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Join Cub Scouts in fighting Illinois House Bill 208 - NO PUMPKIN as state pie?


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http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150303/lakeview/these-boy-scouts-really-hate-pumpkin-pie

 

During a visit with students on Monday, Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) spoke with the youngsters about the legislative process. To demonstrate how a bill becomes law, she showed them House Bill 208, which seeks to designate pumpkin pie as the official state pie of Illinois. But when Feigenholtz explained the bill to the third and fourth grade students, she got more responses than she bargained for.

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In letters to the bill's chief sponsor, State Rep. Keith Sommer (R-Morton), the Boy Scouts offered alternatives to pumpkin pie like "bluebarry," "penut butter choclite" and "key lime." Basically, anything but pumpkin.

"NO Pumkin pie. I said Nooooooooo pumkin pie. You heard me Noooooooooooooooooo pumkin pie. Sincerely Connor," wrote one impassioned future voter.

 

What next, popcorn as the state snack? :eek:

 

 

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Seriously??? With all the crime, graft and corruption coming out of Chicago, one would think the legislators would be worried more about something than what the state pie is.

 

Stosh

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Seriously??? With all the crime, graft and corruption coming out of Chicago, one would think the legislators would be worried more about something than what the state pie is.

 

Stosh

You mean ask them to tackle the real problems Illinois has like being a step away from junk bond status, soaring un(der)employment, underfunded pension plans, and horrible business climate? Pish-posh... much better to debate non-nonsensical garbage like state pies.

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"Seriously??? With all the crime, graft and corruption coming out of Chicago, one would think the legislators would be worried more about something than what the state pie is.

 

Stosh"

 

When you're a Republican legislator in Illinois, the only legislation that you might possibly get through the process is a bill naming a state pie so I don't begrudge this attempt by Keith Sommer ® at all. At first, I was with the Cubs - Pumpkin?? Eeewwwww - why not go with Lincoln's favorite pie - Lemon Custard. But, since 90% of all canned pumpkin in the US is grown in Illinois, since Illinois is the top grower of pumpkins in the US and it's a 33 million dollar industry, I think it's far more relevant to Illinois than blueberry, cherry or apple so I can get behind it.

 

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Thanks. IMO this is a humorous story about Cub Scouts learning about their government and their citizen responsibilities. Everyone usually has an opinion. I like their letters, but do Cub Scouts only go as far as expressing any opinion? CP makes a good point about obtaining and discussing the facts so citizens and representatives can have informed and fair opinions.

 

I wonder if the Cubs were aware (I wasn't) that Illinois is the #1 grower of pumpkins? Maybe a follow-up "fact-finding junket" to Libby's canning plant (I bet that is huge), a bakery (a pie slice a la mode!), or a farm (later in growing season)?

 

Food for thought.

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OK, I guess I'm biased here. I happen to absolutely love pumpkin pie. I've been known to eat an entire pie in one fairly casual meal...after the turkey, etc.....without throwing up. I really like pumpkin pie but NOT made from a can. I absolutely insist on starting with the actual pumpkin (and here I have to tell you it drives me crazy to see all those potential pies ruined for a religious holiday celebration). Anyway, I respectfully disagree with that cub scout.

Edit: as for making it a 'state pie', that's another matter. Stupid politicians wasting the public's time for sure. Might as well just elect the pumpkins themselves to do the legislating...about the same level of intellect and you could carve them up and eat them afterwards.

 

Edit: THAT is a great idea. As a civics lesson, bring a few pumpkins to the meeting and have the cubs name them after local politicians. Let them draw faces on the pumpkins and names. And then let the pumpkins 'campaign' for a political position after which have an 'election' to see which pumpkin won. Of course the news media need to be invited to share this opportunity for a bit of satire hiding in a civics lesson. Anyone else think this would work?

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I think a field trip to a pumpkin farm would be a great idea - I'm sure it would each the Cub Scouts that the pumpkins used for Jack-o-Lanterns are a different pumpkin than pumpkins grown for food. Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins are pretty much inedible - even squirrels will leave them alone after a few bites. Pie pumpkins tend to be smaller and a deeper color orange.

 

 

 

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Galloping up to defend the honor of defenseless maligned pumpkins....there is NO SUCH THING as an inedible pumpkin. Pumpkins are very nearly the most perfect food there is,,,aside from bananas or something, pineapples aren't bad either, oranges too.

Edit: MMmmmmm, mangos, soursop, Barbados cherries,......mangos and more mangos....

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