strong enough to overcome whatever barriers prevent the vast majority of people from doing the same. Everyone at some point has some vague idea they believe should be shared - we were the people who, from some combination of internal and external urging, found and spent those many half hours persistently trying to write it down. But where will all that be in another 137 years? Or five or ten, for that matter. That's something I've asked myself since at least 2004 - when I wrote this:
Membership in the ghost battalion has grown in the years since, and an ever growing majority of those abandoned-but-still-standing sites are vanishing. Have you checked out Lt Smash's site lately? How about Sgt Hook's? If you're a long-time milblog reader you know the first widely-read milblog from Operation Iraq Freedom and the first widely-read milblog from Afghanistan are both gone from the web. If you're a relative newcomer to this world you may never even have heard of them - or the dozens upon dozens of others who carried forth the standard they set down. If you have a vague notion that something should be done about that, (a notion I've heard expressed more than once...) then you and I and the good folks at the US Naval Institute are in agreement. Preserving the history documented by the milbloggers is just one of the goals of the milblog project, the once-vague idea that we're now making real. And it's a big idea, if I say so myself - too big to explain in one simple blog post, so stand by for more. Likewise, it's too big a task to be accomplished by just one person. So if you're a milblogger (and exactly what is a milblogger? is a topic for much further discussion on its own) I'm asking for your help. All I'll really need is just a little bit (maybe just one or two of those half hours...) of your time, and your willingness to tell the tale. We've already made history, it's time to save it. (More to follow...) Posted 4:02 PM | Permalink |
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The Mudville Gazette is the on-line voice of an American warrior and his wife who stands by him. They prefer to see peaceful change render force of arms unnecessary. Until that day they stand fast with those who struggle for freedom, strike for reason, and pray for a better tomorrow.
 
 
 Furthermore, I will occasionally use satire or parody herein. The bottom line: it's my house. I like having visitors to my house. I hope you are entertained. I fight for your right to free speech, and am thrilled when you exercise said rights here. Comments and e-mails are welcome, but all such communication is to be assumed to be 1)the original work of any who initiate said communication and 2)the property of the Mudville Gazette, with free use granted thereto for publication in electronic or written form. If you do NOT wish to have your message posted, write "CONFIDENTIAL" in the subject line of your email. Original content copyright © 2003 - 2011 by Greyhawk. Fair, not-for-profit use of said material by others is encouraged, as long as acknowledgement and credit is given, to include the url of the original source post. Other arrangements can be made as needed. Contact: greyhawk at mudvillegazette dot com  Tending Distant Far from hearth and home, watching What tales we'll tell When things grim Some distant sunset, vision fading Saluting fallen friends whose names - Greyhawk, Baghdad, December 2004 |
The link to Russ Vaughn seems to be blank.
I recognized the medals. The Girl Scouts have similar ones as well, although we don't get as much support from the U.S. Military as we used to--the last Girl Scout Round-up (similar to BSA's Jamboree) was in the '60's. Subsequent ones had to be cancelled because the U.S. Military couldn't provide the logistical support it had previously due to the Vietnam war. (At least, that was what I was told.)
I could go on and on about why my husband and I support both the BSA and GSUSA. Suffice it to say that we met while chaperoning our respective Sea Scout and Mariner Ships at a Bridge & Ball. ;)
Denise
...mom to an Eagle/Ordinary, a Silver Award-working-on Gold, a Life-working-on-Eagle, and a working-on-Bronze Award...
I've been a cubscout leader for the Bears, and 2 years of Weblows. I was also the Cubmasters assistant who was none other than Greyhawk himself. And since I have two girls I was also their girl scout leader for several years. I have never had a problem with religion, and many of my kids had different religions.
The Scout Oath does say: " On my honour, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country. To obey the Scout law, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight." As with the Scout Law, no particular God is mentioned. I am thankful that Sec. Rumsfeld is coming to the aid of this fine organization.
A Life Scout (who wishes he had stuck it out to Eagle)
Whats the difference between the boy scouts and the aclu? -- The Boy scouts have adult leadership.
I would venture a guess that I higher percentage of Scouts served thier country in the military than non-scouts. And, a higher percentage as leaders of business and government. Lets just let the ACLU continue to erode that.
As a former rough man (Corps) who was a Scout before he was a Jarhead I am somewhat taken aback that good men died so that the ACLU could destroy America from within. What is wrong with them and more importantly why do they get so much support fro the courts?
Rod Stanton
A 1/5 Nam 1967+1968
I recognize them too as a Girl Scout leader for my granddaughters. My concern is the Islamic award, particularly for girls, appropriate? The more I am learning about the rape, torture, female genitalia modification, polygamy, pedophilia, that is sanctioned and condoned by the mullahs, isn't it about time that one goes the way of the spitoon and baby buggy? A bit off topic. What the ACLU has done to the Boy Scouts is unconscionable. Methinks someone in the ACLU must have had one too many swirlees as a kid by someone he thought was a scout.
The ACLU will defend the right of anyone to take the Lord's name in vain but will attack any organization that honors it. The ACLU would rather support NAMBLA and its man-boy love beliefs than the demonstrate character building organizations like the Boy Scouts. Its time for the government to revoke any tax exempt status the ACLU enjoys and to destroy this subversive organization.
