Niki Kelly, writing for the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, has a post entitled Lawmaker won’t honor ‘radicalized’ Girl Scouts. Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne) has offered an explanation for his refusal to sign on to House Concurrent Resolution 17.
[Rep. Morris] said he did some web-based research and found allegations that the Girl Scouts are a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood, allows transgender females to join and encourages sex.
Morris also said the fact that First Lady Michelle Obama is honorary president “should give each of us reason to pause before our individual and collective endorsement of the organization.”
“I challenge each of you to examine these matters more closely before you extend your name and your reputation to endorse a group that has been subverted in the name of liberal progressive politics and the destruction of traditional American family values.”
He sounds like a crank calling into a right-wing radio program of the sort which the host usually finds nuts but deftly gets off the phone while neither endorsing the caller’s ideas or alienating like-minded listeners.
You know, I’ve done some web-based research and found allegations that Glenn Beck raped and killed a young girl in 1990. I assume those allegations are not true, but we should all examine this matter more closely before tuning into any of Mr. Beck’s current or former television and radio networks.
The Journal Gazette has made available the full text of Rep. Morris’ letter here.
[A]bundant evidence proves that the agenda of Planned Parenthood includes sexualizing young girls through the Girl Scouts, which is quickly becoming a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood.
. . .
Liberal progressive troop-leaders will indoctrinate the girls in their troop according to the principles of Planned Parenthood[.]
. . .
Many parents are abandoning the Girl Scouts because they promote homosexual lifestyles.
. . .
Of the fifty role models listed [in a Girl Scout seminar, 47 of the 50] are feminists, lesbians, or Communists.
Feminists, lesbians, and communists, oh my!
I think the resolution speaks for itself on why Rep. Morris picked the wrong paranoid conspiracy on which to hitch his political wagon:
#The Girl Scouts helped girls emerge from isolated home environments and enter into the world of community service and the open air;
#[Girl Scouts Founder] Juliette Gordon Low encouraged girls to prepare for traditional homemaking, for possible future roles as professional women in the arts, sciences, and business, and for active citizenship outside the home;
#The Girl Scouts organization welcomed girls with disabilities with open arms at a time when they were often excluded from many other activities;
#For 100 years, participation in the Girl Scouts has helped girls “develop their full individual potential, relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect, develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision-making, and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities, leadership skills, and cooperation with others”
#The Indiana General Assembly wishes to congratulate the Girl Scouts on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the organization’s founding and to thank the group for the strong positive influence it has had on the American woman.
The antipathy toward Planned Parenthood and contraception is just reaching a fever pitch these days. Perhaps the General Assembly could convene an all-male study committee to research the Girl Scout/Planned Parenthood connection.
Honestly, it’s hard to get up the energy to write about serious (but relatively dull) issues the General Assembly deals with when guys like Rep. Morris are pitching softballs.
By your logic any resolution should be passed unanimously. The GSA uses child labor to sell cookies, most of the profits from which go to the corporate hierarchy. This was on the front page of the WSJ in the early 90’s.
OTOH you cannot believe that returning VietNam veterans were spat upon (Random Reminder). Jerry Lembcke’s book is demonstrably a lie, and he is demonstrably a communist.
And…let’s see, looking back, you’re convinced Mourdock was wrong on the Chrysler bonds, and it was OK for the US govt to steal that money.
I cannot imagine what is going on inside your head. The slightest bit of evidence one way or the other can produce a random outcome.
As a form of protest against the looniness spouted by this member of the General Assembly, I vow to triple my intake of Girl Scout cookies this season. Wait, I have another idea! I think everyone should mail a box of Girl Scout cookies to Speaker Bosma, so he gets the message to reel this whacko in.
Is there a district that will re-elect this guy? Even I, a seasoned pro-lifer and former card-carrying member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, have gotten tired of trying to boycott everything closer than six degrees of separation from PP.
I usually disagree with much of the attitude underlying certain posts on this blog and this is no exception. It is too easy to attack this low hanging fruit from Mr. Morris, but let me take a contrarian position, as I usually do, and say that since Mr. Morris is a Catholic and has certain values dear to him, I have to respect his unpopular position, and I applaud his guts to publicly state it.
