This is about being a true-blooded American guy and girl. It fits right in with the honor and bravery of the Boy Scouts.

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Sheriff deputy A. J. Lowenthal on the Boy Scouts of America training kids as young as 14 in law enforcement.

I spent most of my youth as a Boy Scout, achieving the highest rank, Eagle Scout. It’s the one accomplishment from my adolescence that I carry proudly into adulthood. And I can say, unequivocally, that I find this despicable. There are many positions that the scouts take that I find hard to square with my adult life, from the required religious oath despite their tax exempt status to their stance on gay leaders. This, though, takes a step far beyond all of that and is, frankly, shameful. The psuedo-militaristic posturing of the scouts is somewhat tolerable when tempered by leadership and discipline, this near fascistic line crossing is unacceptable.

Defining a “true blooded American” as someone who plays soldier and chases down illegal immigrants is a singular, narrow minded view of patriotism. The scouts would do well to encourage other virtues, like thoughtful dissent.