Girl Scouts Defend Their Involvement in Donald Trump Inauguration
The Girl Scouts of the USA, the popular, over 100-year-old youth organization, defended their participation in the inauguration ceremonies for President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday in the wake of some criticism for their involvement.
It was revealed this week that the Girl Scouts would march in an inaugural parade on Friday. The Boy Scouts of America, as well as several military and veterans' organizations, will also be participating, but the presence of the Girl Scouts has stoked controversy in light of Trump's well-documented history of making sexist statements about women, as well as numerous allegations of sexual harassment and assault that have been made against him. Trump has vehemently denied the claims against him.
In an exclusive statement to NBC News, the Girl Scouts, which has been appearing at inaugural events throughout their history, defended their role in the festivities while acknowledging the "strong public response" to their participation in both the march on Jan. 20 and the Women's March on Washington the following day.
"At Girl Scouts, our movement is made up of individuals who hold political beliefs and convictions as varied as our nation itself. And because every girl has a home at Girl Scouts, every girl in our movement is allowed her own ideas, opinions, beliefs and political ideology," the group said. "Our fundamental value is empowering girls to be leaders in their own lives. By helping them build the courage, confidence, and character to lift their voices, champion their views, and be advocates for the issues and ideas important to them, Girl Scouts supports girls as they become catalysts for change who strengthen their communities."
"Of course, we are a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that by law cannot take positions on political candidates or parties — and we take this very seriously," the group added. "Advocating for change on issues one cares about isn't at odds with participating in a century-long tradition that represents the peaceful exchange of power."
The Girl Scouts have historically been apolitical, but that hasn't stopped one Indiana lawmaker from calling them a "radicalized organization" that promotes "feminists, lesbians, or Communists" in 2012. They drew further criticism from the right for accepting a 7-year-old transgender child in their ranks that same year.
Meanwhile, the Scouts' current stance has not stopped a flurry of criticism, this time from progressive parents, activists and others who have argued that their marching at the inaugural could be interpreted as an endorsement of Trump's rhetoric and policies.
"I think that civil engagement is hardly achieved by a ceremonial representation based on tradition," Suzanne Lindquist, a Brooklyn Girl Scout troop leader, told NBC News. "Our troop has chosen an active civil engagement of supporting our community of women and girls. We are using are voices and our bodies to demonstrate that we are powerful when we come together."
"Trump does not mirror the Girl Scout values we try to instill in our scouts," Nancy Gannon, another Brooklyn-based Scout leader, told NBC News. "He does does not respect girls or women, either, I am outraged at this decision."
"We will be represented in NYC and in Washington, DC. We want our girls to know they should use their voices, that they have power," she added.
During his campaign for the presidency, Trump's history of lewd language was a frequent topic of debate, as were his statements on women's rights — for instance, his suggestion, later retracted, that should abortion become illegal there must be some form of "punishment" for women who obtain the procedure.
Trump also asserted that his opponent, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, had only reached achieved her political fortunes by playing the "woman card."
The president-elect's polarizing image and reputation have made participation in inauguration ceremonies a bigger issue than it has been in years past. Trump's transition team has reportedly struggled to secure A-list talent to appear at the inauguration, with several stars declining invitations, and others like Broadway icon Jennifer Holiday and The B-Street Band, a Bruce Springsteen cover act, bowing out after pressure from fans.
Although in the recent past Trump has boasted about an all-star line-up at his inaugural, he and his team have downplayed the celebrity quotient in recent weeks, with the president-elect himself arguing that he doesn't need or want stars by his side, and his spokespeople suggesting that the event will be defined by "soft sensuality" and "poetic cadence," not famous faces.
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They understand that this is America and you have to be in it to be part of it. It's the office of the President, not Trump, not Obama. Funny that the Girl Scouts are braver than 1/3rd of our elected federal democrats that are holding their breath and stomping their feet.
I wonder if the Dem hierarchy has a clue about how this will play down the road?
I wonder if those people protesting the GSA involvement in this inauguration (including silly cookie boycotts) did the same when Bill Clinton was inaugurated?
Nah...
The Democrats war on girl scout cookies is not winning them any votes.
Why the hell do they have to defend their position of participation in our nations peaceful transition of power? These democrats have no interest in our country coming together as a united nation again, they live and breathe division. They keep in power by keeping us divided.
I fully support GSA's decision. They are acting more adult than those attempting to demonize those who do participate in Trumps inauguration.
Intelligent people can separate the respect for the office of the presidency from their view of the person who occupies it. Democrats said so, themselves, when they criticized Trump for refusing to commit to accepting the election results unless he won. Now that Hillary has lost, these hypocrites switch position to not only advocate a boycott and open protest of the transfer of power but also to question anybody who shows any respect at all. They are an utter disgrace to democracy.