Secondly, there is no denying the links with both the girl scouts and planned parenthood, as any google search will show. So I’m not going to throw stones against those who feel they should withdraw their support from cookie sales based on their religious convictions. If his constituents don’t like his posture, they can always vote him out.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/6/planned-parenthood-girl-scout-cookie-monster/
Don’t forget the feminists, lesbians, and Communists! “Are you now or have you ever been a member of Planned Parenthood?”
As I indicated Doug, low hanging fruit. Too easy to attack.
I think that’s because he seems to lack all sense of context or proportion. I mean, he didn’t have to vote for the resolution. Hardly anyone would notice.
But, ignoring 100 years of really positive achievements (assuming one regards female citizenship outside the home as a good thing) and blowing up whatever relationship Girl Scouts might have with Planned Parenthood into being “a tactical arm,” whatever that means.
It seems to stem from demonizing Planned Parenthood as an unmitigated evil; which is, I suppose, politically useful in the short term. Even if you regard abortion as evil (a view, I was surprised to learn was not anything like uniform among evangelicals as recently as the late 70s), Planned Parenthood does non-abortion related stuff. And, even if you think the bad outweighs the good, when you make a caricature of the bad things you believe Planned Parenthood does; you end up with spillover like Morris. If Planned Parenthood is evil, then Girl Scouts is, by extension, evil; and the taint keeps flowing.
Planned Parenthood is a billion dollar corporation. A BILLION DOLLARS. (I hope that capitalization get your attention).
PP does little, if nothing, that doesn’t revolve around abortion. Abortion is where the money is. The rest is a front for the real business.
Unfortunately, like the Komen thing, PP is going to use this to their fundraising advantage. That is the problem with guys like Morris, they don’t understand who they are dealing with.
Planned Parenthood does nothing that doesn’t revolve around abortion? a) Bullshit; b) It’s a legal, constitutionally protected service; and c) What kind of abortion services or propaganda are you pretending Planned Parenthood is forcing on Girl Scouts?
The chart is BS, dude. It is not broken down by revenue, it is broken down by procedure, which is kind of bizarre for a business (do you care that Apple sells more ear buds than iPhones? I don’t think so.).
buzzcut says “PP does little, if nothing, that doesn’t revolve around abortion.”
the reality: “about 1 in 10 women who come to PP, come for abortion care”
so “little if nothing” == 90%. nice try, though.
On the other hand, we can’t deny that Girl Scouts is just a front for the Kremlin. That’s going too far.
The problem with Morris is that he is in the Indiana House of Representatives. He should be the Chairman of the Allen County Branch of Opus Dei.
This is like Bloomberg evicting the Occupiers: Rep. Morris has done a bigger favor to the Girl Scouts than the authors of the resolution to honor the organization ever could’ve hoped to do.
Doug, the links between Planned Parenthood and Girl Scouts have been reported in numerous media outlets. You can debate whether the association is a good one, but it is flat out wrong to insinuate it’s some sort of kooky conspiracy view to suggest there is a link between the two. The link is undisputed.
A “link.” Pardon me, but so what? Everything is linked in some fashion. It is a kooky conspiracy view to say that Girl Scouts are “indoctrinating” girls with liberalism, feminism, lesbianism, Communism, and homosexual lifestyles. You’re going to have to do better than a “link.” I’m “linked” to Kevin Bacon.
I’m not required to treat every foaming conspiracy theory of creeping, evil liberalism with some kind of dispassionate respect any more than I am required to pretend the Young Earthers have a point when they say the Earth is 6,000 years old.
That bit about Michelle Obama’s association being significant in some fashion reminds me of that scene in Heathers where the cops regard Perrier water at the scene of two dead football players as conclusive proof that they were gay.
And, Paul, Rep. Morris didn’t confine himself to talking about tenuous links. No, no! According to him, Girl Scouts is a “tactical arm of Planned Parenthood.”
So, I’d suggest that your declaration of flat out wrongness is, itself, flat out wrong.
I will attack Morris. I have the distinct pleasure of having Robert “Little Ricky Santorum” Morris as my house representative.
And I am offfended that he would use his office to deride a fine and respected organization that has served millions of American girls.
