Community | December 20, 2009 | 60 comments

Scouts train to fight terrorists, and more

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MetalestDragoon
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.

The Explorers program, a coeducational affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America that began 60 years ago, is training thousands of young people in skills used to confront terrorism, illegal immigration and escalating border violence — an intense ratcheting up of one of the group’s longtime missions to prepare youths for more traditional jobs as police officers and firefighters.

“This is about being a true-blooded American guy and girl,” said A. J. Lowenthal, a sheriff’s deputy here in Imperial County, whose life clock, he says, is set around the Explorers events he helps run. “It fits right in with the honor and bravery of the Boy Scouts.”

The training, which leaders say is not intended to be applied outside the simulated Explorer setting, can involve chasing down illegal border crossers as well as more dangerous situations that include facing down terrorists and taking out “active shooters,” like those who bring gunfire and death to college campuses. In a simulation here of a raid on a marijuana field, several Explorers were instructed on how to quiet an obstreperous lookout.

“Put him on his face and put a knee in his back,” a Border Patrol agent explained. “I guarantee that he’ll shut up.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us/14explorers.html
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60 comments // Scouts train to fight terrorists, and more

  • lu7cky
    • 0
      lu7cky  

    • There seems to be a recurring theme here at Current, whenever some bullshit is posted and then thoroughly debunked it generly reapears a few months later only to be taken as gospel truth, what the hell?
      The explorer program, which has been going on...well...for fricken ever...is strictly voluntary and designed for kids who have an interest in law enforcement or military service. I find it to be pretty cool that not only do kids that age have an idea of what they want to do with their lives, but also are given the means to experience it first hand and to actually accomplish their goals.
      IT HAS NOTHING DO DO WITH BEING A NAZI OR A MORMAN.
      I mean really....

    • 2 years ago
  • nmsamanda
  • magyver68
    • 0
      magyver68  

    • How hypocritical !!! Has this country become what it has been at war against...?
      children implanted with false memories...embedded with issues, the fear, and experiences of a past trauma of someone else . STOP BRAINWASHING OUR CHILDREN !!!
      THE ONLY THING AMERICA IS A LEADER WITH ANYMORE...IS FEAR!
      WHAT WILL THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN HISTORY DO WHEN
      IT IS DONE WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD...???
      I WOULD SUSPECT IT WILL START TO CONSUME IT'S OWN...
      starting with the children...and the medically fragile ...and the elderly.

    • 2 years ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • thewhompus
    • 0
      thewhompus  

    • Well.....the fact that no idiotic commentator has come out to support this on Current tells you one thing- it's a damned hard thing to rationalize.

      I think the format of the boy scouts could be well used and beneficial to youths, but the religious element needs to be checked.

      Imagine a BSA built on humanist principles.

    • 2 years ago
  • Loyal_Opposition
    • 0
      Loyal_Opposition  

    • This is sick. This is not Scouting. This is brainwashing. This is abuse.
      These are children.

      The only terrorists in this country are the agencies and organizations involved in training these children to fight "terrorism".

      What they are being taught will be used against us.

    • 2 years ago
  • Kaotik
    • 0
      Kaotik  

    • Haha... where are all the complainers of "video game violence" and "movie violence" at? I guess if it's "about being a true-blooded American guy and girl" then no one speaks.... little 14 year old boys and girls, here's something they don't teach you... once you're dead, you're dead......

    • 2 years ago
  • ploomis
  • rodstradamus
  • wintermadness90
  • MetalestDragoon
  • wintermadness90
  • Mulcahey
  • ryan8566
    • 0
      ryan8566  

    • is this taxpayer money funding this? directly or thru 'grants' to scouting? this is not traditional equipment. i would think the insurance rates would also be much higher with the obvious increased liability potential.

    • 2 years ago
  • ryan8566
    • 0
      ryan8566  

    • i was in Scouting from 'tenderfoot' to Eagle, then Exploring. what i don't see here is that every year we had to submit a 'parental/legal guardian' consent form - is that done?
      also, 'not intended to be used outside Explorer setting'? how can that be scrutinized?
      after Columbine, we were ready to close movie/video outlets. again, where are the parents?

    • 2 years ago
  • tomofnorthcal
  • kevinthedude
  • kevinthedude
  • decidedlyindecisive
  • rufescens
  • HeroMAY
  • erica_d
    • 0
      erica_d  

    • I'm from imperial county. this is definitely not Hitler youth. there are very limited after school activities for the kids out here. the ones that are available are all government oriented because majority of people and jobs opportunities are government related. so this is keeping the kids of the streets here and at least teaching them something. this is better then them becoming drug/people traffickers because mexico is 5 min away. its not the best activity but its better than nothing. there is no money for better activities out here.

    • 2 years ago
  • nmsamanda
  • ozoneocean
    • 0
      ozoneocean  

    • Great, so instead of being killed by a disgruntled office worker or a mad postman, you'll get mowed down by an insane child instead.

    • 2 years ago
  • Curtis_Wright
    • 0
      Curtis_Wright  

    • We will all be working for the government one day in some form or another. Get that money early and save the world at the same time. Let's just hope it's for the better but always expect the worst first.

    • 2 years ago
  • corndog67
    • 0
      corndog67  

    • You don't have to join. Maybe they are preparing for a career in the military or the police? And it says they chase illegals along the border. Look at the picture. They sure look like Mexicans to me.

      When I was in the Boy Scouts, they taught us gun safety, respect for yourself, and your country.

      Sure are a lot of pussies on this site. Probably wouldn't enlist if the terrorists were right at the front door.

