Scouts Train to Fight Terrorists, and More

[OneBlueSky]

this was published in May, but I just recently ran across it . . . rather disturbing, to say the least . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us/14explorers.html?_r=2



IMPERIAL, Calif. — Ten minutes into arrant mayhem in this town near the Mexican border, and the gunman, a disgruntled Iraq war veteran, has already taken out two people, one slumped in his desk, the other covered in blood on the floor.

The responding officers — eight teenage boys and girls, the youngest 14 — face tripwire, a thin cloud of poisonous gas and loud shots — BAM! BAM! — fired from behind a flimsy wall. They move quickly, pellet guns drawn and masks affixed.

“United States Border Patrol! Put your hands up!” screams one in a voice cracking with adolescent determination as the suspect is subdued.

It is all quite a step up from the square knot.

more . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us/14explorers.html?_r=2

[Dogtown]

1. Jugend!

No perceptible difference.

[ET Awful]

2. Hmmm. . .

"In a competition in Arizona that he did not oversee, Deputy Lowenthal said, one role-player wore traditional Arab dress. “If we’re looking at 9/11 and what a Middle Eastern terrorist would be like,” he said, “then maybe your role-player would look like that. I don’t know, would you call that politically incorrect?”"


Weren't the 9/11 hijackers wearing like polo shits and Dockers?

[One_Life_To_Give]

3. Police Explorers have been around for years

Competitions can give you a false impression of what the entire program is about. It's alot opf fun for the participants, especially in that age group to do the more physical and exciting elements. But don't judge a program just on that. There is alot more to being a good Cop or Border Patrol agent than gun fights. I expect these kids have to learn all of the other stuff before they get too much of this adrennalin rush fix.

[gratuitous]

4. Bright, shining acolytes for the High Church of Redemptive Violence

Toy relics, but relic nonetheless. Hold them with reverence and awe, children. You're on Holy Ground, preparing for the Holiest of Holies. Hallelujah, and all praise to the rifle and the bullet.