Flag Ceremonies for Political Organizations

[northidahoscouter]

I would like to get some feedback from other Scouters.  BSA policy allows Scouts to perform flag ceremonies for political organization as long as the boys leave the venue after the ceremony.  My question is:  Do you think this policy is sufficient to keep Scouting from being political or would it be more appropriate to not do flag ceremonies for political organizations?  Does it matter to you which political organizations may be supported by Scouts by doing flag ceremonies, i.e., would it be appropriate to do a flag ceremony for a political organization holding extreme viewpoints?  I welcome your feedback.   

[RememberSchiff]

I would like to get some feedback from other Scouters.  BSA policy allows Scouts to perform flag ceremonies for political organization as long as the boys leave the venue after the ceremony.  My question is:  Do you think this policy is sufficient to keep Scouting from being political or would it be more appropriate to not do flag ceremonies for political organizations?  Does it matter to you which political organizations may be supported by Scouts by doing flag ceremonies, i.e., would it be appropriate to do a flag ceremony for a political organization holding extreme viewpoints?  I welcome your feedback.   

 

IMO, not sufficient. I think a better guideline might be to perform flag ceremonies for non-political events which would occur whether a politician attends or not, e.g., Memorial Day service.

 

My $0.02

[NJCubScouter]

I would like to get some feedback from other Scouters.  BSA policy allows Scouts to perform flag ceremonies for political organization as long as the boys leave the venue after the ceremony.  My question is:  Do you think this policy is sufficient to keep Scouting from being political or would it be more appropriate to not do flag ceremonies for political organizations?  Does it matter to you which political organizations may be supported by Scouts by doing flag ceremonies, i.e., would it be appropriate to do a flag ceremony for a political organization holding extreme viewpoints?  I welcome your feedback.   

 

As you say, it is permitted by the rules, leaving each unit to decide what it is comfortable with.  I personally think that people are going to perceive the Scouts being there as some sort of endorsement regardless of when the Scouts leave, so I think it is a situation that is best avoided.

[SSScout]

I concur.  If the event is overtly pro-political party or candidate,  I would politely refuse the invitation.  Candidates debate? Maybe.  Election/Get out the vote promotion?  Maybe.    Public parade, historical commemoration, something like that, by all means, go and wave the flag in uni.

[walk in the woods]

Define political organization.  Are we talking RNC/DNC/LP/Greens or any organization that lobbies politicians?  Are city councils and/or county boards included in political organizations?

[Back Pack]

Most scouts won’t pay attention to what organization they’re doing a ceremony for. They’ll do it for the service hours and leave. Sounds like this bothers adults more. Kids simply won’t care.

[John-in-KC]

My two cents:

 

If it's the County Fair, and the Iwannabeasuburb County Republican or Democratic Committee asks you to do a flag ceremony before the candidates start doing pitches, that's one thing.  (I'd hope the chairs of the R and D committees know each other, and agree on Monday the Boy Scouts will do the Ds, and on Tuesday Camp Fire does the Rs, or something like that.).

If it's Billybob Jumpback, running for Senator from the Great State of North Texas, and he's doing a full up campaign rally with him leading the Pledge... PASS.

 

Again, my thoughts only.