boys' state feedback

From Ellis Wheeler, North Carolina:
I feel I must respond to your article because I am a veteran, American Legion member and chief city counselor for the Tar Heel Boys' State. I have worked hard in all youth programs of the American Legion. Believe me, the Legion spends a lot of time and money on the youth, and to read your article makes me sick.
It is obvious that several things were wrong from the beginning. I can not understand how you were selected as a candidate to attend a program as rewarding as Boys' State can be. You express a great deal of "I don't like this nation's democratic process" resentment. My suggestion is go to Russia or France or some other country that you think could be better. The things you did at Boys' State in 1984 and the things you printed here would probably be reason to behead you. For whatever reason, you did not want to attend in the beginning. You made things worse by not leaving. You must have had an attitude not only toward the Boys' State program, but to your fellow Boy Staters as well. It seems no one liked you either. You lost all your campaigns for elected office.
As far as the other participant from your school, I don't have a lot to say for someone that uses such an excuse to leave the program. If he had any balls, he would have told them (as you should have) that he did not want to be there and left.
I can see that you did not learn anything during the week, probably due to the fact your agenda was someplace else, because you do not rise with Taps, you rise with reveille. Taps is played at a veteran or military funeral. Also, just to let you know, retreat is sounded at the end of the day. As far as the Pledge of Allegiance being said twice a day, you have a choice not to live here. So leave and start your own type of Liberal Governmental process. I could go on and on about your article and point out many reasons for me not to like you. It's easy to see that you have a CHIP on your shoulder toward everything in general and I have never met you. Probably for the best. I might have used some of my freedom of speech and other freedoms toward you.
You did not say if you graduated and received a Certificate for Attendance. If you did, I hope you have not attempted to ever use it in a resume for a job. But I guess you don't work either — someone might not agree with your pitiful self. You are probably one of those persons who complains for being born, saying you did not ask to be here. I do have to say one thing, you can sure put down a program that is intended to help this country with the Democratic beliefs taught at the Boys' State program. Instead of downgrading everything, one half of the effort you spent in your rebellion could have been put to better use with suggestions to help. Maybe change the program to better suit the generation of yours. At least something constructive.
The American Legion members fought wars to enable persons like yourself to be able to express your feelings even if they are asinine. These Legionnaires are still serving the community, veterans and youth.
You talk as if you probably have a shaved head, with tattoos all over your body and have all parts of your body pierced. It truly saddens me to think a person is as resentful as you. I have to give the State of Michigan credit for their effort and tolerance of you and allowing you to stay. If you had attended my program, I would have read you the first day and you would have BEEN HISTORY.
"Still Serving America and Boys' State Proudly"
I dare you to print this.

From Matthew Joseph Tarpy:
As I read your column, I felt the need to apologize to you. I attended Buckeye Boys' State in 1993 and since then have returned each year as a counselor.
It hurts me to see that someone's experience at Boys' State was so miserable, because I know that we work hard all year to make sure that Boys' State is an experience that each young man can be proud to be a part of.
Restriction of speech is not permitted at our Boys' State. Every year an "alternative" paper comes about, and it is encouraged.
Perhaps you are thinking that I am one of those "preppy conservative young men." I am not. I'm a liberal Democrat who comes back because he believes strongly in the program. I hope you won't always be sour to what happened.

From Kelly Shriver, Illinois:
I liked your Boys' State story. It reminded me of the nauseating, flag-waving week I spent at Girls' State. I ended up being the "town reporter," but I didn't write anything rabble-rousing. The program seemed to be run by a gang of nuns. Your story also made me recall that the night before I left for Girls' State was the night I lost my virginity. Thanks for the memories.

From Andrew Johnson, West Virginia:
I enjoyed your story about Boys' State. I just made it through this past summer. The first few days were rough, but it got better the last two. I ran for Supreme Court justice but ended up being a humane officer or something. Also, our senior counselor—an OLD guy—made us get up at 6:15 a.m. to go outside and practice marching maneuvers. Visit my home page—I have a poem that our county made up about our counselor.

