Tuesday, April 18, 2017
blog 2
One pressing issue that Boy Scouts are facing with this new era of acceptance is the loss of some of the churches that support them. This is happening mostly in North Carolina with the North Carolina Values Collation. This group, according to the Miami Herald, "has lobbied for churches to abandon their Boy Scout troops for “faith friendly alternatives,” such as Trail Life USA." One specific incidence is a Mooresville church, called Coddle Creek Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, ousting its troop. the Miami herald states this as "Troop 169 has been told it is no longer welcome at Coddle Creek Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Ditto for Cub Scout Pack 169. Both the troop and the pack are part of the Piedmont Council of Boy Scouts based in Gastonia." While my other article from Christian Daily states this problem as "Coddle Creek Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church has told BSA's Troop 169 as well as Cub Scout Pack 169 that the church can no longer be their home base." The two article are different here in the point that the Miami Herald makes the church seem like the enemy while the Christian Daily makes it seem like the church made the right choice. Both articles give quotes from the pastor to why the church is not wiling to have the boy scout troop under their wing. However another difference is when it comes to the church slowing the troop to stay with them for a while until they get somewhere new to stay. The Miami Herald states this as "Shoger said the church would fulfill its current charter agreement, allowing the troop time to find a new home elsewhere in the community. The church did not say how long the agreement would be extended." While the Christian daily states this as "In addition, Pastor Shoger said the church will give Troop 169 some time to find its new home in the area. A cub scout official reportedly said they have until the end of 2017 to do that." The difference here is that the Miami Herald makes this seem very contractual and forced while the Christian Daily makes this seem like its the kindness of the church. As we can see from these two articles is that the Miami Herald has more of a negative view of what the church in Mooresville did while the Christian Daily held more a supportive view.
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Please cite your sources correctly.
ReplyDeleteOne can see very easily how some narratives will be favorable and others unfavorable to certain policies and positions. Would you suggest that the persuasive strategies employed by those who would favor the liberalization of the Boy Scouts organization is markedly distinct from those used by advocates to keep the BSA a more traditionally conservative group? When the Miami Herald article "makes the church seem like the enemy" would you suggest that the "enemy" status is related to the political views of the reader? You quote the article as stating that the church would not immediately expel the troop - and would fulfill their agreement to allow the troop to use their facility as a meeting space. How does that description translate into being an "enemy" to the BSA?
Remember that the goal of your paper is not simply to assess the validity of one or the other side - nor is it meant as an opportunity for you to argue about your own position on this issue. Consider how this issue is being framed. Consider the audiences at which these arguments are being directed. Are these narratives centered upon religious, or other values? Are these narratives based upon an understanding of the BSA and the importance of the organization to the development of young people? Are these narratives based upon a specific understanding of gender?
Remember, as with any controversy, it isn't really accurate to simply claim that there are "two sides to every story." Your paper should reflect an understanding of the nuance of persuasive strategy. Let me know how I can help!