Rumsfeld Receives Scouting's Highest Commendation

[fgoodwin 23]

Rumsfeld Receives Scouting's Highest Commendation

 

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2006/20060526_5239.html

 

http://tinyurl.com/otj68

 

By Steven Donald Smith

American Forces Press Service

 

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2006 Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld received scouting's highest honor from the Boy Scouts of America here today.

 

"I'm very honored to accept scouting's Silver Buffalo Award," Rumsfeld said during a breakfast sponsored by the National Eagle Scout Association. "Since its earliest days, the Boy Scouts have cultivated leadership and good citizenship, a service that has been recognized since the United States Congress first chartered the Boy Scouts back in 1916."

 

The Silver Buffalo Award, created in 1925, is bestowed upon those who give "truly noteworthy and extraordinary" service to America's youth. Notable recipients include Charles A. Lindbergh, Norman Rockwell, Gen. Colin Powell, Walt Disney, Hank Aaron, Bob Hope, Vince Lombardi, Neil Armstrong, Charles M. Schulz and 14 U.S. presidents.

 

Rumsfeld became a Cub Scout in 1941 and rose to Eagle Scout in 1949. In 1975, he received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, an award that acknowledges Eagle Scouts who have distinguished themselves in business, professions and service to their country, Boy Scouts officials said.

 

The secretary said that outside of his Pentagon office door is a small folded American flag that Boy Scouts distribute to servicemembers.

 

"The flag has a little note with it that says, 'Here's a flag for your pocket, so you can always carry a bit of home.' That small flag shows that so many Americans and so many Boy Scouts recognize the importance of the duty of each members of the military," he said. "That recognition is greatly appreciated by all those in uniform."

 

He said tens of thousands of Scouts have gone on to join the military. "By putting on our county's uniform, they are living up to the highest ideals of the Scout oath," he said. "Our country is truly blessed to have such wonderful young people, willing to sacrifice so much for the cause of freedom."

 

The secretary said many people throughout the U.S. government have been Scouts. "I'm told that about half of the current members of the Congress have participated in scouting in one way or another," he said. "And 27 were Eagle Scouts."

 

Life is not always a "smooth, steady" upward climb, he said. Life is "filled with choices, and often one does not know the impact of a decision until a good many years later," he said.

 

The secretary said one of his life's important choices came when he was 12 years old and wanted to quit the Scouts. He sent a letter to his father, who was on a Navy carrier in the Pacific during World War II, saying he wanted to leave the Scouts. Rumsfeld's father sent a note back to his son telling him that is was OK for him to quit.

 

"After all, he said, quitting is easy," Rumsfeld said. "He said, 'You can quit one thing, and then quit another. And soon you're a quitter.' Even at age 12 I got the message. I stayed in scouting and it was one of the best decisions I've made."

 

Related Site:

Boy Scouts of America

[Bobanon 10]

Isn't that a shame. Who's next Charles Manson?

 

What was the BSA thinking in giving Rumsfeld the Silver Buffalo. I though it bad when Bill Clinton was given his, but this is much much worse. Rumsfeld is one of the principles that lied us into a war of which he should be held fully accountable. And hopefully after next November he, and the other criminals will be.

[Lisabob 13]

I can see why people might find it inappropriate to give the BSA's highest honor to either Clinton or Rumsfeld. Part of the problem with this, of course, is that both are so closely linked to partisan politics. So if the BSA muckety-mucks were listening (ha!) then I would propose that no sitting politician be awarded this honor and that we place a moratorium (say, 10 years?) on awarding it after they leave office too.

 

Everybody wins. The BSA won't appear to be as overtly political. The public won't make linkages between current gov't policy and BSA recognition. We'll have time to reflect and make sober, less-biased judgments on the characters of these potential candidates, in light of their full career (to date) and how they have held up to history, at least a little bit.

 

You can't tell me that there aren't plenty of highly qualified individuals of unquestioned character out there who truly deserve this award. Let's pick them instead.

 

Lisa'bob

[Trevorum 24]

Egad. I thought BSA honoring Oliver North was bad enough. Now this. What's next, nominating Bush for a peace prize?

[nldscout 18]

Some of us see nothing wrong with this. He has done a lot to insure the military has supported the BSA.

[Bobanon 10]

NldScout.....Rumsfeld has DONE NOTHING WRONG????? I guess if you look beyond the lies and deceit he's doing a great job.

