Re: Tommie Tenderfoot as the Marlborough Man
Jim Peterson (jpeterson@TZNET.COM)
Sat, 27 Dec 1997 11:34:35 -0600
At 11:25 PM 12/26/97 -0600, you wrote:
>I have a scout in my troop who's parents do not have a lot of money. They
>manage a small rural convenience store and one of the ways they get by is
>to save all of the Marlborough Proof of Purchase labels. Without it I
>doubt they would be able to provide their son with all of the gear he needs.
>
<snip>
>
>Should I put Tommie Tenderfoot on Joe Camel heading off in the sunset until
>he stops off at Wal-Mart or BSA Supply Division and risk alienating both he
>and his parents, should I ignore it, or should I try and get him to
>camouflage the equipment by covering over whatever logos are not consistent
>with our policy as a troop?
>
Ed,
Having spent 11 years in the convenience store business, I can attest
that the tobacco companies have a lot of good quality equipment available to
their customers. However, the proof-of-purchase seals are on the individual
packs. Therefore, either the Scouts' parents are having customers save their
empty packs for them or the parents are smokong the cigarettes. Either way,
it is unlikely that you will get the parents' support for covering, altering
or removing the logos. Whether they smoke or not, these people depend on the
sale of cigarettes for a portion of their livelyhood.
Does your Troop actually have a policy that says "Equipment and/or
apparrel bearing tobacco company logos are not permited on Troop functions"?
If not, then I don't think you have a leg to stand on. If so, then I think
you have too many policies. I have seen Scouts at summer camp, camporees,
etc. wearing T-shirts with Cigarette company logos and even beer company
logos. While I find them unsuitable, and express my distaste for their use
at a Scout function to my Scouts, apparently their parents and their Troop
leadership do not see a problem with it.
I have a large wardrobe of shirts, jackets and hats bearing Soda Company
logos (Pepsi, Coke, etc.). We all know that excessive caffeine is not good
for us, but would you ban my Mountain Dew Gear from your Troop outings? What
about the Scout whose father or mother is a pharmacist and gets lots of
promotional items from the Pharmaceutical Company representatives. Would
your policy forbid their logos, since their products could be mis-used?
Our Troop has a family, similar to the one you describe, with not a lot
of financial resources. Dad smokes and he and his two boys do have some
Marlboro Gear that they bring on Troop Outings (Dad is an Assistant
Scoutmaster). I'd suggest you do as we do ... smile and say "Hey, nice
backpack ... too bad it's got that ugly Marlboro logo on it." and then leave
it alone. If they choose to cover, remove or modify it, that's up to them
(our guys do remove some of the patches from their gear, but not anything
printed on).
Just my opinion, for what it's worth.
YiS,
_____________________________________________________________________
Jim Peterson
Advancement Chair, Boy Scout Troop 379, Blenker, Wisconsin
Cubmaster, Pack 379, Auburndale, Wisconsin
jpeterson@tznet.com http://www.tznet.com/jpeterson
I used to be a "Singing" Eagle ... working my ticket C-8L-97
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