I'm hoping that all the publicity about the Boy Scouts and their constructive use of the Park has caused more people to buy their trees from them and increased their revenues.
From the ugly root comes the beautiful flower, or in this case, the beautiful tree.
But, in the spirit of Christmas, let's cut the Manager some slack on this one.
They should have paid the buck per tree. You want to make money in America, you pay your share. The trees are $30+, so add the buck and sentimental saps like you will still buy their Boy Scout trees.
I'm not clear on what's so sacred about the Boy Scouts? I've nothing against them but they are just another private club. They are no different than AAU soccer teams or a youth swim club.
looks like the mangler was just following a trend....about the only thing i agree with him on.
There are many young men who find a home in the Scouts and aspire to be coveted troop leaders. They earn their badges the same as the others yet according to the Boy Scouts, being a homosexual isn't consistent with its mission to "instill in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character."
These "values" were challenged before the Supreme Court in 2000. The court eventually gave the Boys Scouts of America a free badge to discriminate against gays, atheists and agnostics under the guise of Freedom of Speech. The battle didn't end there, though. Since then, local governments have been giving the BSA one big collective mud pie to the face. Over the last six years local governments have fought against the discriminatory ruling by forcing the organization to pay for space they were previously being granted for free. The message from the Supreme Court: Discriminate all you want. The message from local States: You may have been given the right to discriminate, but they didn't say we had to allow you to do it for free. The Scout's problem: Some local chapter membership is down and they can't afford to pay for the space they use.
In the latest legal battle, the California Supreme Court ruled that city of Berkeley can refuse to grant the Berkeley Sea Scouts free use of a public marina because of their discriminatory policies. Two years ago, Connecticut removed the group from its list of charities that receive donations from state employees. In Philadelphia, the Boy Scouts face eviction from their city-owned headquarters. They must pay rent or change their policies. The Scouts are also being challenged in separate cases for requiring their members to swear before God.
Despite these setbacks, BSA believes the federal courts will once again protect their policies, "The issue of governments seeking to punish organizations for exercising their First Amendment rights is a recurring one. There will be other opportunities for the Supreme Court to affirm First Amendment protections for organizations dealing with government agencies," says Boy Scouts attorney George Davidson. Until then, I hope they can pay the rent.
HAWTHORNE, Fla., June 16,2009 (UPI) -- An adult and three teens at a Florida Boy Scout camp are charged with allegedly kidnapping a 12-year-old and forcing him to drink urine, authorities said.
As an Eagle Scout, who was in Scouting during the dark days of the late '70s and early '80s when it seemed that just about every newspaper had a headline of yet another scoutmaster or merit badge councilor being arrested for rape, I need to comment on two things.
First, the Scouts back then (and I presume now) were very much into "don't ask, don't tell." You can not imagine how difficult it is to get adult volunteers -- and back then at the tail end of Vietnam and the general visceral attitude toward all things military, it was worse.
NAMBLA knew this - this all came out in the suits against the Catholic church - and persons wishing to have sex with young boys volunteered to be Scoutmasters and such. And raped the boys. And it was problematic.
And the solution to this was to say "no gays." Yes, I know that there are many gay men who would never do anything inappropriate, every bit as much as there are many heterosexual men who would never do anything inappropriate to a woman.
When the rape crisis centers start hiring a 49% male staff, then come talk to me about the Scouts banning gays.
Second, there is a Federal Law that reads - in part - as follows: No State or unit of general local government that has a designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum and that is a recipient of assistance under this title shall deny equal access or a fair opportunity to meet to, or discriminate against, any youth organization, including the Boy Scouts of America or any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, that wishes to conduct a meeting or otherwise participate in that designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum.
What the Town Mangler missed - and I did point this out to him - is that while he could "tax" EVERY nonprofit using public land, he couldn't just do it to the Boy Scouts. In other words, he would have to impose a dollar "tax" on every sale at the Farmers' Market.
And if he "discriminated" against the Scouts, all the Federal money that comes to Amherst would evaporate. Every bit as much as if he was to discriminate on the basis of race or gender.
People missed this at the time, but Amherst dodged a bullet....
Another successful season for Christmas tree sales by the Amherst/Pelham Boy Scouts. And this year, no $1/tree tax from the Town Mangler.
I'm hoping that all the publicity about the Boy Scouts and their constructive use of the Park has caused more people to buy their trees from them and increased their revenues.
ReplyDeleteFrom the ugly root comes the beautiful flower, or in this case, the beautiful tree.
But, in the spirit of Christmas, let's cut the Manager some slack on this one.
Rich Morse
I'm glad you didn't use the metaphor about the little ACORN.
ReplyDeleteBut you're correct of course: 'Tis the season and all that.
All's well that ends well. Ho, ho, ho.
They had the best trees EVER this year!
ReplyDeleteOur Blue spruce is the best one we have decorated. Thanks Scouts.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone.
