Cambridge Officials Put a Stop to Boy Scout Drive to Aid Troops in Iraq

[dt3]

FOXNews.com - Cambridge Officials Put a Stop to Boy Scout Drive to Aid Troops in Iraq - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The city that's home to Harvard and MIT solidified its nickname as "The People's Republic of Cambridge" when it put a stop to a Boy Scout troop's Election Day drive to collect care packages for American soldiers in Iraq, claiming it was "political."
“We just wanted to make a lot of troops happy,” Scout Patrick O’Connor told the Boston Herald.
The big-hearted Scouts from Cambridge Troop 45 had placed donation boxes at the city's 33 polling stations in hopes of collecting toiletries, magazines, candy and other items after one of O'Connor's relatives was injured in an IED explosion while serving in Iraq.
But someone complained to the city, allegedly claiming the boxes were a “political statement,” and the boxes were removed.
Click here to read the Boston Herald story.
“I was devastated that someone would think to take (the donation boxes) out,” O'Connor told the newspaper.
“This was not about supporting the war or any politician or political view," troop committee chairman Jamisean Patterson told the Herald. "This was supporting the brave men and women who are stationed overseas.”
Patterson said the Scouts obtained a verbal OK from the city election commission and polling station officials.
Cambridge Vice Mayor Timothy J. Toomey Jr. told the Herald that a breakdown in communication, rather than malice, led to the boxes being removed.
“Boy Scouts Troop 45’s efforts to support our troops are a benefit for the entire community, and the council will be working with them to ensure that their goals are fully realized,” he said in a written statement.

This makes me mad.

 

[All Else Failed]

I was a boy scout once. The only think I got out of it was how to make my jeans into a floatation device. lol


But yeah, this seems a bit excessive.

 

[dt3]

I was a boy scout once. The only think I got out of it was how to make my jeans into a floatation device. lol


But yeah, this seems a bit excessive.

I don't think "excessive" is right word. More like total political bullshit. If they were collecting for the homeless it wouldn't cause a backlash. This is the biggest thing I hate. Even if you don't like this administration and think the war is unjust, you should still support the troops. They don't make the policy, they just put their lives on the line for it.

 

[All Else Failed]

I don't think "excessive" is right word. More like total political bullshit. If they were collecting for the homeless it wouldn't cause a backlash. This is the biggest thing I hate. Even if you don't like this administration and think the war is unjust, you should still support the troops. They don't make the policy, they just put their lives on the line for it.

No one should be forced to support anything, even the troops. Thats not how democracy works. I PERSONALLY support the troops in the sense that they are in a incredibly stressful situation where they could be killed, not the war itself.

 

[dt3]

No one should be forced to support anything, even the troops. Thats not how democracy works. I PERSONALLY support the troops in the sense that they are in a incredibly stressful situation where they could be killed, not the war itself.

I think the government on every level should support the troops, because they're the ones who give them the ability to stay in power. It's not like they were forcing people to donate in order to vote or something.

The boxes were at polling stations, which, at least here, are typically at schools. What schools don't have a food drive this time of year for the needy? If they can do that, why can't they collect items for our troops? It's not a "political statement", it's humans helping other humans in need.

 

[All Else Failed]

I think the government on every level should support the troops, because they're the ones who give them the ability to stay in power. It's not like they were forcing people to donate in order to vote or something.

The boxes were at polling stations, which, at least here, are typically at schools. What schools don't have a food drive this time of year for the needy? If they can do that, why can't they collect items for our troops? It's not a "political statement", it's humans helping other humans in need.

I'm not talking about the government, I'm just tlaking about everyday people. No one should have some sort of manditory moral duty to support troops. I choose to, though.

I agree, its stupid, and they should be allowed to collect things for them.

 

[Tim]

I actually think removing them from polling stations was the right thing. I am 100% behind supporting our troops and having the ability to collect items to send to them. But at a polling station???? How can you not see that as a political statement? Does it really make sense to put them there? How many toiletries or canned goods do you bring with you to the polling station?
How about putting them where they make the most sense.... like a grocery store where people have bags of these things, where they can add a few extra items to their list to donate on the way out...

