He was a man of courage, a man of vision and he was endowed with one of the greatest virtues that any man can have. He was endowed with humility. He felt with those around him and in a position of responsibility, he placed himself, as I do and have done, often, in the place of the other partner to achieve a worthy goal. And we achieved peace, an honorable peace and a lasting peace. He had courage, he had vision, and he had a commitment to peace, and standing here, I commit before you, before my people in Jordan, before the world, myself to continue with our utmost, to ensure that we leave a similar legacy, And when my time comes, I hope it will be like my grandfather's and like Yitzhak Rabin's.
This brings us to Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina. He does not get to throw bombs and walk away clean. His penalty deserves special notice.
Violating congressional codes of conduct is the least of his sins. His lack of civility and the damage he inflicted upon a vital American institution as a privileged citizen strikes at the core of the code of conduct that guides his children, four of whom are Eagle Scouts. All four of his sons took a solemn oath
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
The Scout Law is clear
A Scout is:
Trustworthy,
Loyal,
Helpful,
Friendly,
Courteous,
Kind,
Obedient,
Cheerful,
Thrifty,
Brave,
Clean,
and Reverent.
Eagle Scouts are special because they represent years of work by dozens of people who poured everything they could into these young men and asked for nothing in return.
It's not about tying knots, pitching tents, reading maps, or building fires.The most important part of being an Eagle Scout is citizenship. Citizenship in the community. Citizenship in the nation. Citizenship in the world.
In the wake of Charles Whitman's shooting spree on August 1, 1966, everything changed when it was learned that the sniper in the Texas Bell Tower was an Eagle Scout. Ironically, the police officer who actually had to kill him (Houston McCoy) was an active troop leader with the Boy Scouts.
Good, honest, decent, God-fearing, loyal Americans woke up the next day to learn they had helped create that monster. He learned marksmanship as a Boy Scout. When he went to that tower he was prepared. To avoid that in the future, citizenship took on an elevated level of importance. It is ingrained in scouts from their earliest days as cubs and never stops.
It is not enough for Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina to apologize.Words alone will not repair the damage he has done. Apologizing to his sons will not be enough. Here is a list of Eagles who served this nation in keeping with their code of conduct and when their time came, they gave everything they had to offer.
Refusing to leave his position dishonors their memory and their sacrifice.
Aquilla J. Dyess, USMC LTC, Kwajalien Atoll, Eagle Scout, Medal of Honor
Robert E. Femoyer, US Army Air Corps 2LT, Germany, Eagle Scout, Medal of Honor
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