Gay Teen Achieves Eagle Scout Milestone in Maryland

[Playinghardball]

Change is coming quickly to the Boy Scouts of America after years of turmoil and debate over its membership policy, with an openly gay 17-year-old in Maryland achieving the highest rank of Eagle Scout.

On Monday night, Boy Scout Troop 52 of Chevy Chase, one of the nation's oldest, formed a circle and gave Pascal Tessier sustained applause and some handshakes and pats on the back. His achievement comes just weeks after the organization lifted its ban on gay youth and may make him the first publicly gay Eagle approved under the new policy.

Scoutmaster Don Beckham walked to the middle of the Scout circle after a series of announcements about supplies for the next campout and announced the 17-year-old Tessier was officially the troop's newest Eagle. For Tessier, it represents six years of work, 27 merit badges and projects in service, leadership and outdoor skills. He put all that at risk, though, to advocate publicly against the Scouts ban on gays.

"A Scout is brave," Beckham told the troop, quoting from the Boy Scout Law after presenting Tessier his Eagle badge.



More here: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gay-teen-achieves-eagle-scout-milestone-maryland-n27726

[Gothmog]

1. Good for him

[oldhippie]

2. What the hell is this "form a circle" ......

... shit? And the Scoutmaster enters a "circle", makes some admin and logistics announcements, and then do an "oh, by the way" announcement about there being a new Eagle Scout? And hand him his Eagle badge?

WTF? What happened to the solemn and dignified Court of Honor? The visiting dignitaries? The formal presentation? The Eagle Charge? Was it only the Scoutmaster officiating? Where is the Council? The Council Executive?

Is this young man getting the short shrift on the ceremony because he is gay? Or has the ceremony changed that much since I had my Eagle Court of Honor in 1966? Or am I reading this all wrong?

[yawnmaster]

4. there are many different ways of presenting the badge...

Officially, one is an Eagle Scout right after board of review and council verification.
The Court of Honor's are just the presentation.
I've been to both formal and very informal presentations.
It really isn't clear from this short article, but you may be jumping to conclusions with current troops...
some like very formal, some go for very informal.

Reading this article, it may have been that they wanted to award this immediately upon the change in rules, which may have been more important to this Eagle and the troop than the formality.
There very well may have been visiting dignitaries, the press was likely there.

I do doubt he was getting short shrift because he is gay. The troop and leadership in that troop seemed to be supportive of him.

[FSogol]

5. True. In my sons' troop, they reconize the Eagle at the next meeting and then hold a Court of

Honor at a later date. The parents usually plan it, order a cake, invite grandparents, friends, etc.

[libdem4life]

3. Another victory...good news.