Had a very nasty experience last night.

I followed my beloved Barnet to their Carling Cup game at Leeds. A group of us went up early, booked a hotel and decided to make a couple of days of it. All seemed to be going well (other than losing 3-1!) till after the game.

We walked back to the town centre from the ground and were directed where to go by the police, all nice and simple right? Wrong.

Turning down the wrong street we (4 of us) were followed by about 20-25 chavs who first started chanting very loudly at us (intimidating but nothing worse) and then, in no uncertain terms, asked us if we cared to engage them in hand to hand combat. When we declined their oh so kind offer they continued to hurk really nasty abuse at us, follow us up the street and throw stones and beer cans at us, one of which hit me smack in the back of the head.

The whole thing was bloody scary and I think it was only the fact there was a girl with us that meant we didn't get a good kicking.

There have also been reports that the police stopped an ambush of the supporters coaches by another gang.

Why do people have to behave like this? What the hell is the point? What gives them the right to assualt me and my friends? And what gives them the right to do it in the name of the game that I love? It has nothing to do with football. Absolutly nothing.

I am very angry indeed.

Why is is that it's always the same parents that you have to hastle and harry fro camp forms and payment etc? And why are they the same ones who never say thank you or help us out when we need an extra body?

Any why is it always the same kids that pull out at the last minute?

Why is it that once again with less than a week to go and threats of sending kids home I still have less than half the kids fully paid with all the forms handed in?

Maybe I'm just wound up stressed and tired, but I sometimes feel totally unappreciated.

So, with not a lot to do one evening I decided to read some random blogs.

Like you do.

It scared the hell out of me! There are some real lunatics in this world and it may sound like a cliche but many of them do seem to lurk in the deep south of the USA. I wouldn't want you to think that this is going to be some kind of rant against Americans because its not. At the end of the day the majority of them are not so very different from those of us on this side of the big pond (just take a look at Hecates blog,) but it does seem to have more than its fare share of nutters.

I'll tell you about one of them, I wont link to it because I have no intention of promoting it. It was written by a man who was ex military living in a small town in Arkansaw. (excuse the spelling). Post after post was directed against Islam, describing it as evil and how 9/11 had been a declaration of war by Islam against the America and Christianity.

The fact is that I am a Christian, I'm not ashamed of that, but I think that to describe other religions as evil is to do both Christianity and other religions a great diservice. Where is the love and the tolerance in describing others as evil? This man did not seem to realise that they actually belive in the same God as Christians but have different views on Jesus (ie he was a prophet rather that the son of God). Until we learn to live and let live we will never have peace in the world.

To claim that the views and actions of Al Quaida and other Muslim extremists are those of Islam in general is akin to saying that the Ku Klux Klan is representative of Christianity

It was also filled with links to sights that described Liberals as "scum" and ranted against all the overwelling scientific evidence about global warming and ranting criticisms of Europeans who oppose George Bush and the so called war on terror as cowards.

And this blog was representative of a hell of a lot of others from the southern USA. And it scared me half to death.

Once again I am grateful that my work as a scout leader gives me the oportunity to help mould young people in to caring, tolerant members of the community.

"Why of course the people don't want war... But after all it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship... Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they're being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger."
-- Hermann Goering (Gestapo/Nazi leader),
Nuremberg, 1946

Ring any bells?

After my summer rants about the media back to some meat and spuds Cub....

Gilwell was great fun! If you've not been and had a go on 3G yet then make sure you do so sharpish. Large pioneering structure that sends you in to a 30 foot freefall. Utterly terrifying but my God its fun!

The weekend was a fantastic mix of great ideas, inspiring displays on what people are up to, old freinds, new friends, too much beer etc. I was a reunion virgin but now I will definately be back. And Katie if you are reading, sorry I didn;t come and find you but it was all a bit hectic!

Cubs was back last night, started the chef's badge, made too much food and the bbq wouldn't light so when the parents turned up to be fed it all went a bit pair shaped.... some people did eat in the end via the HQ's newly refurbished kitchen but we didn't get out till 10 and then had the idignity of the leaders from the 18th sending us beered up text messages while we cleaned up!

Now have a transport crisis for camp, two weeks to go and no way of shifting all our kit down there.

Apparently I do this for fun.

PS Steve Irwin RIP. Lets face it, he was an over grown scout, and the world needs more people who poke dangerous animals with sticks.

What a legend.