Posted on 11/16/2007 3:42:49 PM PST by Bluestateredman
Big-hearted Boy Scouts collecting donations for care packages for U.S. troops are still scratching their heads after being sent packing from polling stations when Cambridge officials ruled their generous effort “political.”
“We just wanted to make a lot of troops happy,” said Scout Patrick O’Connor, 16. “I was devastated that someone would think to take (the donation boxes) out,” he said.
O’Connor of West Cambridge was one of the Scouts who wanted to collect toiletries, magazines, candy and other items for care packages after one of his relatives was injured in an IED explosion while serving in Iraq.
“He mentioned to me that some people got care packages from home and how happy it made them,” the Scout said.
Troop 45 Cambridge Boy Scouts placed boxes in the city’s 33 polling stations on Election Day.
But someone complained to the city, allegedly claiming the boxes were a “political statement,” and the boxes were removed.
“This was not about supporting the war or any politician or political view. This was supporting the brave men and women who are stationed overseas,” said troop committee chairman Jamisean Patterson, 35.
Patterson said the Scouts were given verbal permission by the city election commission twice and at the polling stations as well. A promotion for the polling place collections was still up yesterday on the Veterans’ Services Department section of the city’s Web site.
Marsha Weinerman, executive director of the city’s election commission, confirmed she received a complaint on Election Day, “Because I did not have confirmation that the Boy Scouts had obtained permission to put their boxes in the buildings, the boxes were removed.”
State law prohibits political statements pertaining to a particular election within 150 feet of any polling station.
But there is no law preventing someone promoting an unrelated political message within 150 feet of any polling station.
Cambridge Vice Mayor Timothy J. Toomey Jr. said a breakdown in communication, rather than malice, led to the boxes being removed.
“Boy Scouts Troop 45’s efforts to support our troops are a benefit for the entire community, and the council will be working with them to ensure that their goals are fully realized,” he said in a written statement.
Financial donations, which will be used to buy items for the care packages, can be sent to the Scouts at Troop 45, P.O. Box 381241, Cambridge, MA 02238. Checks should be made payable to Troop 45.
Scouts' aid: + Editorial: Clueless in Cambridge (144) Comments | Post / Read Comments
We "support the troops"
Thanks again Code Pink et al.
So the scouts get given verbal permission by the city election commission twice and at the polling stations as well, but “someone un-named” makes a complaint and it gets the whole thing stopped? I would demand that persons name from Marsha WEINERman. Bet her whole wardrobe is all Pink!
If American ever needed an enema I think God would start in Mass.
Hopefully these Scouts can take these “lemons” and with the bad publicity, make wonderful “lemonade” for the troops....that most folks will be astonished about what happened and rally around the reason for the boxes.
Who would live there, America hating ACLU sucking morons.
Yes, and then they will happily re-elect Ms.Weinerman.
I’d lay $100 down that it was Weinerman herself that is the “source” of the so-called complaint.
Liberals block the Scouts from collecting donations for the troops. Won’t let them collect at the polls b/c “’donations for the troops’ is a political statement” according to the liberals there.
Can we now say that the liberals (at least in Cambridge) don’t really support the troops?
See my comments above.
We can say that the citizens of Cambridge need to be on the next ship leaving the U.S. as they at traitorous b*stards
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