I think this is step backward compared to the scouts as I knew them thirty years ago. We learned woodcraft, firetending, camping and hiking skills, communication, water rescue, first aid- all falling under that ever-important umbrella of public service.

Although this could be construed a public service of sorts, serving citizens by helping them with errands and dressing their wounds when they are ill or weak, using radios for emergency communications, helping keep citizens CALM and things of this nature are just as important as shooting guns around if there were some sort of widespread public emergency. I'd much rather see them serve this sort of role and letting law enforcement do the job they are supposed to do.

My son wanted to join the cub scouts last year and we gave it a try. I was shocked to see in the past thirty years scouting somehow to devolve into nothing more than popcorn sales. Training our boys to be a door-to-door sales force is a total waste of an institution. Frankly I think it's a dearth of meaningful activity in today's scouting (lack of imagination on the leaders' part, most likely) that lead to out-of-whack craziness like this.