HELL TO THE CHEF?

The idea that Hail to the Chief is played to announce the 45th president makes me cringe.  The dignity and solemnity of the office deserves respect. This man has no respect. If I was to write a play right now, it would start with a big fat orange peacock coming out of a bathroom having wiped his behind on the American flag.  Laughing. Where is the San Francisco Mime Troupe when we need them???

I just spoke with a staffer at The Summit, the now permanent site for the Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree held every four years.  He was flustered, but professional, deferring all remarks and questions regarding the president's speech to the over 40,000 scouts and staff who were in attendance yesterday, July 24, 2017.  I've not read the text of the president's speech, but understand that this man got the assembled crowd to 'boo' President Obama and cheer for other things that had nothing to do with encouraging the Scouts to become good citizens.  One comment I read used the terms "self congratulatory and jingoistic..." Not a surprise.

I encourage every person who may come upon this short blurb of mine to do three things: 

 

1.  Write an email to the Public Relations folks for the BSA:  PR@scouting.org   If you feel that the president completely overstepped good taste by his rude comments, ask the BSA to issue a comment that speaks to this issue.

2.  Write a snail mail to the BSA with expanded comments demanding that this issue be addressed publicly. No one at the phone number knew the name of the Chief Scout Executive!  So.. that title may suffice: UPDATE.. HERE IS THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE CEO OF NATIONAL BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA:

Michael B. Surbaugh, CEO

Boy Scouts of America.  

1325 Walnut Hill Lane. 

P.O. Box 152079. 

Irving, Texas 75015-2079  

3.   Take time to give them a call to ask if they knew that the president would go off as he did and ask for them to issues a statement: 

972 580 2000    

They are inundated by calls and have a recorded response that answers no questions.  Ask to speak with a person and you'll be directed to a press '7' option for information.  

Don't do that.  

The best that can be done is to leave a message. Wait for recorded instructions to do that.  

I learned from the person I spoke with at The Summit site that the president's 45 car motorcade and the fly over by Air Force One was impressive to the kids on the ground.  I just hope that these scouts will understand that being manipulated by this person is a deliberate trick that may turn the BSA into some frightening version of Hitler Youth and it must be stopped. Right Now!  Please copy and post to friends or share this link.  Did you know that the US President is the honorary president of the BSA!  That should change immediately! What do you think?

After seeing a stunning performance of "Building the Wall" on Sunday and hearing it's sickening prophesy, I hope that this call to attention may be shared with at least one other person.  

http://onstagelosangeles.blogspot.com/2017/07/building-wall-extended-at-fountain.html 

Copy and paste to read my review. 

Let's do something!

Michael Sheehan

July 25, 2017

Since posting this call to action, I have composed the following letter to Mr. Surbaugh and encourage you to use appropriate elements and send him a snail mail or an email.  Guessing at his email address: Michael.Surbaugh@scouting.org or MichaelB.Surbaugh@scouting.org or some variation.  If I puzzle it out, I'll correct this information.  Here's letter that goes out in the US Post today:  I don't know why I can't fix the size of the text.  Copy and paste it into an email or snail mail and it should bump up? 

Dear Mr. Surbaugh:

I learned to be respectful as a Boy Scout in Greeley, Colorado and I'm grateful for it. Hopefully, your National Boy Scouts of America organization will find a way to respond in a respectful but shocked way to the debacle that happened yesterday.  You and I both know that kids the age of the boys attending the National Jamboree are impressionable, as were the kids in Germany in the thirties.  Hitler Youth.  

I hope that you are as appalled as I am regarding the president’s very un-presidential speech and that you will find a way to distance yourself from this 'honorary president’ of the BSA.  I'd say it was time for that office to be revoked.  An early impeachment?! If the BSA is not political, then bestowing this honor on a politician is inconsistent with being non-political.  I am embarrassed for you.

Crowd mentality, especially thirty thousand boys at a very critical age, is a powerful thing. It is imperative that we teach our children to think critically and to discuss what happened.  Of course, I am partisan and feeling abject fear as each day unfolds regarding this man.  How are you feeling?  Off the record.

Let us never permit our children to be manipulated the way this event may have changed their lives. Let's say something.  Please let the nation know that the Boy Scouts of America does not ratify nor condone disrespectful remarks by anyone about others.  Hopefully, you will make a public statement on behalf of Scouting that in its pure form follows the Scout Oath and our Scout Law. “Courteous” may be the by word as we see this president make virtually obscene and disparaging remarks about his imagined enemies almost every single day.  Speak out. Please.

            Sincerely,