American Indian group puts halt to offensive Scout camp

Burlington Free Press, Sunday, June 18, 2000

There will be no Indian camp this summer up at the Vermont Boy Scouts "reservation" on Mount Norris in Eden.

"It is with deep regret that I inform you of the cancellation of the Long Trail Indian Camp for the 2000 season." Gordon Lew, the Scout program director wrote in a May 18 letter sent to its 50 prospective participants.

Circumstances and actions have arisen which threaten to dishonor the Indian Camp, the Green Mountain Council and the Boy Scouts of America. This we will not allow.

Exactly what Lew was referring to was left unsaid in his letter. But, truth be told, the Scout organization folded its tent on Indian camp just six days after being informed by a lawyer for American Indians that the whole thing was racist and demeaning.

"The concept of your operation of Indian Camp is offensive to Native people and should be offensive to all peoples," a May 12 letter to the Scouts from Charles Yow, a Boston lawyer who represents the American Indian Movement in New England.

Yow, a Cherokee, warned that if the Vermont Boy Scout organization didn't respond appropriately, he would attempt to have its non profit tax status revoked, among other things.

Just about every aspect of the camp is revolting to Yow - the period costumes everyone is supposed to wear, the Indian names they are assigned, the participation in so-called Indian dances and a sweat lodge.

Especially the sweat lodge.

"Children should not be allowed in a sweat lodge." Yow said in an interview. "This is a deeply religious practice for Native Americans. Plus, they can be very dangerous to children if they get too hot. There is a potential someone could pass out or die."

Jerry Lupien, the executive director for the Green Mountain Council that runs the Vermont Boy Scouts, said no offense was intended. He said, the camp even has American Indians help authenticate its activities.

We didn't feel we were doing anything to mock their culture" he said "Our intent was to embrace it."

He said the Scouts decided to cancel Indian Camp and rethink it later than face a likely public protest and "media frenzy" this summer. "We were not going to subject the kids to that" he said.

Yet Lupien's assurances to the contrary there is the sense here that the Scout organization is more resentful of Yow's criticisms than it is letting on.

Take the reference to American Indian input. The Scouts said the camp is designed to be true to the culture, but the camp's program founder, Hal Grosser, was unable to name a single American Indian advising him on the camp's activities this summer.

April St. Francis, chief of the Vermont Abenakis, said she's never been contacted about the camp and viewed the sweat lodge practice as particularly offensive.

"You go there for very high reasons. It is not for children," she said, adding she herself has never been to a sweat lodge. "I do not feel I am ready to go yet."

Or consider the remark Lupien allegedly made to a camp follower in an e-mail obtained by Yow. "Even though they are misinformed and we might eventually win such a battle, the harm done to the Scouts and the camping program is too great."

We've seen this stop spoiling our fun attitude toward American Indian concerns in Vermont before. Remember Danville, where the School Board in February voted 3-2 to overrule the superintendent's recommendation and keep using an Indian mascot for its high school teams.

Surprise, surprise. Smack dab in the middle of the commencement invitations for last week's Danville High School graduation was the stereotypical image of an angry looking American Indian chief.

What a sad lesson to be teaching our kids.