I think the problem is with gays, They have decided to exclude from their ranks a minority segment of the population. Anyone that happens to live in any particular minority should take notice.
Madtom
This blog can't even publish the name of another blog?
Apparently, you all think my tax dollars and the tax dollars of all American Athiest, should be used to promote an organization that would have excluded my participation (if I had been wont to participate). The belief/disbelief in a God or many Gods, is personal and should remain personal. Seperation of Church and State. Seperation. Of. Church. And. State. Is that CLEAR?
Some other poster is already trying to cleave off Islam from the Scouts while poo pooing the ACLU... Wowie....
What the ACUL is trying to do, is help pave the road, a road the Supreme Court has already started building , a road that will lead this country to be a country free FROM religion.
The only religion that doesn't believe in a God are the Atheist. And they'll argue they're not a religion. So why should they be bothered that others are practicing, the very things that founded this country. They are free to ignore or to turn away.
I have been in CDA (Catholic Daughters of America) similar to Girl Scouts and in in Girl Scout. I've been a Cubscout and a Girl Scout leader. I will admit something here, that can be hard to do in person. I am Agonist and what I hate more than anything is to be categorized with Atheist. I have never been offended by the mention of God, it only reminds me of the freedoms of this country. I do see where the mention of Jesus can be offensive in a public prayer, and feel Christians here should also remember, they too are Americans and when in public, be considerate of those who are not of their religious preference. A generic prayer will suffice. I do not practice a religion because I haven't found one that I can whole heartily give myself to without doubts. Call it, not having faith, or whatever, the point I'm trying to make is it is personal, my problem. Not something I would impose on anyone else. If the Atheists have it their way, I will lose access to the various religions out there and my search for the truth will be fruitless. I may not find the answers I'm looking for before I die. God may forgive me and I'll go to heaven or I'll burn in hell for having doubts of him, or nothing will happen at all and I'll rot in the ground. But whatever happens when I die, at least I am happy now with the fact that I am an American thru and thru and I live in the greatest country on earth, where I can practice the religion of my choice or none at all.
As the mother of a Cub Scout, wife of an assistant Den leader, mother of a Silver-Awardee Girl Scout and a GS Troop Leader whose troop has worked on religious awards throughout their 6 year history, what is the big deal? Does this harm the children? Does it turn them into scum sucking neo-nazi trash? Does it harm our country?
NO!
The only harm I see happening is that two wonderful organizations that have for years helped give our children marvelous opportunities and teach them to be find upstanding citizens are being targeted by scumsucking intelli-twits who feed off the Federal Government tax dollars to make their living based on some twisted logic that doesn't exist in the Constitution labeled "Seperation of Church and state". Somebody seriously flunked their US History.
SO what if the atheists and Agnostics complain about their tax dollars supporting scouting. When do I get to complain about all the wasted money spent on repeat offenders, 'political pork', the ACLU and outrageous retirement benefit packages voted on by our lovely politicians who refuses to fix Social Security?
Considering all the fund raising I do for the community and the troops...I'd say there isn't much tax dollars being sifted down to the kids.
Note to Atheists and Agnostics and ACLU:
Get over it.
You want to complain? Find, complain about this:
YOU paid the ACLU money to bring this lawsuits against the scouts. Yep, that's right. Your federal tax dollars are funding the ACLU's lawsuits that attack the organizations that helped make America strong leaders. The ACLU collects from the federal government ever time they bring a case. So if you want to complain, direct it to the correct entity. It is all right there in the laws about the ACLU. (Time to change the tax and rape code I'm thinking)
Don't bother to complain to me. I'm not interested in your sorry excuses for messing with my kids.
American Mom,
there you go, grouping Agnostics with the Atheists. You must not bother to read other comments. It's the Atheist that are doing the complaining but where is it shown that Agnostics are? Care to give some back up to your statement.
It was an Atheist that was quite incensed over the preparation for Easter and Passover holidays and decided to contact the local ACLU about the discrimination inflicted on atheists by the constant celebrations afforded to Christians and Jews with all their holidays while the atheists had no holidays for them to celebrate.
The ACLU jumped on the opportunity to once again pick up the cause of the downtrodden and assigned their sharpest attorney to the case.
Agnostics had nothing to do with it.
And let's not forget it was the Boy Scouts that barred Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics from joining their organization. How American is that?http://www.positiveatheism.org/writ/scoutaclu.htm
Allow me to offer my apologies about "Scott in Oregon". As an Oregonian, I can assure you that there is great respect for both the Boy Scouts and religion in Oregon. Unfortunately we also have mean-spirited, self-hating individuals such as Scott who spend their time denigrating the beliefs of others in the mistaken assumption that it will make them look better. Actually it just shows that they are people of no substance and should be paid no mind.
"Scott in Oregon" wrote (and misspelled)thusly, "Seperation of Church and State. Seperation. Of. Church. And. State. Is that CLEAR?"
There is no legal requirement or LAW of "Separation of Church and State" in this United States of America!
It only exists in the minds of ACLU types.
What country are you referring to? The only place ever where THAT was a law was in Communist Russia. We KNOW what the Commies then did to the Churches, Pastors and the Parishioners.
Dose the words Gulag or Siberia ring a bell with you?
OK how about "shot at sunrise?"
- pineapplefish56 -