But in the final analysis, Kyle is right. The Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood are blessed by the bigotry and ignorance of Morris. What better recruiting and fund raising tool could emerge. I will buy twice the number of Cookies next year and send this stooge a box.
Wow, men, and no women so far, are commenting on the worth of the Girl Scout organization. Have any of you been Girl Scouts, Girl Scout leaders, or Girl Scout volunteers? Have you sat around a Girl Scout campfire, sang a Girl Scout song, or earned a Girl Scout badge? Have you learned the values behind the Girl Scout Promise? If not, you have no idea and your credibility is thin. Eating Girl Scout cookies is not a credential. So stop talking now. I’m speechless. Except: Doug, thanks for the info, I will correspond with various members of the legislature about this.
Who commented on the worth of the Girl Scout organization? Is it a worthy cause? I see plenty of comments regarding the worth of Planned Parenthood, but did not see any regarding the Girl Scouts.
I interpret your comment to mean that you have inside knowledge on this subject (although you didn’t share it with us men). Are you a current member of the Girl Scouts? I don’t necessarily agree with the Representative, but he apparently belives that the Girl Scouts have a partnership with Planned Parenthood. Can you confirm this is not true?
Now, Paul, you misread the Representatives letter. He didn’t say that Girl Scouts has a partnership with Planned Parenthood. He says that Girl Scouts is “a tactical arm” of Planned Parenthood. GSA “promotes homosexual lifestyles,” no less. And, need I remind you, feminists, lesbians, and Communists. Lastly, lest we all forget how grave the situation is, Michelle Obama! [Cue ominous music.]
If Rep. Morris had said, “Girl Scouts of America has some sort of relationship with Planned Parenthood, and I think Planned Parenthood sucks so bad that any organization that has anything to do with Planned Parenthood is suspect,” then I think he’d be looked at as wrong, but not paranoid. Then we could have this faux-reasonable discussion about “maybe he has a point.”
Instead, Rep. Morris wrote a letter that leads the discussion toward something more along the lines of “has Planned Parenthood hatred gotten so fevered that it’s making people come unhinged?”
Not so fast Doug. Agreeing to be the “tactical arm” of an organization is a partnership, yes? Sort of like how my right (tactical) arm works in partnership with my left? Either way, I thought I made it clear that I didn’t really agree with the Representative’s sentiment, no?
Perhaps this is a tangent, but I am tired of anyone—Girls Scouts, Salvation Army reps, anyone—hitting me up for money as I enter or depart a grocery store. I want only to buy the items in the store. I do not want to get hit up for money for other reasons. And the occasional Santa Claus sanding next to a Salvation Army kettle wears red—and we all know what that means. But I don’t care. Whatever the organization, the experience is like entering a polling place to exercie my right to vote and running (well, walking) a gauntlet of people who hand out campaign materials. Sure, they have a First Amendment right to do that. But that doesn’t negate my contention that they are pains in the ass. Besides, most people already have made up their minds on how to vote. (Not me—I have to toss a coin right before I fill in the dots.)
mark: though your frustration is understandable, salvation army and girl scouts are very different organizations and their fundraising is very different. money collected by salvation army at their red kettles goes to the organization itself, whereas a big chunk of the revenue from girl scout cookies goes directly to the troops that sold them, which they then use for things like camping trips.
furthermore, since the girl scouts are in fact selling cookies and not simply solitciting donations, it makes sense for them to set up shop in the supermarket. (i’d rather get thin mints than oreos anyway.)
When people tell me about how Indiana is becoming more & more of a Republican state, I keep thinking of how, at some point, the Indiana Republican party will move so far to the right and become so unacceptable to Hoosiers that the Democrats will move to the right, fill the void, and regain some power.
Least, that’s what I’m hoping.
Never say never, anything can happen. However, demographically speaking, what is driving the Republican surge is that working class whites in Indiana are finally going Republican, particularly in Southern Indiana. To those folks, it is the social issues that are driving their Republicanism.
Now, the countermove is going to be educated, high income white folks (Doug and all his SWhiPL buddies) moving towards the Democrats. But there are a lot less of them in Indiana than those whites on the low end.
Good news for you today, Buzz.