 

Of course if you look at it from a purely ethical point of view the man is about as nefarious a character in politics today. Put Rumsfeld with Chaney and Rice and you have the three worst people in Washington ever. These three make Nixon and LBJ look like Sunday school teachers.

[Lisabob 13]

Well there you have it. nldscout and bobanon have captured the reason why I don't think this award should be given to serving politicians of any stripe. It gets all caught up in whether you like/agree with the position these people take *as politicians* rather than whether or not they exhibit the values and beliefs that are important to scouting. Down the road a ways, we might be able to come up with an objective analysis of their role in history but while they're serving, that' nearly impossible.

 

Lisa'bob

[nldscout 18]

Some of us think he has done a good job. But then like you each of us is entitled to our own opinion.

 

My opinion is that your full of yourself and I care not to associate with you. Perhaps you should take your opinin on this and your opinion you expressed on Gays and go somewhere else

[BrentAllen 10]

I think it was a well-deserved honor. Rumsfeld has served this country well, and has served Scouting well. And he is an Eagle Scout.

What a shame some let political smears from the other side of the aisle cloud their vision.

I really like his lesson about quitting. I'll keep that one in my pocket, for future use.

[Bobanon 10]

Seems some are a little challenged ethically.

 

Anyone, and I mean anyone who recieves an honor from the BSA should be above and beyond approach.

 

It is through debate that ideas are born. If we think as we always have we'll end up slowly dying off in the most pitiful fashion. We all need to challenge ourselves mentally and think outside the box.

 

Now some of you might be surprised to know that I consider myself a staunch conservative. A Goldwater Republican, and most certainly NOT one of these dispicable neoconservatives, (who are in no uncertain terms conservative even with the loosest definition!).

 

I am not however frightened by homosexuals in any way, and do not believe in discrimination of anyone for any reason. As a general rule pedophiles are not homosexuals but are heterosexuals that are known to their victims. This current hysteria about gays to a large measure indicates latent homosexual tendencies on the parts of those decrying the loudest. Hmmmm what have they got to hide???

[BrentAllen 10]

Let me get this straight. Since I don't agree with your political position (which is a lie itself) that Rumsfeld lied about pre-war intelligence, I'm a "little challenged ethically?" WHAT OR WHO GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO CHALLENGE MY ETHICS? WHO DIED AND MADE YOU GOD? IF YOU ARE SO RIGHT ABOUT BUSH AND RUMSFELD LYING, IT SHOULD BE EASY TO GET THEM IMPEACHED AND REMOVED FROM OFFICE. WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND GET IT DONE! UNTIL THEN, SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!!!! AND DON'T EVER QUESTION MY ETHICS BECAUSE I DON'T AGREE WITH YOUR SCREWED-UP POLITICS!! MAN, WHERE DO THESE CLOWNS COME FROM....

[Bobanon 10]

Hmmm seems I've hit a nerve.

 

Impeachment may be on the horizon, that is if the House goes back to Democratic control. The Bush administration has regularly disreguarded federal laws. From the outing of Valarie Plame to illegal wiretapping. BrentAllen how can you nont be insensed at the out right spitting on the Constitution of the U.S. by the likes of Bush and Rumsfeld? I am amazed that anyone supports them privately much less in open conversation.

 

I suppose too you like our new CIA director. Harry Truman once said this about Richard Nixon; "You don't put the fox in charge of the hen house". That pretty much sums up what I think of the new director, or should I say Big Brother.

 

Last, Brent you can be as wound up as an eight day clock if you like. Like it or not I will comment on what I see as nonsense thinking.

[BrentAllen 10]

Rarely do I get the opportunity to converse with someone so clueless. Must be a small rock you live under...

[Bobanon 10]

Brent surely you can do better than that. Come on, a mindless personal attack?

 

Show me where I'm wrong. Tell me where the weapons of mass destruction are that lead us into war in Iraq. I'm sure Mr. Bush would pay you a big reward for that information. Remember Rumsfeld said he knew where they were.

 

I shall be sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of your answer.

 

On a sericous note Brent a word of advice..... for what it's worth there is other news sources besides Faux News Network and Rush Limbaugh.

[evmori 11]

Brent,

You're wasting your time snipping at Bobanon. This poster has an agenda similar to Merlyn's.

 

Thanks to those who fought so we could be free.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10