In case you’ve somehow been living under a rock, you may have heard that President Trump gave a politically charged speech at the Boy Scouts of America’s annual Jamboree in West Virginia before 40,000 youth on Monday evening, that is being compared by many to more of a Nazi rally. Of all of the outrageous and reprehensible things Trump has said and done over the past six months of his presidency, this seems to have really struck a raw nerve with people for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, these are impressionable minds, and the tone and language the president used was strongly considered to be of an indoctrinating nature, between encouraging chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” and his sinister claims of needing “some more loyalty.” And then there was encouraging the Scouts to boo former President Barack Obama, who himself was a Boy Scout (while Trump was not), when the organization is supposed to teach boys valuable lessons about respect.
Some things Trump told thousands of kids at the Boy Scouts National Jamboree pic.twitter.com/iSJiPpsIVu
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) July 25, 2017
For these reasons and many others, people are furious over Trump’s remarks. As Chicago Tribute columnist Rex Huppke pointed out Monday night, concerned parents (and others) had flooded the Boy Scouts of America page to admonish the organization over the nature of the speech, and its failure to immediately issue an apology or retraction in the aftermath.
Holy crap, the comments on the Boy Scouts of America Facebook page are 🔥🔥🔥. https://t.co/p3QF41hxhJ pic.twitter.com/P0K6TJHkNI
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) July 25, 2017
One user noted that the BSA seemed to be actively removing Facebook comments, however as of Tuesday morning there was still plenty of outrage to be found, such as these replies to a post about the first Eagle Scout:
Or this meme about about “proud moms” of Eagle Scouts:
As of Tuesday morning, “Boy Scouts” was also still trending on Twitter and it’s safe to say that people are still overwhelmingly disgusted by the display.
I don't think I'll forget that Boy Scouts speech. The President of the United States is indoctrinating children into hatred.
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) July 24, 2017
https://twitter.com/Lexialex/status/889825594677936128
Wonder how many of those Boy Scouts would cheer being kicked off their parents' insurance before they're 26. https://t.co/9VekN3IVzi
— shauna (@goldengateblond) July 24, 2017
Please @POTUS don't put the Boy Scouts in this situation. Keep politics out of the Jamboree. What a mess. Totally unfair to these kids https://t.co/lW7rwtF612
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) July 24, 2017
This proves how unhinged @realDonaldTrump has become. He treats the Boy Scouts like they are his own Hitler Youth. Disgusting!
— Be The Change (@redzenradish) July 25, 2017
If you thought Trump's speech to the Boy Scouts was bad, wait'll you see the footage of him leading the Girl Scouts in a LOCK HER UP chant.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) July 25, 2017
Lot of Boy Scouts blaming their Scoutmaster and slamming the fake merit badge process this morning.
— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) July 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/seankent/status/889709222010773506
Boy Scouts of America finally released a statement on Tuesday morning, but considering the damage it might be too little, too late:
JUST IN: Boy Scouts release statement after backlash to President Trump's speech at national jamboree pic.twitter.com/ECus8BLHgB
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 25, 2017