According to some recent research, NW Indiana isn’t as corrupt as its reputation. Didn’t even crack the top fifteen. Maybe times are a’changin…
You need to read my blog, dude. They cooked the books.
They diluted the numbers by looking at “Northern Indiana” instead of “Lake County”. And they never looked at exactly what federal prosecutors were prosecuting. In other places, it is a lot of petty stuff like postal employees stealing stamps.
In Lake County, the crime is much more serious crimes. Our latest conviction was the Mayor of East Chicago going to JAIL for renovating his home with city laborers and on the city’s dime. We also had 3 sheriff deputies plead guilty to buying machine guns on the county’s dime and selling them on ebay.
If you just took the prosecution rate in Lake County, we would be number 3 in the nation. And that isn’t even controlling for the severity of the crime.
So it’s a race to the bottom then, Buzz? Ever see Idiocracy?
the reality: “about 1 in 10 women who come to PP, come for abortion care”
That is not the reality. You are not reading the fine print. That is the massaged number.
You need to look at % of overall revenue from abortions, which that pie chart does not do.
no, you are the one who is trying to massage the numbers by ignoring all statistics that don’t support your point.
the vast majority of people who go to PP do not go there for abortion-related services. furthermore, many go there for services that are provided free of charge or at low cost. so it would be absurd to judge them based on which services bring in the most revenue, because obviously you make any money giving away contraceptives or HIV tests.
Like I said, you wouldn’t judge Apple as an ear buds maker just because they sell more ear buds than iPhones. I don’t see why it is of any consequence that PP offers low cost contraceptives that people then take advantage of. Like I said, it is a front for their real purpose, which is providing abortions, of which they make money like few other corporations.
Buzz, Planned Parenthood’s “real purpose” is and ALWAYS has been providing health care services for women, mainly reproductive health care, and mainly for lower income women. I’ve used Planned Parenthood probably a dozen times in my life, when I was younger, a college student, and when I had a low income, and only one of those times was for services related to an active pregnancy (and for various reasons I went somewhere else when I had an abortion). The other 92% of the times I went to PP were not for abortion, and virtually every college student I ever saw there was getting birth control or yeast infection treatment, not abortions. There is no “front” involved: they provide reproductive health care services, and not ONLY for women, by the way.
He, what better way for the Communists to contaminate our precious bodily fluids? Tainted Girl Scout cookies! Quick, someone call the kid with the video camera and the pimp costume!
Sounds like Rep. Morris is a classic nutjob – cashew, pecan, Planters whatever.
Per Mike’s quote: “I think everyone should mail a box of Girl Scout cookies to Speaker Bosma”. I would be afraid Bosma might eat them all, the way things are going at the State House for the Democrats this year! ;) I would hate to see Bosma become a contestant for the Biggest Loser Show. :) heeeeheheeheee Occasionally we have to laugh!
I am an old Girl Scout from Pennsylvania who has been recruited to lead a song station at a Girl Scout celebration of our 100 years. As this letter ‘hit the fan’, it has occurred to me that if you wanted to know what a Girl Scout believes, look at her song book. It has more high ideals, silly fun, “clean,” and patriotic songs than Mr. Morris and his six kids have on their iPods right now.
We promote understanding others, at home, nationally and internationally, because all Girl Scouts are sisters. This seems to be the basis for our communism. After all, if you understand another’s point of view, you might be inclined to compromise to reach a common goal. God knows this basic process of democracy is anathema to the polarized, and is accordingly demonized.
As a girl, with my troop, I had the thrill and honor to spend a week in Washington, DC., not once but twice in my scouting life. We sat in the balcony of Congress, watching our government at work. We also spent a week in Williamsburg, Virginia. We sat in the House of Burgesses, where the prototype of American democracy was formed. I was so proud then. I would like to be proud again.
Apologies for trolling.
As a followup, I do think GSA has made themselves a lightning rod by using child labor to raise most of their funds. This is a copy of the article from 2 years ago on the topic:
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930513&slug=1701067
The current repetitive radio ads from GSA are sheer baloney – “Sarah uses proceeds from her cookie sales to fund a food pantry” or some such. Girls Scouts are forced to sell cookies as a condition of membership, and this is either involuntary servitude or illegal child labor. That’s why the statehouse shouldn’t honor GSA.