Re: Gopher Song
Wendy Meador (nhmeadors@TOP.MONAD.NET)
Wed, 31 Jul 1996 17:28:38 -0500
Leslie,
I wholeheartedly agree with your thoughts about keeping "gross", disgusting
songs
out of the Cub scout program. When I first joined this list my first post
was about
the "mutilated monkey meat" song that I had found on the MacScouter page.
Most comments basically were "If you don't like them, don't use them."
which is what I
do anyway considering there are tons of positive, uplifting, silly, fun
songs out there. Yes, what is disgusting to one may not be to another, who
is to decide? Well, *I* will decide what songs and skits and jokes "my"
boys will perform. And *I* will make a positve choice because *I * am
setting the examples. (Not to brag , but I also have the most popular and
active den and other den leaders come to me asking for suggestions so I
must be doing something right?!)
Don't you as parents try to hold your tongue when driving, if someone cuts
you off and your children are in the car? Don't you try to monitor what
they watch on TV and at the movies? Don't you try not to make racist
comments and avoid ethnic jokes? It's our responsibility as parents *and*
as especially as Scout leaders when volunteering to work with other
people's children to set the example and *teach* or at least *encourage*
positive, healthy, moral growth. At least thats what I would hope scouting
would be for my children.
It is a challenge, Leslie but we owe it to our kids and to the future of
America. We can't accept the vulgarity, and crudity even in this one,
unimportant, ridiculous, scout song. It all has a cumulative effect.
Everyone should reread the Cub Scout Leaders Book again, especially the
"Setting a Good Example" paragraph (p. 26) and as Baden-Powell said, "Try
and leave this world a little better than you found it."
Wendy in NH
>IMO we are trying to raise young men and women, by exposing them to concepts,
>ideas, activities, etc. that ennoble and enlighten. There is sufficient
>vulgarity, crudity, and off-color entertainment in this world, without
>our use of it in our programs.
>
>My challenge is that we each find ways to incorporate into our programs
>songs, skits, cheers, etc. that are fun for boys, and that are of good report
>or praiseworthy. We should be trying to build better men and women, not
>baser men and women.
>
>Am I wrong?
>
>==================================================================
>Leslie D. Fife, Graduate Research Fellow, Computer Science,
>Univ. of Oklahoma, 200 Felgar, Rm 114, Norman Ok 73019, USA
>405/325-2553 - voice, 405/325-4044 - fax
>ldfife@cs.uoknor.edu, http://www.ecn.uoknor.edu/~ldfife
>==================================================================
>"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws." -Tacitus
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
