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Clearly Inappropriate and More ‘Alternative Facts’
Trump’s
Jamboree
travesty
r obert J. b yers
I don’t blame
the Boy Scouts for
President
Donald
Trump’s bizarre speech at the Na-
tional Jamboree in West Virginia
last week.
The U.S. president is, after
all, the honorary president of the
Scouts. If he wants to speak at the
National Jamboree, it would be
hard to say no.
I don’t blame the boys in the
audience who took the bait and
booed Hillary Clinton and Barack
Obama or who chanted “USA!
USA!” in response to Trump’s
childish cues. They’re impres-
sionable kids.
I’m long past laying blame at
the feet of the electorate. It gets
us nowhere.
And, honestly, it’s hard to even
blame Trump. He’s just being
himself — inappropriate, un-
hinged, narcissistic.
But, as an Eagle Scout, I’m
still disappointed at what is yet
by
another stain on the Boy
Scouts program.
After finally pulling
itself from the mire of
discrimination
against
gay Scouts and leaders,
Scouting is on a path to
right the ship and lure an-
other new generation to
its ranks. West Virginia’s
Summit Bechtel Family National
Scout Reserve, home of the Na-
tional Jamboree, is proof of that.
Throughout the past week, this
paper has had numerous stories
and photos showing Scouts hav-
ing fun and working in our com-
munities. We’ve also explored
the economic impact that 40,000
Scouts, troop leaders and others
can bring to an area.
And, unfortunately, we’ve also
shown how quickly all of that can
be tarnished for the benefit of one
man’s ego.
Speaking to the children as if
they were voters, Trump said his
election was “an unbelievable
tribute to you and all of the oth-
er millions and millions of peo-
ple that came out and voted for
‘Make America Great Again.’ ”
He recounted the Elector-
al College breakdown, trying
for the umpteenth time to relive
the victory he claimed on that
night in November. He revisited
the Merry Christmas non-issue.
He made false claims about the
press. He made threats about the
health care vote.
He basically defied most of the
12 points in the Scout Law — you
know, the one that includes terms
like trustworthy, loyal, friendly,
courteous, kind.
But, then again, Trump has
made his presidency about defy-
ing storied American institutions.
The free press comes to mind.
The backlash against the Boy
Scouts over Trump’s speech
led the organization to put out a
statement on Tuesday:
“The Boy Scouts of America is
wholly nonpartisan and does not
promote any one position, prod-
uct, service, political candidate,
or philosophy. The invitation
for the sitting U.S. president to
visit the National Jamboree is a
long-standing tradition and is in
no way an endorsement of any
political party or specific poli-
cies.”
Of course, that’s not really a
response, just a reiteration of the
Scouts’ stance on these matters.
The response has been large-
ly panned as not being strong
enough.
I can’t say I’m surprised the
Scouts wouldn’t say more. It
would be a tricky move to come
out and disavow some of Trump’s
remarks, embarrassing their hon-
orary president and making an
enemy of the nation’s top loose
cannon.
But, just for the sake of argu-
ment, what if the statement in-
cluded a few more sentences:
“Furthermore, the Boy Scouts
of America is first and foremost
about kids, about building strong
kids with a strong resolve. It is
about honesty. It is about suc-
ceeding — with humility. It is
about service and instilling the
drive to help others. It is about
encouraging our peers to rise to
the challenge and offering a hand
when needed. It is about civility.”
That’s the Scouting that I re-
member.
One man playing the fool can’t
change that.
Robert J. Byers, syndicated
by PeaceVoice, is the executive
editor of the Charleston Ga-
zette-Mail in Charleston, West
Virginia.