The on-going Boy Scout Jamboree recently gave way to tragedy when four Scout leaders, having pitched their tent under a power line, were electrocuted when the metal pole of their tent inadverdantly made contact with the overhead wire. Prior to this, the President had to cancel a scheduled appearance before the group due to increment weather. He had to cancel yet another appearance just two days ago, following a memorial service for the fallen leaders, at about the same time that two hundred of the Boy Scouts in attendance became seriously ill. It seems that nothing is going right for the organization.
Except that is for the recent vote in the Senate-98 to 0-in favor of allowing the Boy Scouts to make use of certain military bases during training and camping programs, over the steadfast objections of the ACLU. The Conservative Christian crowd that traditionally support the Boy Scouts were overjoyed at this turn of events, as even such stalwart liberals as Edward M. Kennedy and Barbara Boxer voted in their favor. Even the two abstentions, or absentees as the case may have been, could not find it in their hearts to actually vote agaisnt the organization. The ACLU is obviously aghast, as the Boy Scouts promote personal repsonsibility, belief and faith in a "higher power", good citizenship, patriotism. And of course they discourage the homosexual lifestyle, while refusing to allow homosexuals as Scout Leaders, as is their right as a private organization, a right that has been affirmed by the Supreme Court. And here is the problem, that certain groups claim this disqualifies them from using public lands. They have been turned away from certain cities properties for this reason. So this came as a real surprise.
But I think the Christian Conservatives might tend to gloat just a little too much. Maybe their God doesn't like mean-spirited gloating, maybe he decided to have a little fun with them. Here's a poke in the eye, so to speak, ha ha, have a pie in the face, here smell this flower, hahahahahahahha-here, have a seat here, relax a bit-buuuuzzzzzzzzz. What might that mischievous trickster God of the Christians do next?Poisonous snakes amongst the revelers? A featured speaker dies of a massive coronary in the middle of his address? A severed penis is found in the ice cream?
Actually, probably none of the above. And what has happenned up to this point can probably best be summed up by that old tried and true maxim-shit happens. I personally like and admire the Boy Scouts and wish them well, and congratulate them on their well deserved victory. They are a private organization that does much needed good work that benefits children and the community. The radical left should get over it.
On the other hand, it is interesting to speculate on how the Far Right would have reacted had the same set of tragic or similar circumstances afflicted a group with whose values and philosophies they were at odds. And their relative silence now.
