White House vs. Boy Scouts, Part 4
White House vs. Boy Scouts, Part 4
Posted: July 12, 2010
1:00 am Eastern
© 2010
(Editor's note: In Parts 1, 2 and 3 on the White House vs. the Boy Scouts, Norris gave proof concerning how the Obama administration is creating an arm's-length relationship with the BSA and how President Obama's advocacy of the BSA compares to the past 100 years of U.S. presidents. In Part 4, Norris caps the series by discussing how "The Boy Scout Handbook" must be one of the White House's greatest literary threats.)
In Parts 1, 2 and 3 of this series on the "Boy Scouts vs. White House," I showed how the Obama administration is distancing itself from the Boy Scouts of America, or BSA, because of its conservative positions.
Specifically in Part 2, I showed how, just a week after President Obama denied the invitation to attend the BSA's 100th anniversary gala in his own backyard (Washington, D.C.), in the Feb. 12, 2010, White House press briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs repeatedly and awkwardly dodged WorldNetDaily correspondent Les Kinsolving's questions about the BSA.
Well, the White House just did it again.
At the June 29, 2010, White House press briefing, Secretary Gibbs was again given opportunity to show any support for the BSA on behalf of the honorary president of the BSA, President Barack Obama. Ironically, once again Gibbs ducked-n-dodged White House sentiment about the BSA by claiming ignorance of the BSA's recent legal victory against the City Council of Philadelphia, who accused the BSA of violating the city's nondiscrimination (or anti-homosexual) policies.
Here is Gibbs' actual exchange with the WND correspondent Lester Kinsolving:
Kinsolving: OK. What is the president's reaction … to the unanimous jury decision in the U.S. District Court for eastern Pennsylvania in support of the Boy Scouts and against the Philadelphia City Council who tried to bar them from their long-time headquarters?Gibbs: You're going to find this surprising, but I'm not aware of the details of the case.
Kinsolving: It was widely reported.
Gibbs: It missed my desk. It missed my desk.
Kinsolving: You don't read very much.
Gibbs: I think it's safe to say, Lester, you and I probably don't read the same things, yes. Go ahead. (laughter)
"It missed my desk"? Did the press secretary for the honorary president of the BSA really know absolutely nothing about this big national news story and the BSA's largest legal win in years? I suppose it is also coincidental that the White House has categorically avoided every public opportunity to support or say anything about the BSA since Obama took office?
One thing is certain that Gibbs declared: "It's safe to say, Lester, you and I probably don't read the same things."
Speak of reading, in February an article was published by the nonpartisan "First Things," which proposed that "The Boy Scout Handbook" was "the most influential conservative book ever produced in America." I couldn't agree more.
If that's true, "The Boy Scout Handbook" must also be one of the most dangerous threats to the White House's plan and goals to inculcate the progressive agenda and beliefs into the hearts and minds of every youth in America.
What book has more influence over our nation's youth? It's not any public-school textbook. It's not any popular nonfiction novel. It's probably not even the Bible, at least anymore, though that sacred book used to be the most critically influential text in the life of our youth and republic. That, therefore, makes "The Boy Scout Handbook" an adversary tool to progressives.
In its 100-year existence, "The Boy Scout Handbook" has inspired millions and millions and millions of young boys and men, and that positive influence continues today. It was one of the best-selling books of the first half of the 20th century. It has never gone out of print since 1910, since its formation based upon "Scouting for Boys" by founder Robert Baden-Powell. Until 1938, printings were about 100,000 copies. Since 1938, no printing has been less than 200,000, and most often 350,000 or more.
Though most would not label "The Boy Scout Handbook" a conservative text, it certainly has become that in light of contemporary culture. It truly is a shining light for traditional values.
(Column continues below)
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Literary historian and cultural critic Paul Fussell once described "The Boy Scout Handbook" as "among the very few remaining popular repositories of something like classical ethics, deriving from Aristotle and Cicero."
Proof is easily seen in the Scout oath itself:
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
Or as Joe Carter at "First Things" wrote: "And then there is the Scout Motto ('Be Prepared') and the 12-point Scout Law which includes the politically incorrect admonition to be reverent: 'A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others.'"
But it's precisely because of its traditional values that the Boy Scouts and their handbook, like the Bible, has been under assault and regarded as a tool impeding societal progress and our nation's youth. Can you imagine an America that would one day reach a point when the good books would be regarded as malevolent resources?
