From: Dr. Bob Klein (drbob@troop111.org)
Date: Fri Jan 24 2003 - 20:10:31 CST
I think we're arguing apples and oranges here, and a clarification is
needed. I (and I suspect Chas) are not objecting to people having (or
in some cases even wearing) Arrowhead awards and other Philmont
memorabilia per se, but rather to those who wear them and ***pretend***
to have accomplished whatever it is it took to legitimately earn them.
Yes, people can have all sorts of valid reasons for wearing Philmont
memorabilia (and John's are especially poignant and powerful), but said
people are always forthright and honest as to WHY they are wearing the
item. As to the rest, I strongly doubt if we'll ever hear any variant
of "I'm wearing this Arrowhead because I'm hoping to bamboozle people
into thinking that I completed a trek (so that they will therefore be
highly impressed with me)" - but that's of course exactly what they're
doing, and more importantly what they are *intending* to do. Nobody
wears a Philmont Arrowhead for its full embroidery or dazzling color scheme.
They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but of course we
all do so, all the time. The initial perception of any person is based
on appearances - we all know this. The Scout uniform is a history page
for those with the eyes to read the icons. A boy who is wearing an
Eagle patch or medal, or an Adult who is wearing an Eagle knot on his
uniform, is assumed to have earned that award. An Adult who is wearing
Woodbadge beads is assumed to have earned them. A Scout or Adult
wearing a Vigil O/A sash is assumed to have earned it. An Adult wearing
3 or 4 service stars and 4 or 5 rows of knots garners the respect due to
anyone who (it is assumed) has so obviously put in so much effort and
time into Scouting. And a Scout or Scouter wearing a Philmont
Arrowhead, or a Maine/Matagamon Moose, or an Atikokan Loon [do I have
that right?] is assumed to have been there and done that. Sure there
can be other reasons, but that's the 99% expectation when you see the
award hanging off the right-hand pocket.
If I remember correctly, it was Napolean himself who verbally
acknowledged the power of "bits of metal and cloth", because the combat
veterans who wore his top medals of Honor had the automatic respect of
their fellow soldiers. I believe that in the American Army, generals
salute first to privates who are wearing a CMH. Conversely there may be
no greater sin in the military that to wear a top award that wasn't
earned (e.g., recall Admiral Boorda and his Combat "V's" - and that case
wasn't even all that clear-cut).
One last comment - on those occasions where I have "found out" a Scout
or Adult wearing an unearned award, virtually all of them were deeply
shamed. And I really didn't have to say a thing - they already knew....
- Dr. Bob
Johnlebl@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 01/23/2003 6:21:25 PM Central Standard Time,
> Txnscout@aol.com writes:
>
>> If you did not earn it, why on earth would you want to wear it? Just
>> my two cents worth......
> There are many ways to "earn" something.
>
> I personally believe it is a bit sanctimonious for me or anybody else
> for that matter to judge whether someone earned the arrowhead or belt or
> neckerchief.
<snip>
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