I don't think it is reasonable to expect every segment of the population that Trump has offended to boycott the inauguration, or the audience would only look like this
The Girl Scouts can march in the parade, that's fine. They will be excited and have fun.
It is the fact that so many segments of the US population have a legitimate beef with Trump that should worry us though. He has insulted and diminished women. Let's go the video and audio tape. lol.
You dissin' the blue collar comedy guys?? Oh, now it's on!
So this is our future for the next 4 years . . . civil war between snowflakes and duck dynasty.
Just wait till he is responsible for making the lives of his constituency even more miserable.
We probably wouldn't have Trump if democrats had nominated a better candidate. Next time, don't give me a choice between being locked in a room with Dracula or the wolfman.
Hillary would have been little more than the same thing you've survived over the last eight years. Trump is dangerously unprepared, and his confidence greatly outweighs his capabilities. The fact that he is now president scares a good chunk of his own party, as well as most people who voted against him.
Hillary would have been little more than the same thing you've survived over the last eight years
To you. To me, she was completely unacceptable for reasons that I have stated many times. And you feel the same about Trump. I get that. The parties should pick someone who is acceptable to the other side not the person the other side hates the most. This ridiculous way of picking nominees has led to the election of an actual ignoramus.
I was for Sanders way more than Clinton, but I just can't wrap my head around anyone who wouldn't find Clinton the more reasonable choice between herself and the most flagrant liar / panderer / narcissist / ignoramus ever to enter US politics.
Hillary is an incessant liar without an ounce of integrity and I oppose some of the social issues that she would continue to promote. She is no more acceptable to me than Trump and he's not acceptable to me at all. I would never ever even consider voting for her and lots of other people felt the same way. So here we are.
I'm curious, would you have voted for Sanders before Trump? If not, then name one democrat that you would have settled for to keep Trump from winning. Any democrat.
I'm curious, would you have voted for Sanders before Trump? If not, then name one democrat that you would have settled for to keep Trump from winning. Any democrat
Sanders is an honest man with integrity or at least way more integrity than Hillary. I like that and I like some of his policies. I liked Jill Steins' position on Palestinian rights. I used to be a fan of Joe Biden. However, their positions on Illegal immigration and same sex marriage turn me off. The Democratic Party's position on these issues and on Israel pretty much ensures that I won't vote for a democrat. I won't cast my vote just to stop Trump from winning; I'll only cast it if the candidate has positions that I can support.
Trump is better than any democrat. Got it.
He pretty much admitted it wasn't Clinton, it was Democratic Party positions.
He would rather have a pathologically lying lunatic than gay marriage. Now he will get both lol.
He pretty much admitted it wasn't Clinton, it was Democratic Party positions.
No I have stated many times what I think of Hillary and I wouldn't vote for her even if the democrats changed their platform. My comment here is what I think of democrats.
Trump is better than any democrat. Got it
No they all stink!
Hillary Clinton is not even remotely the liar / panderer / narcissist / ignoramus that Trump is. You are talking about orders of magnitude different.
Hillary Clinton is not even remotely the liar / panderer / narcissist / ignoramus that Trump is. You are talking about orders of magnitude different.
Not to me. If they were papers for me to grade, I would give Hillary an F. There's no grade below F to reflect my assessment of Trump. Fail is fail.
Donald Trump cannot stop lying and he cannot stop bragging. Both of those are a big problem with me. It would take a miracle for me to accept him as a legitimate president.
I wonder if it's possible for Enoch to point his staff to the heavens and call for one.
If Enoch is passing out miracles, ask for the winning lottery number.
LOL. Maybe he's omnipotent, but perhaps not omniscient.
LOL. Maybe he's omnipotent, but perhaps not omnicient.
My wife once told me she that thinks she's psychic. I said that's great, give me the winning lottery number. She said she can't use her gift for personal gain. I said that's OK . . . I'll file for divorce and you can agree that I don't have to give you a dime. Needless to say, I got to keep her and didn't win a thing.
Yes, I count my blessings rather than dollars.
Then why the unhappy smiley?
I can't spend blessings.
LOL
So this is our future for the next 4 years . . . civil war between snowflakes and duck dynasty.
LOL Looks like it!
No problem with these guys either.
Maybe Donald will tell them his favorite joke.
Q: Why did Donald Trump get kicked out of boy scouts?
A: Because he ate a brownie.
Typical leftist making pedophile jokes. Sad.
"Of course, we are a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that by law cannot take positions on political candidates or parties — and we take this very seriously," the group added. "Advocating for change on issues one cares about isn't at odds with participating in a century-long tradition that represents the peaceful exchange of power."
A mature and intelligent attitude - so different from some of the crybaby stuff that's being posted.
Most of the left are frozen in middle school.
The brave brave superheros of the left are now attacking girl scouts. You must he so proud....
The fact that you can't see the irony of Girl Scouts supporting Donald Trump speaks volumes about you.