Summer camp forms great memories for many kids. Oh, did I say "memories?" I meant mammories.
The Cub Scouts of America are fielding questions this week after it was discovered that Hooters - yes; those Hooters - sponsored a day at a Cub Scout Camp in Denver, Colorado. Parents on site to collect their littles at camp's end were surprised to see several Hooters girls in and amongst the young campers, after helping out for the day with things like arts and crafts. Some parents were not very happy at all with their sponsorship program, likely being accustomed to more... conventional businesses taking part in the program. Some parents were even "outraged."
ABC News reports Michelle Kettleborough, a mom to a 7 year-old in attendance, as being "in disbelief when she picked up her son" and that she noticed he was "wearing a Hooters hat."
Kettleborough continues, "I step back for a second, and I take a look and I'm like, 'Are they wearing Hooters visors? Wait a minute,'" Kettleborough said. "Quite honestly we're questioning whether we're going to keep him in the organization at all next year."
I agree that it seems an unlikely pairing, but I've made my own laundry soap AND I married a Conservative and we lasted 11 years. Plus, have you ever tried Cheez Whiz and jam together? Seriously; it's nothing short of amazing. So sometimes unconventional works.
I have kids. I haven't ever taken them to a Hooters on purpose, but I don't think I'd be speed dialing a therapist or losing sleep over their futures if they came across a Hooter's employee in the woods. I think I'd even be okay with them making paper mache together. It's not as thought the boys were first subject to a time-share style hard sell seminar on LOLZ BIG JUGS before circle time. Transparency: I also have big boobs, so perhaps I am feeling a tad sensitive, what with all the other problems they give us. Women are more than their "parts" - unless you include brain and heart - then we are all of those and more.
Parent Marsha Corn tells ABC, "We love the Scouts, [but] we think they made a very poor choice," Corn said. "And what I would like - and what I think would go a long way, again - is some accountability."
Ahhh, accountability. The buzzword of the last several years, and one that sometimes needs to fall in a hole and be eaten by bears. Perhaps in the woods! Supervised by Hooters girls!
Perhaps I am rage-fatigued, but unless someone at camp is trying to convert or cook my child, I'm sorta okay - nay, a lot okay - with them meeting people of all stripes. And camp images show the women were dressed in Hooters clothing, but not the regular short shorts and tank tops uniform the restaurant typically requires. These women are not fools; they are adults and I also find it highly improbable that they would have turned up to serve wings and pitchers of Bud to 10 year-old boys in the summer sunshine.
Parents outraged after Hooters sponsors Cub Scout camp, sends over Hooters girls: https://t.co/mN90UL6H1h pic.twitter.com/sMPgG6ji9G
— Denver7 News (@DenverChannel) July 2, 2016
Can we focus? Women who are take work willingly as adults and who are made aware of clothing requirements can - and do - take jobs as they please. The arts and crafts session at the Cub camp was not inappropriate so make it clear to me again why the outrage? I imagine that young kids, as impressionable as they are, were more impressed by Chad's awesome armpit farts than Stephanie that nice lady who made me a friendship bracelet.
Chances are the kids thought the Hooters clothing sporting signature owl branding was a hat tip to an Owl Sanctuary or something. I dunno - have you been on Pinterest since 2013? There are fucking owls all over the place. It's a veritable owl paradise on the internet right now. That's what I'm outraged about! Can we get over the whole owl trend? They're creepy and their shit has BONES in it. THAT'S JUST WEIRD.
See? Now I'm mad. Maybe I'll call up this band of irate Denver-area parents and we can rage together. Maybe even over a basket of inferno-hot boneless wingettes and a cold brew. Once there I would mention that their rage may be better channeled towards that fact that it hasn't even been a full year (July 2015) since the Boy Scouts of America allowed gay men to be troop leaders.
Image Source: WikiCommons
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