Right vs. Wrong? Innocent vs. Guilty?

Most of the time, being one or the other is pretty clear…and as Scouts and Scouters (and I imagine generally as parents of Scouts) – we all want to be in the category on the left.  Simple, right?  To take this a bit further and also layer some math into this story since school will start in less than a month, we probably all think:

Right = Innocent

and

Wrong = Guilty

Still with me?  A few weeks ago, I shared a story with our Scouts where this was not the case for me.  I’ll spare you the details, but it involves everyone’s favorite over-priced toll road – the Dulles Greenway, a dead battery in my toll transponder, an over-zealous State Policeman, and a by-the-books judge.  While at a mandatory court appearance due to my violation, I tried earnestly (and honestly!) to covey that I’d done nothing wrong and there was no way to know my battery had died before I passed through a toll booth and didn’t pay the toll.  The judge simply looked me in the eye and said that fateful word – “GUILTY!”

Honestly, I’m still wrestling inside about being legally guilty of anything, and I could tell our Scouts were wrestling with it too.  Something just didn’t seem to sit right with the notion of their Scoutmaster being guilty. I shared this story with the Troop to convey that life – and doing what’s right – is not always simple.  Although determining the right thing to do in a situation often is relatively straightforward, especially when one’s guidepost is embodying the Scout Oath and Law, there is no formula.

As we reflected on my situation and how to be sure you’re doing the “right” thing, we collectively discussed a few ways to be as sure as possible…some suggestions from the Troop included:

– Do what our Mom would want us to do

– Do what I’d want done to me (AKA the Golden Rule)

– Do what Baden Powell would have us do

– Do what I’d do if I were wearing my Scout uniform

– Do whatever possible to keep the Camp Henson raccoon from coming back (see our last blog)

I’m not sure about the last one as a guiding light on right vs. wrong, but I’ll take all of the others as our Scouts continue their journey from boy to man.  And oh by the way – I recommend changing out your EZPass transponder(s) if you haven’t done so recently.  That was an expensive visit to the LoCo Courthouse!