4624

Their response, non-apology, suggests otherwise. They were probably better off just not issuing one if it was going to be that watered down.

4625

I agree with that. “Sorry if you were offended” is the new not sorry.

4626

I totally understand that people are horrified when others don’t seem to be repulsed by President Trump, so the weasel worded apology comes off as insulting to them, but let’s not forget that this is the Boy Scouts of America we’re talking about. They’re not going to shit on the POTUS and apologize to the point that it actually rebukes the president. Trump’s speech was terrible and inappropriate for the audience (heck, it was inappropriate for anyone to say to any audience in an official capacity) but you folks are expecting a bit much if you think the Boy Scouts are going to officially come out against the president.

4627

I expect anyone with a shred of human decency to come out against Trump and everything he represents all the time forever.

4628

Yeah high standards here to say the goal of boy scouts is not raise a bunch of spoiled rich men who do drugs and alcohol and fuck women on yachts. I would say calling it inappropriate isn’t quite cutting it… and that part, wasn’t even addressing the inappropriate political stuff.

4629

OK. I’m going to stop responding to you on this topic because it’s obvious you have made up your mind. I see no point in further discussion here.

4630

You are free to do what you like. Yes, I’ve made up my mind the the Boy Scouts didn’t handle this well. Absolutely correct. Huge crime there I know. And I am not even on the everyone has to be against Trump train Armando keeps fueling.

4631

Yet again, Donald Trump has acted poorly. The Boy Scouts were put in an impossible position. I think calling their statement inadequate or a non-apology is unfair… they need to acknowledge what happened and this statement is in keeping with their whole philosophy of staying above the political fray. Wishing that they might have said more to rebuke Donald is admirable but unrealistic.

And it’s true that “I’m sorry you were offended” can sometimes come off as a bullshit apology and an avoidance of the real reason one should be apologizing, but not always and I don’t think that’s the case here. I think this is a legitimate time to say it.

4632

The Boy Scouts have values, mottos, laws and oath statements. They didn’t have to point out anything specific Trump said or mention Trump at all. They could have easily come out and emphasized that pretty much everything he said goes against those values they claim to uphold by reminding everyone what it is they do stand for, basically promising that everyone who attended will be reminded of what the Scouts stand for… Instead they just give this half-ass apology about not being partisan. These are their mottos. There is nothing impossible about reminding everyone what those are, assuming, of course, they actually believe what they say they believe.

4633

They believe in telling young people to strive for those values. But they live in the grown-up world with the rest of us.

4634

You can’t have it both ways. You either teach these kids like they’re kids and you emphasize the values you push when they encounter something that pushes back against that, or you treat them like adults and hold them responsible.

A lot of what Trump said counters their values as an organization. They can certainly hold up their values without saying they are against the president.

4635

Of course you can. It’s called moral complexity.

Heck, you can criticize everyone involved if that floats your boat but I’m sticking this squarely on Donald Trump.

4636

I am going to criticize the way the Boy Scouts handled it and blame Donald Trump for causing it in the first place! How’s that for complexity ;-).

4637

Much as I’d love to see it, I don’t think it would benefit the Boy Scouts to make a statement like you describe and then land in the news cycle for another two or three days.

Of course it would be fun to read Trump tweets attacking the boy scouts of America. That might be worth it.

4638

And you know he would, and when the dust settled, I think the Boy Scouts would’ve emerged just fine and maybe boosted some of their declining membership numbers by reminding everyone what they really offer and stand for. Instead we get reminders on a bunch of websites about Hitler’s youth program, watching them boo Obama and a chance to see our POTUS talking to them like he’s in some sort of gentleman’s club. Much better outcome I am sure. (sarcasm).

4639

If an organization wants to assert moral values, then it needs to make moral decisions. “It’s complicated…” is not a decision.

And if the BSA profess any values, they need to be clear when those values are contradicted at their events. If they fail to do so, it is reasonable to conclude that the speech is in keeping with their values.

4640

They’re asserting their moral values by not getting publicly involved with politics. That is a decision and it makes sense to me as a guiding philosophy and a long-standing tradition. Trump is the one who broke protocol but that doesn’t make it wise for the BSA to do so in response.

Meanwhile, I’m sure scout leaders all over America are discussing the subject in their small, local meetings. Calling him to task or coming out pro-Trump even! This is as it should be.

4641

This story hits close to home. I’m an Eagle scout, and I was there at the Jamboree 20 years ago for Bill Clinton’s speech, which was, as you’d expect, positive, inspirational, and completely apolitical.

I’m disappointed in the national leadership both for the weak apology and for extending the invitation in the first place to a president who so manifestly obviously stands in opposition to the organization’s core moral values.

4642

I wouldn’t expect the BSA to strongly criticize Trump for his speech, and I understand why the open invitation remained open. Unfortunately, Trump is a narcissistic jack-ass and that’s what you’re going to get in any venue. Lesson learned. Be fun to see if that invitation still stands next year.

What’s missing, for me, is using this as a teachable moment and focus on the behavior of the kids and leaders at the event. Booing a former president is certainly well beyond the pale of their supposed values. I don’t care what the crowd mentality is like or what their age is.

What would the BSA have done if the scouts booed Trump off the stage (which would have been AMAZING!, but nonetheless…)? They would have fallen all over themselves apologizing to Trump and the public and admonishing the kids for that behavior.

Maybe the leaders have been directed to do some come-to-Jesus-ing at the troop level, but I kinda’ doubt it. In the crowd shots there seemed to be plenty of leaders loving every minute of the speech.

4643

If you are willing to tell children what they are doing wrong, but you are not willing to tell the President what he is doing wrong, then you are simply a moral coward. Why should anyone listen to you?