Scouts in Iowa killed by tornado

That hurts the heart.

John Mayer's song Heart of Life pretty much sums up what I want to say:

I hate to see you cry
Lying there in that position
There's things you need to hear
so turn off your tears
and listen.

Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No it won't all go the way it should
but I know the heart of life is good.

You know it's nothing new
bad news never had good timing
then the circle of your friends
will defend the silver lining

Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No it won't all go the way it should
but I know the heart of life is good.

Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood
but I know the heart of life is good.

I know it's good.

I find it interesting how boy scouts get struck by lighting, killed by a tornado, etc. every year. Maybe they should rethink that anti-gay policy of theirs.

My heart breaks for their mothers and families. How horrible to loose your child! As for anti-gay policy that shouldn't be involved when talking about the deaths of innocent children in an organization that helps teach them to be independent and tries to keep them off of drugs and out of trouble. I can't imagine loosing my child, I would lay down and die, those poor people! God help them! My prayers are with them.

Dmitri I have one question, since when do gay people have tornado fighting abilities? I gotta go get my friend and make him hang out at my house now so I'll be safe from acts of nature! Can they protect you from earthquakes too?

Colonial that is a beautiful picture, it reminds me of my cousins when they were little boys and scouts. God Bless.

IN MEMORY OF ;
JOSH FENNEN 13
SAMTHOMSEN 13;
BEN PETIZ 14;
AARON EILERTS 14;

DAYS TO COME

IN THE DAYS TO COME;
WHEN I'M NOT HERE NOR THERE;
PLEASE CARRY ON AS IF I WAS.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR YOU.
IS VERY BEAUTIFUL,
WITH ME OR WITH OUT ME,
I ASK THIS FROM ALL OF YOU;
LOVE ME LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO.
THE DAYS ARE TO COME;
WHEN YOU WILL FORGET ME?
FOR A DAY OR TWO,
BUT WITH YOUR LOVE;
AND WITH MY LOVE,
WE WILL NEVER PART FOR A MOMENT.
SO WHEN THE DAYS ARE SAD AND BLUE.
FOR YOU TO CARRY ON THE DAY' THROUGH;
REMEMBER THE HAPPY DAYS.
OF ME AND YOU;
YOU WILL FIND THE SAD DAYS;
ARE NOT SO SAD AND BLUE;
AND IF THEY STILL SEEM SAD AND BLUE.
REMEMBER THIS I STILL LOVE YOU .
ALL THE DAYS THROUGH,
I LOVE YOU.

I suspect Dmitri was being ironic with his comment, and referring back to those right-wing, Republican-supporting slanderers who said 911 and Hurricane Katrina were God's revenge on America for our liberal wussie tolerance of gays and lesbians. It does sound pretty ridiculous that this tornado would have been sent directly by God to payback the BSA, doesn't it. The fact that no tolerant, liberal wussie is seriously saying that these Boy Scout deaths are God's revenge for a homophobic, bigoted stance on gays in the BSA is an illustration of who, exactly, is being ridiculous.

June 12, 2008 01:39 PM EDT

Today the American Flag flies at half-mast in front of Little Sioux Scout Reservation in Iowa. Four Scouts died and upwards of forty were injured when a tornado struck the camp about 6:30 last night. Little Sioux is a high adventure, wilderness camp located amidst rugged terrain and a mile back from the nearest road.

As rescuers cut their way through a mile of downed trees to reach these boys, the scouts reacted as they have been trained to do and in the immediate aftermath they began to take care of each other. Reports said these scouts were attending youth leadership training. All have had at least some training in first aid, emergency preparedness and other skills that are useful in the aftermath of an event such as this.

I listen to the reporters asking questions and they seem determined to try and blame someone for this tragedy. They are pursuing the wrong story. We learned that the boys received at least a few minutes warning because someone was listening to a weather radio. On hearing the warning, they triggered the tornado warning siren that the boys themselves had installed the year before. This allowed most of the boys to get to shelter. Unfortunately, the structure they sheltered in was simply not strong enough to withstand the fury of Mother Nature.

Emergency responders reported that the boys themselves began to perform triage and apply first aid to the injured. Some reached out to help others in spite of their own injuries. Had this been any other group of young people at camp the toll would likely have been far worse.

I hope the news media follows up in the quiet aftermath of this tragedy. We are certain to hear stories of uncommon leadership and courage and testimonials to the value of the training these boys have received

Events such as this imbue these boys with great strength. Few groups would be any better prepared to deal with the immediate aftermath of such a trauma. These boys knew what to do and most had the confidence and courage to implement their training.

I have had the privilege to sit on several Eagle Scout Boards of Review. We always ask these boys about their most memorable scouting experiences. They never talk about the trip where the weather was perfect and the food was great. They tell us about the time their tent blew down, their campsite got flooded, they forgot half of their food, it unexpectedly rained or got cold. They tell us about the unexpected challenges they encountered and how they rose to meet those challenges. The boys that survived will be better scouts and ultimately better men for having met the challenge.

The Boy Scouts make the news far too often because of some unfortunate incident or tragedy or legal dispute rooted in political correctness. I do not always agree with every position taken by our national leadership. But as a unit commissioner, I get to see the good work that scouting does at the individual unit level. I see boys accepting and meeting the challenge of leading and teaching other boys, overseen and guided by a dedicated Corp of adult volunteers. This is a story that needs telling.

All over America, thousands of boys are away from their families at summer camp. Tens of thousands more are looking forward to camp in the weeks to come. We are a fraternity sharing a common bond and experience, but make no mistake, today, all over America, millions of scouts and scouters are weeping and praying for the scouts that were injured, the scouts that were lost and their families.

Colonel Zombie: I commend you for your response. The national organization has adopted political stances that I don't agree with. But down in the trenches, at the unit level,no other national organization does a better job of building leadership skills, developing character and integrity and instilling confiDence and self-reliance.

And when properly administered, the work is done by boys leading and teaching boys with the volunteer adult leaders offering guidance from the back row.

Notably, one of the 14 year old boys who was killed in this tragic event, was on the staff of the youth leadership program being delivered at the camp.