Tommy is not going to like this news:
Officials with the local Boy Scouts and the Motion Picture Assn. of America on Friday unveiled the Respect Copyrights Activity Patch — emblazoned with a large circle "C" copyright sign along with a film reel and musical notes.I've got a lot of respect for my handful of friends who made it through Eagle Scout and beyond, having myself never learned a knot more complicated than the shoelace (despite being in the scouts for some years). Shame to see the Scouts bowing to their less noble instincts and climbing in bed with an organization like the MPAA.The 52,000 Scouts who are eligible may earn the patch by participating in a curriculum produced by the MPAA. To earn the badge, Scouts must participate in several activities including creating a video public-service announcement and visiting a video-sharing website to identify which materials are copyrighted. They may also watch a movie and discuss how people behind the scenes would be harmed if the film were pirated.
Fortunately for supporters of free information, the allure of free movies, music, and pr0n is enough to counteract whatever content-side sympathies the Scouts establishment are able to instill among young troops with this very ugly badge. (Unfortunately for supporters of the Scouts, all that freely available digital content probably does a number on recruiting. Tying knots wasn't even all that fun back in the stone age days of my youth.) There's no irony lost in the notion of the MPAA tapping the Boy Scouts in order to develop a clone army.
Tommy can't comment on this post without first defending this badge.
Posted by Kriston at October 21, 2006 2:17 PMI'm not Tommy, but as the proud holder of the Rabbit Raising merit badge (and an Eagle Scout), I feel compelled to point out that:
1. Raising rabbits is actually fun. They're great animals.
2. That badge was discontinued in the mid-90s because not enough people were earning it.
Posted by: Stentor at October 21, 2006 11:14 PMWhat do the boy scouts get out of this?
Posted by: ben wolfson at October 22, 2006 1:38 AMA very ugly badge, apparently. I was never a scout, so I fail to see the appeal.
Posted by: teofilo at October 22, 2006 2:37 AMThey probably feel like they have to throw a bone to the powers that be from time to time to keep that fancy Congressional charter of theirs. You know, proving they aren't communist and all.
Although I did in fact earn the coin collecting merit badge (along with stamp collecting!), I much preferred the badges relating to guns, knives, and fire.
Posted by: Matt F at October 22, 2006 4:40 PMI much preferred the badges relating to guns, knives, and fire.
I, too, like the ones relating to rods, blades, and flames.
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