    • 2 years ago
  • Giganticus
  • Loyal_Opposition
  • nmsamanda
    • 0
      nmsamanda  
    • corndog67:

      Southern California was once part of new spain. I am from New Mexico which was also part of new spain. mexico had control for less than 20 years. When the united states army came thru, the spanish sided with them in exchange for the right to land that had been granted to them by the king of spain. These land grants exist today. The spanish language is a right in our state's constitution. Many people who you concider mexican would be concidered native american had they been born a few miles north. Race is a definition made up by the us census and rarely is it ever correct. You should study more western history.

    • 2 years ago
  • KyrlonAcid
  • Admirable
    • 0
      Admirable  

    • Anyone that disagrees with the government is probably a terrorist!

      I cannot wait to be interrogated by the United States version of the Khmer Rouge or Hitler Youth and their child soldiers...

      It might be better if they learned about the constitution and the bill of rights rather than guns or :

      “Put him on his face and put a knee in his back,” a Border Patrol agent explained. “I guarantee that he’ll shut up.”

    • 2 years ago
  • nmsamanda
  • Vierotchka
  • Dr_Jerm
    • 0
      Dr_Jerm  

    • Welcome to the modern day Spartan civilization. The United States will try to take over the world before we get put in our place.

    • 2 years ago
  • madjik68
  • madjik68
  • afloyd60
    • 0
      afloyd60  

    • the continued militarization of our society.

      also notice how they demonize iraqi war veterans. this is a consistent theme in homeland security documents.

    • 2 years ago
  • Retrograde_Photography
  • MotherForTruth
  • idealist
  • VenVenU
  • unimatrix0
  • ScorpioGee
    • 0
      ScorpioGee  

    • They could have taught the boys to spot terrorism by observing their surroundings and use logic to choose the right option. That's more effective then trying to imitate a swat team.

      This is why Girl Scouts>>Boy Scouts. ;) We sell cookies not bombs.

    • 2 years ago
  • timetide
  • raiderguyx
    • 0
      raiderguyx  

    • no, it's got nothin' to do hitler youth, royulery had it right, all about the mormons. speaking of which, their leadership and the catholic heirarchy have one thing in common, a "love" for those that look up to them. BSA should be abolished...

      i dunno, i'm just sayin'...

    • 2 years ago
  • CalPal
    • 0
      CalPal  

    • It has a familiar theme to it... lets see:

      - Involves young kids, all under the age of 18 or maybe even 16
      - Trained by government police, guards, etc.
      - Taught techniques in Harming or potentially killing other people

      Anyone else thinking Hitler's youth, or is it just me?

    • 2 years ago
  • Daimyo
    • 0
      Daimyo  
    • CalPal:

      Is there an Obama threat coming? This program is a news flash, no parent in their right mind would put their kids in this shit. If they are stupid then they deserved a fucked up kid.

    • 2 years ago
  • div
    • 0
      div  
    • CalPal:

      "If they are stupid then they deserved a fucked up kid."

      Right. Let's punish parents by destroying their children, further creating stupid adults which will lead to a further and further fucked up population. You advocate this?

    • 2 years ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • CalPal
  • capetan_omalley
  • Giganticus
  • Anonymous26
  • royulery
  • J_Haas
    • 0
      J_Haas  

    • As an Eagle Scout, this is totally against what I learned. The scout law states that a scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

      That's not friendly, nor is is courteous or kind.

      I'm down for stopping terrorists. But that's not something you teach 14 year olds. And it's not something that is a scouting appropriate topic either.

      I will be writing a letter to the B.S.A. headquarters about this and sending it out on Monday. This is NOT what the Scouting movement is intended to be.

    • 2 years ago
  • Ares
    • 0
      Ares  
    • J_Haas:

      One Eagle Scout to another, I have to completely disagree with you. I happily carried shotgun and rifle shooting merit badges. Target/trap shooting was everyone's favorite activity at summer camps.

      I seem to remember seeing this, on this website no less, not too long ago... interesting that it's resurfacing.

      Also, this is an explorer program. We run explorers on my fire engine here, that's just as dangerous. Nobody is making these Scouts participate in these programs, just like nobody is forcing them to go to Sea Base or High Adventure camps.

    • 2 years ago
  • Whitz
    • 0
      Whitz  
    • J_Haas:

      Ares, you are missing the point. I'm an Eagle too and I have rifle shooting MB and I loved learning how to handle guns and treat them with respect. I also loved Scouts for all it taught me about the outdoors (I am now a camping fanatic), and it is not a Hitler Youth/ultraconservative organization, it all depends on the values of the individual troop's leadership.

      Anyway, these explorers are going against the scout law in many ways as J Haas points out. It is putting kids in a certain mindset that it really has no right to do. Kids should not be taught at a young age violent maneuvers against "Arabs" if we have any hope of raising a kind and tolerant generation.

    • 2 years ago
  • mar2194
  • MotherForTruth
    • 0
      MotherForTruth  
    • J_Haas:

      Teaching scouts to handle the gun and target practice is very different from fighting terrorists. These are young boys not solders. These kinds of scouts training are sending wrong message to boys in our country. Boys are capable of much more then being deployed.

    • 2 years ago
  • 2hellnwait
    • 0
      2hellnwait  
    • J_Haas:

      While you're at it write a letter to Yemens, Hamas, the Taliban and Al-Queda et al as well, asking them to desist from "training" their youth as terrorists 'cause they're setting such a bad precedent upon the worlds youth. . . yeah that'll set everything straight, ya think?

    • 2 years ago
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