# Wanted: Eagle Scouts &/or People With Shabby American Flags **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626 "2012-09-13T20:42:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/21 "2012-09-14T20:34:10Z")
Very, very interesting. His very first idea was to advocate for gays in scouts. I told him that one would never fly. > [@Enginerd](#): > > No, you should take a step back and let him do this on his own. It’s his project to do or not do, including the research. > Meh. It helped with some college and scholarship applications, I guess, but I’ve very much soured on BSA as an organization due to their record on gay rights. It seemed like a big deal when I was 17, but 20 years later I’m more embarrassed by the Boy Scouts than I am proud of my work. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/22 "2012-09-14T20:55:12Z")
I think that would be a fantastic thing for him to do, but that’s not an Eagle project either. It’s a worthy cause (moreso than a few Eagle projects I can think of), but it’s inwardly focused rather than a service to the community. Depending on the district and the people who make up the review boards, it could also end any chance of him making Eagle. He’d be right, of course, but he’d have to decide for himself if that would be enough for him. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/23 "2012-09-14T21:23:13Z")
At my local grocery store there is a box for old flags. Some organization which doesn’t come to mind at the moment promises to dispose of them properly and with due respect. I’ve never seen anyone put one in, but it’s an idea, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/24 "2012-09-14T21:46:33Z")
> [@cynyc](#): > > Very, very interesting. His very first idea was to advocate for gays in scouts. I told him that one would never fly. That would not be seen as service to the community, for the same reason you can’t do a project at Scout Camp. Here is the workbook: > **[Advancement and Awards](https://www.scouting.org/programs/scouts-bsa/advancement-and-awards/)** > > Learn about how advancement and awards work in the Boy Scouts of America, including the requirements for each rank. > [@](#): > > Your project must present an opportunity for planning, development, and leadership. For example, if a blood drive is chosen and the blood bank provides a set of “canned” instructions to be implemented with no further planning, the planning effort would not meet the test. You may need to meet with blood bank officials and work out an approach that requires planning, development, and leadership. This might involve developing and carrying out a marketing and logistics plan, or coordinating multiple events. Our District doesn’t approve blood drives at all anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/25 "2012-09-14T23:53:18Z")
> [@cynyc](#): > > Very, very interesting. His very first idea was to advocate for gays in scouts. I told him that one would never fly. He’s probably better off doing this and failing to become an Eagle Scout then whatever project will actually make him an Eagle Scout. > [@Enginerd](#): > > I think that would be a fantastic thing for him to do, but that’s not an Eagle project either. It’s a worthy cause (moreso than a few Eagle projects I can think of), but it’s inwardly focused rather than a service to the community. I can see why the BSA might not see this a a service to the community (it is, assuming you think Scouting is beneficial to the community). But “inwardly focused”? Is he gay? And if he is, how can he be an Eagle Scout. And if he isn’t, how is this “inwardly focused”? ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/26 "2012-09-15T01:11:10Z")
By “inwardly focused,” I meant that it was a project aimed at the Boy Scouts rather than the community - basically, what **Algher** said here: > [@Algher](#): > > That would not be seen as service to the community, for the same reason you can’t do a project at Scout Camp. Improving the lot of gay scouts is a worthy cause, but it’s a project that focuses inwardly on the Boy Scouts and (as you say) would have little or no impact on the community outside of the troop. That’s not what the Eagle project is supposed to be. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/27 "2012-09-15T09:06:08Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > The new Eagle workbook is at the NESA website. He should look at that and figure out how he is going to fill out the report from a project like this. > > Our District likes projects that create / build something permanent. They also want to see leadership. Finally, they want to see a lot of total hours (candidate plus others). > > My sons project hit over 500 hours. > > I am an Eagle and glad I did it. I am also a public fighter at the Council level on the gay issue - you can search for past threads on the subject where I have participated. Someday we will be able to wipe this tarnish off. Eagle Scout, glad I did it. Not to derail the thread, but I’ve been thinking about the whole send-back-your-award-in-protest thing. Any thoughts on this issue. Suppose I ought to write a letter or three as well. ---
**Author:** ![jepflast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@jepflast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jepflast)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/28 "2012-09-15T09:14:59Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Isn’t “collect underpants” one of the steps? Acutally, it’s one of the **Phases**. In fact, it’s Phase 1. Phase 3 is “profit.” ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/29 "2012-09-17T22:55:39Z")
Just checking in to say The Kid has been sick. He’ll live. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/30 "2012-09-18T01:45:18Z")
He better talk to FDNY to get the permit to burn something. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/31 "2012-09-18T02:02:00Z")
My older brother and several of his friends are Eagle scouts. Since he’s eight years older than me, I don’t remember what his project was. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626/32 "2012-09-18T03:14:24Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > Eagle Scout, glad I did it. Not to derail the thread, but I’ve been thinking about the whole send-back-your-award-in-protest thing. Any thoughts on this issue. Suppose I ought to write a letter or three as well. I sent a letter to HQ, copied the national head of the Presbyterian Church as well. Given that Presbyterians are one of the top 10 Charter Orgs, and that we ordain gays and lesbians, I figured I would try to get a little heat coming from the bigger partners. I have passed on my issues at the Council level as well, and I now call Council HQ each time a parents drops due to our policy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanted-eagle-scouts-or-people-with-shabby-american-flags/634626.md?page=1)