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Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Mr. Bush, You Are No Boy Scout
I was a Boy Scout.
Before the molestation jokes start, let me just say that no, nothing like that ever happened to me. One year at summer camp, there was one leader from another troop who was doing some very suspicious stuff that, in retrospect, seems like it was what pedophiles call 'grooming'. Nothing bad happened (at least to anyone in our troop) -- but our scoutmaster sent him packing pretty quickly when he found out that the guy had been hanging around. Turns out El Creepo was also trying to become a Catholic priest. Go figure.
Anyway, like I said, I was a Boy Scout. This was during the mid-80s, the second boom of Scouting. I learned a lot of incredibly useful stuff, hiked about a bazillion miles, camped every month of the year -- including the ones ending in 'ember' and 'ary', and generally got my nose out of the ever-present book once in a while.
But more importantly, there was an element of character building to it and an emphasis on religious tolerance and racial diversity. This was before things started to get weird -- before the BSA's sex scandals, before the country started to re-polarize and before the Scouting movement apparently abandoned tolerance and lined up with the far Right. Sadly, I always thought it'd be really cool to get my kids involved in Scouting. Right now, I wouldn't even consider it.
Even if you're not familiar with the Boy Scouts, you probably know the Scout Motto. The Scout Law isn't exactly a household phrase, but anyone involved with Scouting for any length of time knows it by heart.
It occurred to me the other day that the current administration could learn a lot from the Boy Scouts of America, at least the version I grew up with.
The Scout Law: A Scout is...
Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent
And the Scout Motto, of course, is: Be Prepared.
I've known some Scouts, Mr. George W. Bush, and you are no Boy Scout.
George W Bush, Boy Scouts of America, Yellowcake Forgery, Darfur, Veterans Benefits, environmental policy, Bush temper tantrums, Bush AWOL, Bush Foreign Policy, Wiretaps, Bush clemency, Bush deficit.
Posted by joesnitty at 07:00 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink
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Comments
Took this from one of your cites:
Bush Administration cuts $1.5 billion from military family housing. The Bush Administration cut $1.5 billion for military family housing, despite Department of Defense statistics showing that in 83,000 barracks and 128,860 family housing units across the country are below standard. ("Nothing But Lip Service," Army Times, June 30, 2003; "House Appropriations Committee Approves $59.2 Million for Ft. Hood," U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards Press Release, June 17, 2003)
Another link discusses how Clinton was the only president to give more money for Veteran's Benefits.
Why do people think that Bush is great for the military? He got us into a war; is that got for the military? He won't leave which would be very good for all troops in the military.
And I can't help but feel for the National Guard who thought that they were signing up for X amount of years and had many years tacked on.
Kind of disgraceful, I think
Posted by: pia | Dec 28, 2005 9:56:56 AM
I served with guys that collected food stamps to support their families! Almost married a girl that had a baby that fed him with stamps from WICA.
And the saying goes that "If the military wanted you to have a family they would have issued you one!"
This fucktard of a president and his father (who I served under) could give a rats fucking ass about our men or women fighting his war. Whats that say about how he cares about the American public? Abso-fuckin-lutely nothing! It's an ownership society right? Be all you can be but do it on your own fucking dime!
ASSHOLE!!!!! (I mean Bush)
Posted by: The Bastard | Dec 28, 2005 10:37:00 AM
Or how about "Army of One" and we fucking mean it! Now go get a second job if our death and destruction can't support your family!
Hey Cheney, enjoying your 3% raise, asshole!
Swartz-a-kill-a-naeger and Corzine both declined their salaries but not you, what's the problem? Need to pay for a pacemaker for a heart you never had?
Sharon is having surgery on a whole in his heart called "Palestine" maybe you sould hook up and have some surgery on your heart for a hole called "the American soldier".
Again, assholes!! All of them!
Posted by: The Bastard | Dec 28, 2005 10:43:36 AM
I think the problem we have running against these anti-poster boys is that they keep putting jokers who ALSO are not "boyscouts" to run against them. I think by 2008 we'll have a lot more former service people in the body politic on both sides of the aisle. Something tells me that the ones that are on the GOP side will be the frat rats that never actually were in harms way.
Posted by: Eric | Dec 28, 2005 11:54:25 AM
You think? Maybe we can get a few that said "I would have voluntered but my Republican recruiter told me I could serve my government better by milking the government!"
Go ahead, any one of you fuckers that want to respond from the Repub side, why are you not there? Why didn't you enlist and back the war? Why are you not putting your money where your mouth is?
Pat Tillman did and he's dead!!!!!
C'mon any one of you mother fuckers that support this war, sign up, go over.......