I think we should keep all polling stations 100% free from ANYTHING that can be considered political.

 

[All Else Failed]

hmmm.......good point...

 

[dt3]

I actually think removing them from polling stations was the right thing. I am 100% behind supporting our troops and having the ability to collect items to send to them. But at a polling station???? How can you not see that as a political statement? Does it really make sense to put them there? How many toiletries or canned goods do you bring with you to the polling station?
How about putting them where they make the most sense.... like a grocery store where people have bags of these things, where they can add a few extra items to their list to donate on the way out...

I think we should keep all polling stations 100% free from ANYTHING that can be considered political.

I don't quite agree. I don't think it's political at all to support the troops. You can support the troops without supporting the war, in fact I think that's how most people are now.

Like I said before, most polling stations are at schools. Most schools have some sort of canned food drive this time of year for needy families. What's the difference in that and supporting the troops?

 

[Tim]

I don't quite agree. I don't think it's political at all to support the troops. You can support the troops without supporting the war, in fact I think that's how most people are now.

Like I said before, most polling stations are at schools. Most schools have some sort of canned food drive this time of year for needy families. What's the difference in that and supporting the troops?

:dunno It wouldn't affect me to have these collection boxes at the polling stations... but like it or not, the war is VERY political and even though it is the good of the troops and not the war, it's still too close to stepping over the line to being political. So I think it's better to be safe than sorry... I would say the exact same thing if an environmental group had boxes out collecting acorns, or a homeless shelter collecting clothes...
There is a time and a place for everything, I just don't think this is the best of timing. When people go to a pooling station, they shouldn't need to think about anything but voting.

Canned food drives at schools are great, it gets the kids involved. If the scouts went that way I would see absolutely no resistance to it. But the school doesn't have their canned goods drive at the polling stations... I would see no need for that. Like I said, how many people come to a polling station with items to donate? Are they going to run back home to get something for the donation box?
It's a poor place to have a collection box.... it would be the same as having one outside the strip club... who the hell has canned goods when they go to the nudy bar?

 

[GraceAbounds]

I don't like the 'Boy Scouts'.

 

[All Else Failed]

I don't like the 'Boy Scouts'.

why? I dislike them too, I'm just curious as to why you do.

 

[GraceAbounds]

why? I dislike them too, I'm just curious as to why you do.

I went to put my oldest in and we went to a couple of meetings. 90% of it seemed like fund raising. Not much time was spent on teaching the boys 'outfitter knowledge'. I wasn't impressed at all.

 

[All Else Failed]

I went to put my oldest in and we went to a couple of meetings. 90% of it seemed like fund raising. Not much time was spent on teaching the boys 'outfitter knowledge'. I wasn't impressed at all.

Yeah, a lot of it is that. Kind of silly.


I believe there is an organization like the scouts...but its less strict in its policies and does more outdoor-sy things. The name of it escapes me at this moment.

 

[GraceAbounds]

Well if you remember it let me know and I'll check it out.

 

[HouseOvaries]

Grace, not all Boy Scout troops are like that. I was an eagle scout, even though I hated scouts. However, we did more outdoor adventures than actual fundraising.

 

[NuckingFuts]

I was never a boy Scout. I WAS KICKED OUT OF THE CUB SCOUTS FOR EATING A BROWNIE.:24::24::24:

 

[HouseOvaries]

I was never a boy Scout. I WAS KICKED OUT OF THE CUB SCOUTS FOR EATING A BROWNIE.:24::24::24:

The food or the girl scouts? Girl Scouts are also called, "Brownies".

 

[dt3]

Girl Scouts are also called, "Brownies".

That would be the joke.

 

[dt3]

Well if you remember it let me know and I'll check it out.

Don't buy it Gracie! It's probably some anarchist commune