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The Coffee Klatch Capers...
Branden Morris (morris@NET1PLUS.COM)
Mon, 2 Nov 1998 13:27:54 -0400
I've been reading, with great mirth, the various posts on coffee and who
can drink it. Some of the responses, snipped below for brevity, got me
laughing:
* I'm a big coffee drinker and I do not believe in giving coffee to
kids.
* Aduts followed the same rules as the boys (except for our coffee
injection each morning!)
* In my troop scouts aren't allowed to drink coffee. We don't allow them to
bring their own. However I am the only scout who can drink coffee, right now
I am 17, they let me start drinking at 16 though.
* And other similar comments ad inifitum.
Anyone who thinks this way, get your butt back to Scoutmastership
Fundamentals or Wood Badge! Immediately. Do not pass Go, do not stop for a
refill at Starbucks. Does "Setting the Example" ring a bell? Since when
does "Do as I say, not as I do" work in Scouting?
The most disturbing one was the last one, which was from a youth! Is that
the kind of leadership style we want our youth to learn and practice? Do as
I say, not as I do?
Being one of those crazy Mormon folks, I don't drink coffee. Many of you
will wonder how I get by without it. I'm sure that there are benefits to
the withdrawl headaches and bad post-java breath, but I've managed to
restrain myself (granted, ground coffee or percolating coffee can smell
good -- but the taste? Ugh :)). Personally, I don't see it as that much of
an evil, awful drug. It's not as obnoxious as smoking. Drink all you want,
I don't care. It's obviously addicting, and does affect your moods. That's
fine. Whatever. Every man can chose their own poison. Know that it is a
drug, though. Or, at the very least, many of us treat it as such.
What does bug me is the attitude that it's OK for the adults to do
something and tell the kids that they can't. That flies in the face of any
kind of leadership, counseling, or coaching skill I've ever been taught.
I'd also encourage people to look at the menus that they bring camping or
backpacking. Are things like coffee nutritionally sound? Will it give you
what you need to function well (besides the addictive properties)? Is it a
good thing for youth or adults to include in a camp menu? Or, are there
better choices?
One last coffee thought from a non-coffee drinker. This one came from
another post:
* I often get ticked internally on campouts if adults openly joke about
their coffee being their drug of choice, etc.
Me too!
First, I'm not sure we should even joke about drug use. It is one of the
acceptables that the BSA is against. Just as we watch out for "gray areas"
in our skits and songs, this could very well be one of them.
Secondly, as much as it might be a fixture in your diet, it's not in
everyone's. Many people (not just we silly LDS) don't enjoy coffee. Please,
please, please have alternate beverages available for folks. Juice, cocoa,
even water at the bare minimum. Also, don't make everything revolve around
the beverage, either. It's just something to drink. Or, at least it should
be. If people were after alcohol as much as some Scouters go after coffee,
we'd check them into rehab.
Somewhat serious, somewhat lighthearted, hoping the point will be made in
the Scouting spirit, I remain,
Branden Morris
--
Branden Morris morris@net1plus.com
http://www.net1plus.com/users/morris/
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