So we just returned from a week of Boy Scout summer camp this week. And yet again, I saw over and over again why some people should not be allowed to be an example to our youth, unless they come with a sign that says "Even a bad example is an example". For instance:
1) There is a canoe outing where a a couple of hundred people in a dozen or more large canoes have to get all the gear, people and boats out of the water in a short amount of time. While doing this, the camp staff (all between the ages of 14 and 21) are trying to turn this into and organized effort run by the scouts. That is when you have some yahoo who thinks he has a better way of doing it and he let's everyone know. He does things his way, and "no kid is going to tell him what to do". Turns the organization into chaos.
2) Same scenario. We're trying to get everyone on the beach safe and (mostly) dry. A different idiot says "I only used one boat, I've carried three. I did my part." He then proceeds to stand back and watch as the rest of us pitch in and make sure that EVERYONE makes it out OK. Good lesson for the kids: Just do enough, don't help until all the work is done.
3) As I said, the staff are all young people between 14 and about 24 years old. The last day in camp can be a little chaotic, getting everyone's paperwork and gear in order. There are going to be delays and lines, people. But apparently for some people, who believe the world and those in it exist only to serve them, the Scout Law goes out the window. Let's see...Trustworthy (honest, I saw him turn in the homework. Oh, he said he didn't? Oops)...Loyal (Boy Scouts should spend a little money on "insert any number of self serving items here")...Helpful (I carried my bag down, that little 11 year old can handle his 50 pounds of gear)...Friendly (don't even get me started here. How the staff kept a smile the whole morning I don't know)...Courteous (direct quote "This is a ridiculous Clusterf*#%")...Kind (see the last two posts)...Obedient (one scoutmaster actually told his scouts "There. We cheated the system so we can get off the island early)...Cheerful (I don't think I need to elaborate on this, see Kind)...Thrifty (OK, unless you count all of the time wasted complaining about what they didn't like)...Brave (I'll get to that one in a moment)...Clean (that means language as well as body, people. Yet that guy in line behind me smelled like he hadn't bathed all week) and Reverent (do unto others?...).
4) Which gets me to the kicker. When we get back to port there is one rule that was specifically spelled out. We were told not to pass any gear back over the fence to people outside, as the top of the fence is very sharp. One of my female leaders was tasked with reminding people of this. Then some big idiot decides to hand his bag over to someone waiting for him. She reminds him of the rule we all learned before getting off the boat, and he gets into her face and tells her that the laptop in the bag is his world and that maybe she should "try the Girl Scouts next time". Even if you are going to explicitly break the rules, teaching your scouts in the process that there is no rule except do what you want to do, there is absolutely no call to be an ass about it. When I went to the leaders of the troop to ask for an apology, they knew who I was talking about before I mentioned any description, and were all apologetic with that "there he goes again" look on their faces. I know there is zero chance he will read this, and even less that someone as self absorbed would see his actions in this post, but if by the smallest of chances he is reading this I would like to ask two questions: a) Are you really proud of the fact that you brought one of the nicest people and a fellow scout leader to tears? and b) How does it feel to know that even though you have physical size, you proved you have absolutely no emotional, mental or maturity stature? Real brave of you to try to belittle a fellow leader who was just doing the job she was given.
Oh, and is that the example you want your son to see? I didn't think so.
Posts
