Boy Scouts now can earn Merit Badges for Not Pirating Movies and Music

[mandy]

A Boy Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, etc., etc. He is also respectful of copyrights. Boy Scouts in the Los Angeles area will now be able to earn an activity patch for learning about the evils of downloading pirated movies and music.

The patch shows a film reel, a music CD and the international copyright symbol, a "C" enclosed in a circle.

The movie industry has developed the curriculum.

Scouts will be instructed in the basics of copyright law...

Scouts also must choose one activity from a list that includes visiting a movie studio to see how many people can be harmed by film piracy. They also can create public service announcements urging others not to steal movies or music...

full article: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1...Patch.html

[stardust]

You've gotta be kidding!  >

[landofsmiles]

Sheesh! I used to have to climb trees and stuff like that to get my badges.

[BellisimaJ.]

My son is 17 and an eagle scout. He is a great son (99.9% of the time), has never been in any trouble, excellent student, etc..Several of his friends are also eagle scouts.

My point is that given the sucess of the scouting program overall (many of these boys, including my son, do not have credible father figures), I support whatever they do so long as it isn't detrimental to the kids.

Learning about copyrights is not such a bad thing in any case. It is also a sign of the times.

[Anita]

Downloading music illegally, and copying CDs being the "norm" these days, it is good that they are educating the boys... but a badge??