skeptic

Yep, you are right. The comments are pretty reflective of our continually out of touch and unaware public. They have no idea, for the most part, how either group works in this country, or how we compare to the greater world experience. And, since so many of the concerned citizenry also would like us to divorce the entire country from the greater world theater, why would they not comprehend this? Way too many people with tunnel vision and complete ignorance of anything beyond the ends of their noses. JMHO of course. Meanwhile, hurray, and may the trend continue to build. Again JMHO.

This past weekend, discussing an upcoming planning session with the SPL, I dropped the idea of a small period fairly often of simply reading aloud a section from the Handbook. His response was far more positive than I expected. Matter of fact, he felt it might be a really good regular thing and beneficial in a number of ways. Any thoughts from this erudite group?

In regard to the lost items, it is common now for the leader with the item in question to simply ask about it and tell the owner to come after the assemble to claim it. That then puts the onus on the owner if they choose to claim it right then, or a leader of the unit in which the owner participates will come and get it and then later return it (?). I tend to agree that we have leaned way too far to the other side with these things. Fortunately, in spite of our seemingly constant over the top responses to things once simply part of life, we still have kids come out on the sunny side more often than some might expect. This too is a coping experience, sometimes for we old people.

Interesting opinion. Are you aware that there were a number of medals and other special uniform awards for War Service during both World Wars? What difference is it, really. Someone, adult or scout, sold X dollars of stamps or bonds and got such and such award, the larger ones that could be worn. There has never been a knot to recognize those, but they certainly were worn proudly. There also were medals for waste collection, War gardens, Civil Service and locally, probably others. Also, in relation to the West Knot, it is often given to someone in honor of their service by others or in honor of someone in the family or group. I was presented with two in honor of two past scouts that were killed as young adults, both for whom I was SM. I received a third one from a retired Scouter friend for my seniority in our council and our work together. He was recognizing many of his Scouter friends with them in his retirement, probably gave at least 8 to 12 before he passed away with his own 50 plus years. I wear one knot, and I know what the honor is that is attached, two Eagle Scouts and a fine dedicated Scouter friend who gave to Scouting as his own family. I admit though that initially when the first one was given to me, I did not wear it, as I had not been the one to give the dollars and I felt as if I was being a bit dishonest. It was pointed out to me that I was not honoring the memorial of the Eagles by not wearing it, and so I do. I suppose that since then I may have earned my own dollar version with donations to the local camp fund, but that does not matter.

But, if you try to find Eagles from the time before computers, and they did not get transcribed from defunct council records, do not count on National to be much help. Trying to see old paper records requires knowing the ghosts of James West or other founders.

It now occurs to me that I noted while doing research on my own unit for "lost" Eagles that we had a number of long time senior scouts with possibly the needed requirements, but who were not on any list from the period. Two or three were carried on our charter throughout WWII, listed as "In Service" or similar wording. Wonder if any of their records should be reexamined; though they are all gone now as far as I know.

It occurred to me today that our aberrant pols seem involved in an ongoing game of "Win All You Can". Valid?

This appears to be more an attempt to make more out of it than need be done. Yes, when the change in employment or title happened they should have been more conscious of the appearance of support. But, it was not their intent; more simply poor decision making by people that may not be cognizant of the residual appearance and the wording of the law. Why so many in our modern society need to constantly make waves over minor issues is beyond me, other than their own desire to somehow be noticed and project power in some manner. Another facet of the egoism that is more and more dominating our society.

A little off the OP's posting, but interesting from a historical viewpoint. I found this shooting target in my troop's archives from when they were also an NRA junior club during WWII.

At least far too many so called star of sports and the entertainment industry, as well as, unfortunately, many pols in positions of power.

It is interesting and disheartening that all of these stats are similarly seen in the downward trends in organized religious groups, especially the oldest ones, and within community-based service groups such as Elks, Lions and so on. There is very likely a connection reflective of societal malaise in general.

I cannot find the edit function on the post. Perhaps one of the mods can delete it? I overlooked the comma anyway which specifies People as opposed to the militia. So the people are not regulated in the amendment. If someone will point me to an edit function, I can take care of it too. Thanks.

"A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Ahhh. This is what I see being pretty much ignored in most conversations. Does not "well-regulated mean that controls of some form, such as laws and such, are part of the right noted?

Years ago, my nephew handed me his red beret with all his scout patches and things in a box, as I was already an avid collector, and he said I should have it;. Two decades or so later, he had a son in cubs and he asked me if I still had his stuff. I had simply put it away as he gave it to me, and he was thrilled to get it all back. My grand-nephew became an Eagle and is now in a ROTC college program at the USF. He has kept his stuff, including all his dad gave him and I suspect, if he has a son (or now even a daughter) they too will be in the program. I still am trying to find out where my stuff from the fifties and early sixties that was put in a box has gone. It was in storage and the storage was cleaned out by my brother. I think somewhere in the mountain of unopened boxes in his garage in Vegas is what I hope to relocate. But, I did find a lot of it, as it never went into the storage. You never know for sure.

I can still remember my disappointment when they changed the Explorer program and took away advancement. I had just began work on the first rating for bronze when we moved to the desert. There was no post initially and the new program was being implemented with the loss of the awards. Once we started a post, it was of course under the new requirements and never really took off very well. I still feel that taking the 50's Explorer ranks away was another poor decision. They could have kept them and still done many of the other changes, including the coed stuff that started then.