What excuses do you have?
The first Gulf War, I believed in it and I signed up and I'm a deafeatist liberal so don't give me this shit that you support the war, sign up, go ahead sign up!!!!!!
And when you don't, lets here the Cheney battle cry,
"I had better things to do!!!!"
Fuck you, you mother fuckers, go read the letter below this post! And then sign up! I urge you to sign up. Don't have the guts, c'mon sign up if you support this war.
You say that to me about the homeless and the poor when I cry that this government is not doing anything. Why don't you do something?
You tell me to go do something about what I believe in. Well, I say it's your turn now, sign up!!!! Follow your convictions, Pat, James anyone, listening? You fucktards! O'Reilly, Scarborough, anybody? You gonna go?
Jenna? Heard your enlistment would boost morale.
Any Republican in a well to do place ready to protect the homeland? Thought not, so shut the fuck up!!!!!
Posted by: The Bastard | Dec 28, 2005 12:13:00 PM
Joe forgot to say, well I think TB's said it for all of us
Our country needs saving; we need to help the people who live here; not the Iraquis--most of whom don't want us!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: pia | Dec 28, 2005 12:32:11 PM
There is absilutely nothing boyscout about this President.
As a boyscout I learned to help those who need my help, not tell them to go help (ie fuck) themselves.
I learned that it takes discipline and hard work to get ahead and advance, not just ride off of my family name.
I learned that community service was vital to this nation success, not to ignore the problems of the community just because it might save a friend of mine some money
And maybe, most importantly, I learned that when I start a fire, I need to be able to control it, unlike our President and Iraq.
Posted by: The Cranky Liberal | Dec 28, 2005 1:36:09 PM
No, he was no Boy Scout, but, he was fond of a particular "Brownie."
Posted by: marinadedave | Dec 28, 2005 2:44:53 PM
Bastard wrote: "I served with guys that collected food stamps to support their families! Almost married a girl that had a baby that fed him with stamps from WICA."
First, I'm not going to sit and say there isn't anyone in the military not on food stamps or that our military isn't slightly under paid. But I will say is this Bastard.
From what I've figured out you and I served about the same time because you've stated you were in the first Gulf War. I served 4 YEARS 1987-1991 and by chance worked for Chaplain's. From the people I knew when I was in the Navy I didn't know a single family on food stamps and most of my friends were families with one or two kids. None of them were on food stamps.
Since I worked for the Chaplain I dealt with everything to Red Cross messages, marriages, baptisims, social events, orphanages etc... I never knew a family that was on food stamps! And yes, I worked with all the correspondence that the Chaplain generated.
_________________________________________________
Here is the link for the 2006 Military Basic Monthly Pay:
http://www.dod.mil/dfas/money/milpay/pay/FY2006_basicpay_Tables.pdf
_________________________________________________
Let's assume a Woman and Man both E-4's with three years service and one child. That's $1,748 x 12 = $20,976 x 2 = $41,952 combined income. That doesn't take into consideration any BEQ or BAQ (whatever they call it, I forget), any hazard or any other type of extra pay. If they live on base housing is taken care of. They don't have health or dental costs. Mind you I'm NOT making them E-5 or higher with 6-20 years of service which means they would be making quite a bit more. There is no reason for someone making this kind of money and knowing there income is some what capped when they joined to be on food stamps unless they are living above there means or running up credit card debt.
So, Bastard stop giving us this crying heart liberal shit.
Oh Bastard, that girl in the military that was on food stamps you almost married? She knew what she was getting into when she spread her legs. That's not mine or societies problem. She had a choice. Keep her legs shut, use birth control, abort the baby, or know the significant other that knocked her up would be around for 18 years to take care of the "problem". IT'S NOT MY PROBLEM!
Posted by: Treason | Dec 28, 2005 3:08:16 PM
BSA was started as a Christian organization, and has retained nearly all of the principles with which it was founded. At that time, you couldn't find a Christian denomination that accepted homosexuality -- or atheism, if it comes to that.
Freedom of association guarantees the Scouts its right to uphold the values it prefers. Your freedom of association guarantees your right not to be forced into such an organization if you choose not to join it. Sounds to me like you have nothing to complain about -- unless you'd like to start your own BSA, and are unhappy about the competition's head start.
Posted by: Francis W. Porretto | Dec 28, 2005 3:42:26 PM
Well thats a great analysis, to bad it isn't necessarily true.
And thats the fun thing about you Treason, nothing is ever your problem, and nothing is ever yours to solve. Guess the world is just perfect aint it.
