Re: Where there's smoke, there's ire!

OK, there's been enough on this thread that I just HAVE to put MY
.02-1/2 worth in ... ;~)

The former scoutmaster of our troop was a smoker. He's not here
anymore, but not because he smoked. ONE of our committee members is a
smoker. He's the one that goes with us on almost EVERY camping trip.
I, myself, do not smoke. Since Dave doesn't smoke in his car while
scouts are in it, I don't bug him about it.

As far as I know, NONE of the boys in our troop smoke. (Some of them
MAY have TRIED it, but that's another thread ...) Thus, the
"influence" of these two individuals WRT a "dirty, nasty habit" seems
to be minimal.

I personally subscribe to the idea that our scouts are intelligent
persons who ARE capable of choosing the right course of action when
they have the facts AND THE PERSONAL INNER STRENGTH TO STICK TO THEIR
CONVICTIONS. Although I DO believe it is important for the leaders to
set a GOOD example, the boys are smart enough to realize that no adult
is perfect and thus no one adult should be considered THE example of
how to act. (In the same vein, I WOULD be more uncomfortable if
several of our leaders smoked, but they don't.) It is more important,
IMO, that we as leaders AND PARENTS teach our children how to make
intelligent decisions and stick to them regardless of PEER pressure.
This would cover not only smoking, but also drinking, drugs, foul
language, extramarital sex (have I stepped on any toes yet?) and so
on.

YiS
Chuck Batteau -- SM, Troop 751, Glen Allen VA USA
-------------------------------------------------
CHARLES.R.BATTEAU@BELL-ATL.COM
maybe they meant an hour a DAY! :-)

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