One thing that I do when I cruise around the net is look at other unit's websites. I look to see what they are doing, when they are meeting, and how they run their units. I look at all units, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturing.

On a lot of sites, I find things that may be construed as nit-picky, but I can be a stickler for the rules. I find pictures of scouts with names, or entire scout names, or den rosters with contact information.

On almost every site, I find a handbook or some documentation that spells out the rules for the unit. Some are 40 page books, while others are 3-4 general rules. Personally in my troop, the only rules come from 3 sources…the Scoutmaster's Handbook, the Boy Scout Handbook and the Guide to Safe Scouting. I do cite a couple of other books, but those are from the BSA and no other source…I may use "The Scoutmaster's Other Handbook" as a guide, but never take it for gospel.

With some of these "Rules and Guidelines of [INSERT UNIT TYPE & # HERE]," is that when reading the unit policies, I find something along these lines…

"Per the BSA, Eureka tents are illegal" or "Per the BSA, you cannot wash with Tide detergent"…no, not really, but how many times have you come across something like this, and have said to yourself, "well, they are wrong…"

Not that they are necessarily wrong, but just that they are mis-stating the facts.

In your opinion, what should you do? Taking a tip from Ask Andy, would you fire off an email to these "tin gods"? Would you just sigh and carry on? It ranks up there with the patch police, but I am a firm believer in following the rules as they are spelled out, and not putting the fear of the BSA into people.

Prefacing something, that isn't true, with "Per the BSA…" or "The BSA states…" is really something that sticks in my craw.

I don't like it, and would like to know what you would do if you ran across something like this

Or if your unit does have a "manual", are there phrases and paragraphs in your book that state this…if so, why?

Tact is raising an eyebrow instead of the roof.

Thass what mah gramma used to say.

If you feel a gentle nudge will help, go for it. Typically, you'll be wasting your energy.  Whatever you do, do it courteously and kindly.  No one likes a know-it-all.  Even if they're right. :)