Posted by: The Cranky Liberal | Dec 28, 2005 3:43:23 PM
Cranky,
I'd expect a better answer from you! But instead just empty lip service when you do get the facts. Just answer the question!
WHY WOULD THE COUPLE NEED TO BE ON FOOD STAMPS! Answer the question. You can't!
As for me, don't worry about what, where, when, why, how anything is not my problem. You don't know a god damn thig about me Cranky and what I do DO for my community along with all the taxes I pay to support the programs for the POOR do recieve!
Hell I'm currently sponsoring a drive for the four football players involved in the "Love Boat" sex scandal with my beloved Minnesota Vikings. It's called "Toy's for Twats". If you'd like to donate any "toys" I'll be glad to let you know how to contribute Cranky.
So, Cranky why would the two service people I cited as examples need to be getting food stamps?
Posted by: Treason | Dec 28, 2005 3:53:40 PM
Bastard wrote: "Any Republican in a well to do place ready to protect the homeland? Thought not, so shut the fuck up!!!!!"
Bastard you really need an anger management class.
Your little "rant" above is awefully pathetic. But then again look whom it's coming from....YOU! Can see you have great command of the word "fuck". Now, with that said, why don't you go get "fucked" and relieve some stress!
Posted by: Treason | Dec 28, 2005 7:07:28 PM
"Bastard wrote: "Any Republican in a well to do place ready to protect the homeland? Thought not, so shut the fuck up!!!!!"
It's comments like this that make the Democratic Party look weak. Kind of pitiful actually! Hey, how many well paid Hollywood actors are running to join the military to protect their... ahem, homeland? Wait! Aren't they on your side Bastard?
Posted by: steve | Dec 28, 2005 7:12:38 PM
Treason,
That was completely uncalled for and out of line. I guess we can all see where your mind is...the gutter.
And regarding food stamps, if you ever understood one iota of what families went through - the program was called WIC. It assisted women, infant and children. It provided them with food stamps or checks to purchase supplemental food for their children.
Jeesh!
Posted by: Night Bird | Dec 28, 2005 8:21:28 PM
Neither is he a Girl Scout.
Posted by: Lindsey Mitchell | Dec 28, 2005 8:23:00 PM
NightBird,
This is an adult site! If offended and can't take a joke please go back to the Disney site.
NightBird,
Which is it? What Bastard wrote WICA or what you wrote WIC? No what? It doesn't fucking matter. Answer the question I put forth.
NightBird,
If my little joke about the "Toy's for Twat" was uncalled for what would you call Bastard's "little tantrum" he wrote? That's right you'd call it "food and good teaching for children".
NightBird,
Do you have any "toys" to donate for the Toy's for Twat drive? They would be greatly appreciated. (If the toy's have been previously used it is o.k. just make sure they are sterilized before sending)
:)
;)
JEESHHHHHHHH!!!
Posted by: treason | Dec 28, 2005 9:06:32 PM
Lindsey wrote: "Neither is he a Girl Scout."
Well to answer your question Lindsey...yes and no. You see when I was a Cub Scout in order to become a Boy Scout you had to eat out a Brownie. So, technically yes I have ties because Brownies usually become Girl Scouts. Long story with many details but I'll leave it at that.
Posted by: treason | Dec 28, 2005 9:25:42 PM
Francis W. Porretto said:
BSA was started as a Christian organization, and has retained nearly all of the principles with which it was founded. At that time, you couldn't find a Christian denomination that accepted homosexuality -- or atheism, if it comes to that.
That's an interesting point, but I'm not sure it proves what you seem to think it does.
At about the time the BSA was founded, 1910, America had also sunk to an all-time low in race relations. Institutionalized racial bigotry was an accepted part of the social fabric, and had also been integrated (if you'll pardon the pun) into most Christian denominations in the US.
Does it follow logically, then, that the BSA of 2005 must mimic the racial norms as they existed in 1910 because the group has Christian roots?
Those racial attitudes have evolved and improved, with fits and starts, to what they are today. Not perfect, or even acceptable in many cases, but easily better than they were in 1910.
By your own words, you acknowledge that some Christian denominations no longer treat homosexuality the way they did in 1910. Perhaps they're the more enlightened ones.
As to the rest of your comment, you seem to be arguing with something other than what I posted. (You may want to see about having your meds adjusted.) At no point did I suggest that the Boy Scouts should not have the right to freedom of association.
I'm simply expressing my deep and lasting disappointment that they've chosen to abandon the ideals of tolerance and diversity and associate instead with the sort of slack-jawed bigots who ignore the difference between pedophilia and homosexuality and enable the former by demonizing the latter.
Posted by: Joe Snitty | Dec 28, 2005 11:02:23 PM
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