Navybone

most of our focus is on how to work on cooking. With the advancement and Cooking MBs requirements, have not totally broken the code on group cooking.

The best advice I heard about leadership was from my department head when I was a brand new Ensign. He told me to get a small black book that fit in my back pocket. One one side, write all the leadership traits and styles your admire and the on the other, all the traits and styles you don’t admire. That passive collection of leadership and management techniques taught me more than any classes or seminars. And over 20 years in, I have given that advice to many a young officer or sailor, and now to scouts. regarding authenticity, while still an Ensign, I quickly realized that the sailors in my division could tell when I was up front and honest or when I was trying to sugar coat or “say the right words.” Bad news delivered straight and honest is more effective than attempting to soften the news. I am, and have been for a long time, a believer in authenticity as a leadership style.

I too hope that the President and the First Lady, as well as the two Senators and others who work in and around the President who have tested positive, only experience a mild version of COVID and recover soon. The country needs them to recover. It would be easy to take a potshot at the President in this era of partisan politics. But politics aside, we have to remember that the the President has significant responsibilities to the defense of this nation and its well being, and we need a healthy Leader. It makes me think of the line in the Scout Oath, “to do my duty to God and my Country.” Maybe this will be reduce the bitterness of politics today and the focus can be on all our leaders duties to Return to working together to protect our citizens and focus on implementing the safety protocols to reduce the spread of COVID. If a person as protected as the President can get it, we all can. wash your hands, avoid large groups, maximize meetings outside rather than indoors, social distance, wear a mask, keep yourself physically strong so you can do your duty.

We have been very successful conducting SM conferences and BoR using zoom and other platforms. While not perfect, These events are not required to be conducted in person. We can still provide an outlet to Scouts who are motivated or looking for an activity during the period. Our experience has been positive, from the scouts and their parents.

This thread gets no where. BSA has explained its position “We wholeheartedly mean exactly what we said – that we support Black families and Black communities and that Black Lives Matter. This is not a political issue or an endorsement of an organization; it is a human rights issue and one we all have a duty to address. We stand with efforts to address racism and injustice and to promote equality and inclusion.” but then this thread devolves into a political discussion, not at all addressing racism and what the words and intent of BSA are. i come here to get away from the constant agreements from one side or the other that are a waste of time. I have given up trying to have a conversation on this thread. I stopped coming to the site for some time because this was all anyone posted on. I recently came back, but see nothing has changed. if I am going to spend time online for fun, it is worth my time figure how to support my son’s troop during COVID.

Yep.

I think Bryan does a fine job explains the BSA position: “We wholeheartedly mean exactly what we said – that we support Black families and Black communities and that Black Lives Matter. This is not a political issue or an endorsement of an organization; it is a human rights issue and one we all have a duty to address. We stand with efforts to address racism and injustice and to promote equality and inclusion.” he is talking about human rights, equality, and inclusion. Why would anyone have a problem with that? is BLM perfect- no. Are riots ok - no. Is instigating or fomenting violence by left or right wing organizations ok- no. Is racial inequality on - no.

Correct, we should be very interested in a foreign (Russia, China) power is. trying to impact our country. And they are not stopping at the 2016 election, they are trying on this election, did on the 2018 election, and will continue to try to divide this country. They have done it in other counties, most notably France. The intent of my post on this was to point out that what you read is not only biased by our media, but but external influences who are trying to further divide this nation.

I can see how you might think that had I made a reference to the previous post, but I did not. my post was about Russian (and Chinese) efforts to divide the American populous as a whole. But you obviously do not agree with that as a real threat. , right. Us intel community is clueless? Your too smart to fall for it?

When you are looking at reporting on such issues as protest and BLM, I would ask that you do keep a sharp eye on what is being reported. This is a great article by NYT on Russian disinformation and an attempt to widen the gulf btwn the political parties. We have issues in this country, lets not help Russia (or Chinese) attempts to bring us down from within. Question the reporting, even if it is confirming your own bias. About three years ago, when it was BLM versus Blue lives matter in the press all the time, Twitter was able to track the post made by russian trolls and how they would insert them selves into a conversation with a centrist point of view, and then pull it wider to the polar extremes. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/11/us/politics/russia-disinformation-election-meddling.html

Sun-Times is Left Center. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/?s=chicago+sun

Interesting - I read the actual Sun-Times article, and it attributes the quote to Ariel Atkins, 29, who is not identified as a BLM organizer Where it is attributed to a BLM organizer is, The Sun, the Washington Times, the NY Post which are all "strongly biased toward conservative causes" based on Media Bias/Fact Check. And she obviously does not understand how reality works and is a fantasy land about how reparations work.

But if BLM or PP were accused of the same crimes, it would be ok to go after them. Sorry, but The NRA puts itself out there as defending our most valued right in the the second amendment. But that is wrong, the most valued right is the first amendment, which BLM and PP both try to protect.

You do not think there is a difference in conducting a reenactment with some authenticity such as the confederate flag and someone displaying it at work or on their car/NASCAR/on a shirt?

One way to look at the current unrest by blacks in this county is to think that if a majority of this group, which makes 13% of our nation, is disenfranchised due to how they are being treated, then maybe this is worth trying to understand, looking at how to solve some of the racism they are encountering, if I can. There is also the option of thinking this is not my problem, or it’s not that bad, or even to outright dismiss them and accuse them of being trouble makers. Who are “they”to make a fuss. These people are exceptionally narrow minded and are absolutely part of the problem. It is you. You accuse me of being an apologist. No, I have decided that enough is enough and there is a valid point of discussion. I do this not because it is easy, but because part of this country’s population is hurting. It is not an comfortable position for me to take. What is more comfortable is to bury my head in the sand, deny any issues, mark it up to rabble rousers and anarchists. Easier to just rely on right wing media and follow however that portray it. My failure is believing that just because people on this site are part of scouts, that they live or espouse any of the aspects of what scouting teaches our youth.