Is it because "The Boy Scout Handbook":
- instructs scouts about the founding principles of the United States, including the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights?
- encourages scouts to know their rights and duties as American citizens?
- requires scouts' loyalty to God and country?
- teaches scouts how to become servant leaders of their households, community and nation?
- asks scouts to cultivate a culture of chivalry?
- admonishes scouts to avoid tobacco, alcohol and drugs?
- prescribes scouts to stay morally straight?
Do any of those teaching points sound like contributors to the degradation of American youth, life and culture?
If one concurs that the BSA handbook principles enrich the lives of youth, develop quality leaders and help produce a new generation of patriotic American citizens, then wouldn't you expect the present White House would be espousing the BSA like past administrations?
I know, I know: I shouldn't expect so much. After all, Obama is probably too busy trying to fix the economy, the border problems, the gulf oil crisis and the Afghanistan war, right? Such is the case also with deadbeat dads across the country: too busy to support or do anything with their kids. Know what I mean? (Why don't you try that explanation on the Scouts and see how well it goes over.)
There I go again, sounding like Glenn Beck. And besides, those Boy Scouts should be reading other more meaningful materials than what Paul Fussell labeled "a popular repository of something like classical ethics," right? Maybe Scouts need to broaden their horizons, right? Maybe Scouts should be reading progressive texts like "The Communist Manifesto" or the book that Doug Mills of the New York Times inadvertently photographed Obama reading on the presidential campaign trail at Bozeman, Mont., in May 2008: "The Post-American World." Who are we kidding?! Not the kids!
In Part 3, I challenged the honorary BSA president Obama to attend the upcoming the National Scout Jamboree from July 26-Aug. 4, 2010, in Virginia, as past U.S. presidents have done.
In this last column, I conclude by respectfully challenging the BSA leadership with two straightforward objectives.
First, don't ever compromise your core principles and values. You've impacted millions upon millions of young lives and enriched our country and world because of your presence and contributions. Don't sell out now, especially on account of others' progressive agendas.
Second, I would appeal to BSA National President Rex Tillerson himself to please consider approving the new BSA patriotism merit badge, now under consideration of your merit badge task force. More than ever, our country needs to commend those young people who demonstrate a unique commitment not only to God but country. With our republic facing some of its greatest trials and a potentially perilous future, it's time to reward valiant and exceptional patriotism, especially among our youth.
America's Founding Fathers could have never imagined a culture of apathetic, irresponsible and disrespectful teens, in which blatant and pervasive immoralities permeated nearly every household, school and youth arena. It was far from a perfect age during the Revolutionary age, but their young people were by in large more moral and civil. Proof of that is seen in Ben Franklin's 1787 pamphlet, "Information to those who would remove to America," which was a guide for Europeans who were considering relocation to America. In it, Ben exclaimed, "Hence bad examples [of] youth are more rare in America, which must be [a] comfortable consideration to parents. To this may be truly added, that serious religion, under its various denominations, is not only tolerated, but respected and practiced. Atheism is unknown there." Can you imagine such words describing America today? (A couple of my favorite chapters in my expanded paperback version of "Black Belt Patriotism" are those examining how our founders would restore America's youth and rebuild the traditional family.)
If we are ever to reawaken America and our youth to a better America, it is going to start not by minimizing the roles of phenomenal youth organizations like the Boy Scouts of America, but by elevating them, specifically detailing their value and encouraging others enrollment in them.
Just as President John F. Kennedy did at the 50th anniversary celebration of the BSA: "For more than 50 years, Scouting has played an important part in the lives of the Boy Scouts of this nation. It has helped to mold character, to form friendships, to provide a worthwhile outlet for the natural energies of growing boys, and to train these boys to become good citizens of the future. … In a very real sense, the principles learned and practiced as Boy Scouts add to the strength of America and her ideals."
President Obama, at very least, don't you think a similar presidential commendation is due during this 100th anniversary year?
(Building up the next generation is not only why Chuck Norris fully supports the Boy Scouts of America, but why he started his own nonprofit KickStartKids organization. He and his wife, Gena, consider it one of their life's greatest passions and missions. You can learn more about the Boy Scouts of America by going to Scouting.org and more about KickStartKids by going to KickStartKids.org.)
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Chuck Norris is the star of more than 20 films and the long-running TV series "Walker, Texas Ranger." His latest book is entitled The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book: 101 of Chuck's Favorite Facts and Stories" Learn more about his life and ministry at his official website, ChuckNorris.com.
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