-Ryan
They should have paid the buck per tree. You want to make money in America, you pay your share. The trees are $30+, so add the buck and sentimental saps like you will still buy their Boy Scout trees.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 2:45 PM,
ReplyDeleteDidn't you forget something?:
"Bah, Humbug!"
There's one in every crowd.
I'm not clear on what's so sacred about the Boy Scouts? I've nothing against them but they are just another private club. They are no different than AAU soccer teams or a youth swim club.
ReplyDeletelooks like the mangler was just following a trend....about the only thing i agree with him on.
ReplyDeleteThere are many young men who find a home in the Scouts and aspire to be coveted troop leaders. They earn their badges the same as the others yet according to the Boy Scouts, being a homosexual isn't consistent with its mission to "instill in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character."
These "values" were challenged before the Supreme Court in 2000. The court eventually gave the Boys Scouts of America a free badge to discriminate against gays, atheists and agnostics under the guise of Freedom of Speech. The battle didn't end there, though. Since then, local governments have been giving the BSA one big collective mud pie to the face. Over the last six years local governments have fought against the discriminatory ruling by forcing the organization to pay for space they were previously being granted for free. The message from the Supreme Court: Discriminate all you want. The message from local States: You may have been given the right to discriminate, but they didn't say we had to allow you to do it for free. The Scout's problem: Some local chapter membership is down and they can't afford to pay for the space they use.
In the latest legal battle, the California Supreme Court ruled that city of Berkeley can refuse to grant the Berkeley Sea Scouts free use of a public marina because of their discriminatory policies. Two years ago, Connecticut removed the group from its list of charities that receive donations from state employees. In Philadelphia, the Boy Scouts face eviction from their city-owned headquarters. They must pay rent or change their policies. The Scouts are also being challenged in separate cases for requiring their members to swear before God.
Despite these setbacks, BSA believes the federal courts will once again protect their policies, "The issue of governments seeking to punish organizations for exercising their First Amendment rights is a recurring one. There will be other opportunities for the Supreme Court to affirm First Amendment protections for organizations dealing with government agencies," says Boy Scouts attorney George Davidson. Until then, I hope they can pay the rent.
f*ck those boyscout freeloaders, and burn xmas.
Scouts allegedly force boy to drink urine
ReplyDeleteHAWTHORNE, Fla., June 16,2009 (UPI) -- An adult and three teens at a Florida Boy Scout camp are charged with allegedly kidnapping a 12-year-old and forcing him to drink urine, authorities said.
Peace on earth,
ReplyDeleteGood will toward men.
(Can't let that last post be the last word before the holiday.)
unless they are the cowardly witless mangler.
ReplyDeletei. p. freely
God bless us, everyone.
ReplyDeleteAs an Eagle Scout, who was in Scouting during the dark days of the late '70s and early '80s when it seemed that just about every newspaper had a headline of yet another scoutmaster or merit badge councilor being arrested for rape, I need to comment on two things.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the Scouts back then (and I presume now) were very much into "don't ask, don't tell." You can not imagine how difficult it is to get adult volunteers -- and back then at the tail end of Vietnam and the general visceral attitude toward all things military, it was worse.
NAMBLA knew this - this all came out in the suits against the Catholic church - and persons wishing to have sex with young boys volunteered to be Scoutmasters and such. And raped the boys. And it was problematic.
And the solution to this was to say "no gays." Yes, I know that there are many gay men who would never do anything inappropriate, every bit as much as there are many heterosexual men who would never do anything inappropriate to a woman.
When the rape crisis centers start hiring a 49% male staff, then come talk to me about the Scouts banning gays.
Second, there is a Federal Law that reads - in part - as follows: No State or unit of general local government that has a designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum and that is a recipient of assistance under this title shall deny equal access or a fair opportunity to meet to, or discriminate against, any youth organization, including the Boy Scouts of America or any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, that wishes to conduct a meeting or otherwise participate in that designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum.
What the Town Mangler missed - and I did point this out to him - is that while he could "tax" EVERY nonprofit using public land, he couldn't just do it to the Boy Scouts. In other words, he would have to impose a dollar "tax" on every sale at the Farmers' Market.
And if he "discriminated" against the Scouts, all the Federal money that comes to Amherst would evaporate. Every bit as much as if he was to discriminate on the basis of race or gender.
People missed this at the time, but Amherst dodged a bullet....
f*ck those boyscout freeloaders, and burn xmas.
ReplyDeleteWow the amount of mental energy to produce this statement must of drained you for an entire week.
Profanity is the effort of a feeble mind trying to express it self forcibly.
Merry Christmas
-Ryan
O timid one, awaken, exert yourself, draw back the curtains your training and background have hung over the windows of your soul.
ReplyDeleteNice photo, Larry!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary. I got a new camera.
ReplyDeleteDonna dropped my slightly older one when she was in China so I got to upgrade.