No Water Gun Fights - Yeah Like That Will Happen

[Gone 435]

This just in....
 
May 20, 2015 (Irving, TX) Associated Press - The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) announced a second modification to their recent recent announcement regarding the use of "simulated firearms" such as water pistols and other water-projecting firearms. Earlier this week the Boy Scout national office reiterated their policy that water pistols are considered "simulated weapons" and are not to be used at any scout event except when firing at targets while wearing safety glasses.

 

The revised policy, released to the press earlier today, now includes "finger pistols, pump air shotguns, concealed or non-concealed pistols carried as side arms, air hand grenades, imaginary dynamite plunger boxes or any other simulated weapon of any kind."

 

According to national spokesperson, Phil O. Crapply, the Boy Scouts are just seeking to clarify the policy announcement made earlier this week. "We received a great deal of calls and emails from our members as to what is or is not allowed at Scouting events. The national office wanted to make it abundantly clear what our members can and can't do." Said Crapply, "We believe this revised policy now covers concealed and non-concealed 'air' weapons which, if used improperly, could be dangerous or incorrectly interpreted."

 

This change in policy has both youth and adults scratching their heads. One parent from a troop in Utah, Joe Volunteer, was quoted as saying, "According to the Boy Scouts, now I can't use my finger to point-and-shot as my patented 'howdy' to my friends at scout events. What bull!! What gesture should I use now?" One long-time scoutmaster from Florida was also incredulous. "So now at committee meetings we can't toss fake hand grenades anymore when mocking a really silly idea. We can't even point our finger guns to our head to show our boredom during those marathon committee sessions." 

 

While the BSA feels it has clarified this issue for their members, many are still confused. Ron Studly, an adult volunteer from Kentucky asked, "Can we fake hang ourselves? BSA does not mention that!" Said another member, "What about pretending to stab someone or pretending to throw axes or shoot arrows? Can we do that? The national office left that unclear."

 

In their effort to clarify things the Boy Scouts may have just muddied the water further. While obviously focusing on simulated firearms, a whole host of other dangerous "air weapons" were left off the list. One highly controversial air weapon the BSA failed to address was the use of pretend nuclear weapons. Until the BSA addresses all pretend weapons, members can expect continued ambiguity and discord.

[RememberSchiff 3664]

Bad Wolf wasn't there more in that pile, that Phil O. Crapply unloaded? Something about scouts not being allowed inside simulated weapons like overnight stays in WW2 battleships and aircraft carriers?

 

BP, the old general, must be spinning. If only the BSA today had a leader with a military background such that he could distinguish between a firearm and a toy.

[JoeBob 606]

"Mommy, he made me wash a pot!  And it was DIRTY!!!"

 

KP is unkind bullying.

 

Especially if you use a water pistol to rinse.

Edited May 20, 2015 by JoeBob

[LeCastor 641]

@, you still have that dead horse gif handy? 

[Stosh 3452]

I'm truly sorry Moderators, but Phil is way over the top, this has to be sent to I & P right away before it gets out of hand.  

[Stosh 3452]

@, you still have that dead horse gif handy? 

 

Dang, with Phil in the picture I thought it was just getting started.  LOL!!!

[JoeBob 606]

Oh pooey.  I have to get serious again:

 

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/05/20/hey-boy-scouts-don-t-squirt.html?intcmp=latestnews

 

Boy Scout officials all wet 

"Don’t be surprised if the BSA bans campfires and replaces them with simulated flames on portable smartphones. Can’t risk the kids burning their marshmallows

 

Oh, how I fondly recall those carefree days – learning how to tie a knot, building a pinewood derby car and running through the woods playing cowboys and (culturally insensitive word referencing an indigenous people-group deleted).

 

At this rate it won’t be long before the Boy Scouts are teaching kids how to do needlepoint and make milk foam butterfly art for their lattes.

It’s no wonder thousands of kids are dropping out of the Boy Scouts.

That’s why I recommend that parents get their sons involved in Trail Life USA. It’s a faith-friendly and family-friendly alternative. 

Trail Life also wholeheartedly endorses Super Soakers and water balloon fights.They even let their kids play paintball. 

In other words – they let boys behave like boys."

*******

 

Bold red emphasis added.

The truth hurts, don't it?

Edited May 20, 2015 by JoeBob

[hicountry 20]

Somewhere around the house I have a copy of politically correct Bedtime stories, it was funny 20 years ago, not as much today because we as a society have surpassed much of the ridiculous examples in the book.  Enough of the scout is obedient nonsense. This stuff from Irving and much like it is so out of whack it needs to be stood up to. Things erode because some people follow along like sheep and obey every rule no matter how inane. Many times civil disobedience is what makes things change. Continue to play by the rules and they just add more and before you know it you have a worthless mamby pamby organization that supports the whiners, the complainers, the not fair crowd and society that no longer has any backbone. Unfortunately Society reached that point a few decades ago and is just trying to force the BSA into this simpering crybaby victim mold that many feel is the right way to go in the USA today.

 

I also somewhere have an old national lampoon with a multi page cartoon of the USA in the future where safety consciousness, political correctness environmentalism and health safeguards have gone over the top and the results in an underground society. It was about 4 decades ago and we really have exceeded that which was considered a joke and ridiculous only 40 years back. 

 

John Wayne was a mean spirited gone totting redneck. We need more role models like Richard Simmons. Foam Butterflys in Lattes won't work due to suger and caffeine concerns and the coffee might be hot, sorry. Maybe making jello molds (Low sugar of course) and having rubber duck races in the spa would be better activitiers for scouts, I'm sure they would lover this and recruitment would be flooded.

[desertrat77 1144]

Kids playing with water guns understand it is a game.   Only an adult can convolute normal play into something sinister.  

 

Transferring the rules of the real-world rifle range to free play with a super soaker on a hot day is quite a reach.   The product of the Nervous Nellie crowd, who are experts at hand wringing and fretting about trifles, and frowning upon anything that might be fun.

 

But what do I know?   I'm sure the BSA thought this through and based their decision on their understanding of what scouts consider fun, the scouts being the primary customer.   After all, BSA recruitment numbers have been climbing steadily, year after year, to the point where there is a waiting list.   Kids are knocking down the door to get in scouts, and once they get in, almost all of them are staying till they are 18.  

 

What?   Oh.  That's right, the reality is just the opposite.   The BSA is in decline.   And has been for years.

 

There are two sad things.   First, the decision at hand.   Second, the folks at National that made the decision do not care one bit about how the public at large, or scouts, think about the decision (particularly how ridiculous it is).   Kowtowing to lawyers and the PC crowd is more important.  

 

The disconnect between National and reality is quite profound on this one.   You can see it in other decisions, like the shorty signal towers that Eagle94 mentioned (six feet is plenty high to signal someone 50 yards away!), or the design of uniforms.   But this one takes the cake.

Edited May 20, 2015 by desertrat77

[packsaddle 753]

I'm with desertrat77. Like I said before, ignore this nonsense and just do what you think is right. If anyone needed confirmation of how out-of-touch with reality Irving is, this is IT.

So stop complaining and just ignore them.

[mattman578 117]

I just wont invite Irving to my water gun battle

[Twocubdad 665]

Hey, let's start a campaign for everyone to send CSE Michael Surbaugh a squirt gun and maybe a "pair" of Ping-Pong sized water balloons.

[NealOnWheels 73]

If my patrol leaders council chooses to have a water gun fight I will not stop it.

 

If, as a result, I am placed on the ineligible volunteer files then so be it.