Dear Editor:

Secretary of Defense Hegseth threatened to sever military ties with Scouting America, formerly the Boy Scouts of America, falsely claiming it was "DEI" that led to its decline. As part of its capitulation, Scouting America eliminated the "Citizenship in Society" merit badge, which focused on self-discovery, empathy, and acting as an "upstander" in society.

The legacy of the Scouts has been one of character building and civic service. Its oath and laws set an example of good citizenship, woven into the best of American culture, of which diversity, equity, and inclusion are an integral part.

French immigrant J. Hector St. John de Crèvecœur, in his 1782 essay "What Is an American?", wrote that in America "individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men," inspiring the term "melting pot." Even then, the young nation held so many ethnic groups that some feared naming an official language might favor something other than English. Diversity is part of America's DNA.
Equality runs even deeper in our national ethos. The ringing words "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence set America on its course toward a just society. Inclusion is foundational to democratic governance.

We have often fallen short of these ideals, but the American way has always trended toward “a more perfect union.” The fight we face is an ancient one: bullies convincing bystanders that silence is safer than standing up. It has taken the form of slavery, Jim Crow, and the exclusion of immigrants and women from full citizenship. Scouting taught boys not to look away, but now the Pentagon is teaching them to look away, and calling it strength.

We cannot leave this fight to Scouts alone. Write our congressional delegation and demand they oppose the politicization of youth organizations. Support local troops and civic groups still teaching empathy and inclusion. When leaders invoke "core values" to justify exclusion, stand up and object in conversation with your neighbors and at the ballot box. The circle of American citizenship has only widened and strengthened through people willing to stand up. Let us be upstanders too.

Fred W. Nehring

Boothbay