From Rob:
Wow, the memories from Boys' State! I just returned from the 1998 session. I ran for governor and got dicked over because everyone voted for the kid they were most afraid of. But we kept the counselors on their feet! Someone brought in porno and when they took it away. We also played window Scrabble. Each city was on a floor. The city above us put Copeland in the windows. The city below us put Cambell on their windows. We put up the proper letters to let everyone know that Copeland fucks Cambell. The Legionnaires were quite pissed off. There was freedom of speech but no freedom of hand gestures. Some kid had a motto, "Give them the bird." During his speech he flipped off the crowd. He was in quite a bit of trouble. I made good friends. Unfortunately I learned nothing about government or democracy.

From Brian Jackson:
I enjoyed your story on Boys' State. I will be traveling to Eastern Illinois University this weekend to attend; I hope my experience will be better than yours. I searched the Net to find out exactly what Boys' State is. Of all the information they sent me, not once did they describe the events of the week. I'm also disappointed since they have told us not to bring "firearms or explosives."

From Svedmur:
I have been nominated for Boys' State. I was honored that my teacher felt so highly of me that he would nominate me. However, I was unclear of what exactly Boys' State is. So I came home, jumped on the Internet, and right away found a site. I discovered that Boys' State is sponsored by the American Legion and involves spending a week away from home learning about democracy. This fascinated me, although I doubt I will be chosen to attend due to my liberal and sometimes anti-government views. I then discovered your page. I live in a very conservative Christian community. I too experienced persecution and unjust treatment because I wished to speak my mind. If for some strange reason I am chosen for Boys' State, I am considering attending simply to be able to make my point that a large part of democracy is its diversity. Thank you for posting you experience on the Internet. It has influenced me greatly.

From Jason Carneal:
I plan to create a site that details my experiences and the experiences of a friend at the Virginia Boys' State during the summer of 1996. The site will include a journal I kept. I remember having to get up at 6:30 a.m. in order to eat breakfast before the 7 a.m. morning service. I also remember putrid food and being forced to keep the AC on high all night when we were instructed to bring only one bedsheet for cover, so we froze all night. My friend was yelled at every day by his "counselor," a.k.a. drill instructor, and forced to do 50 push-ups each day because he did not have white shorts when no one told him that he had to bring special shorts. I will finish with a story about three people from the city of Washington, my city. We discovered a fountain that was populated by loud frogs. Three of our guys went to another city's bathroom and placed frogs inside the bathroom drains. On their way back, they were "arrested" by Virginia State Troopers participating in the Boys' State program. The troopers paraded the trio into our "city" wearing cuffs on their hands and feet, and paraded them around the hall. The "trial" they had afterwards seemed more like a military tribunal.
It seemed to me that Boys' State had more to do with some twisted urge on the part of old veterans to push their ideals on young men rather than provide young men the opportunity to experience the democratic system.

From Jacob McCarty:
I was doing a search online to see how other American Legion Boys' States have been going. I am sorry that you did not have the experience that I did. I went in to it with the attitude of whatever happens… happens and I am just going to make the best of it. I did not get elected either and also had to plead to get any position in the local government. It is obvious that you did not want to get anything out of the camp from the get go cause you have a problem with authority, in my opinion. I don't necessarily agree with some of the things others have emailed you in regards to the post you placed online, but the one thing I do agree with is you did not want to listen to anyone else's opinion … only your own.
Whether it be twisted, communist or any other random word you would like to use (minus democratic) to hide your ignorance under, I feel that if you would have been a little open-minded to the whole experience you would have received the same message that I and hundreds of others receive each year. I attended American Legion Mountaineer Boys' State, one of the oldest Boys' States in the nation, in 1999 as a citizen and have returned each year since as a Junior Counselor and I am in the running as a Senior Counselor this upcoming year. I hope that if anything you get the message that the Legionnaires tried to get across to you through the postings persons place about your article.