New SR-7B Conclave Patch Trading Rules
Posted in I have been told by a friend of mine that the advisers of SR-7B have decided that patch trading at the 2007 Conclave will follow the same rules used by the BSA at the National Jamborees. Trading is to be permitted only on youth to youth and adult to adult bases. Youth status is defined as being under the age of 18. No trading will be permitted between youth and adults. News of this change was to be passed along to the membership of the section’s lodges.
The reason behind this, as told to me, is to deal with a certain collector who copied the section conclave patch last year for his personal purposes, making several spurious items. He is also a well-known maker of spoofs, having several at the last few NOACs and Jamborees. As he usually has his own gang of youth working for him, he will not be affected by this change in practice and will surely be pushing his most recent spoofs there.
To put it mildly, I am not pleased by this change of practice. I have already let it be known that for the first time in 14 years, I probably will not be at Conclave this coming April… nor ever again as long as this is in effect. If my section’s leadership wanted to send a message that they view me and other adult patch traders as unscrupulous, it has been received loud and clear. I am polite enough to abide by their rules and not go where I am not wanted. As my interest in collecting new issues has been waning for years now, this is not a difficult decision for me.
Patch trading at our conclaves has, in my experience, always been collegial and generally fair. Collectors have policed themselves. Adults have mentored and educated youth. Older youth did the same for their juniors. In the few circumstances where a dishonest adult has taken advantage of a youth it has generally been dealt with by other adults present without much publicity. The general exception to this has been trade in spoofs, mainly by the one collector in question. In this case it was the inaction last year by the section leadership that has lead to the current situation. Since it was not dealt with last year, honest adults, just wanting to trade, are to be punished this year.
I believe eventually my section’s leadership will come to realize this decision was short-sighted and ineffective at solving the problem at hand.
If this policy is modified or I have been given incorrect information, I will gladly publish a correction here. Please let me know if that is the case.
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So, is the section REALLY trying to a) prevent adult/youth trading, b) actually PROTECT the youth, c) actually STOP/DISSUADE the “well-known individual in question” from really coming to the conclave and plying his wares/spoofs, or d) actually just blowing hot air, trying to LOOK useful, while in fact accomplishing nothing, for fear of losing said ‘individual & party’s’ registration fees? Perhaps when confronted with the hypocrisy of their ways, you will a) show the Section powers-that-be, that you REALLY know what the score is, and b) get them to better think through/word their plan of action.
Ahem… not that I would EVER doubt the pure & selfless motives of my ‘betters,’ mind you…
Bob McCanless (Itibap188)
Pittsburgh
I can’t speak for them as I do not know their mind. My guess is it’s a combination of ‘b’ and ‘c’. Â
If I had been asked, I would have told them this is not an effective solution. The person I refer to has his own gaggle of youth traders so he will not be affected by this change. Also, in my experience, it is usually the older youth that are the more dangerous patch sharks, not the adults.  If someone’s acting improperly, you escort them off the camp property.  If you don’t want someone to return, yank their BSA registration and have them arrested for trespassing if they enter without permission.
I have said my peace and will respect their decision. It’s not my wish to start a fight. My checkbook and I will stay home.
John,
Has this been verified by section officials yet?
Was this “NEW” RULE for the section laid down in the latest
Conclave “rule” Planbook?
MANY Inquiring minds, adult and youth alike, would like to know for sure.
Soup296
This has been confirmed through a Section Advisor.
There will be ONE area set aside for Patch Trading.
Youth trading will be CONSTANTLY MONITORED to make sure
no adult makes ANY trades with a YOUTH.
ADULT trading will be also CONSTANTLY MONITORED to make sure
no YOUTH makes any trades with an adult.
My 2 cents, not even knowing who the the “well-known individual in question†is- patch traders can be the most honorable folks you will ever meet & can also be the biggest jerks you’ll ever meet. As a kid trading at NOACs I learned to trade 1-for-1 for my Wahissa flaps and not care if anyone thought their flap was “better”. As an adult I trade my Tsali flaps 1-for-1 and enjoy my time visiting with new & old friends. One of the best parts of being an adult is that you can afford to give patches to kids- that’s not outlawed is it? Adults should not care if they can trade with kids, as long as they can enter another lodges campsite (with permission) and give patches to kids. If you’ve never done it before, try it at the next conference you attend - - you’ll be glad you did & you will be someone’s hero!
This just in…
The HOST LODGE “Occoneechee 104″ is supposed to be contacted by the Section Leadership and have the Name Tags for all delegates to have YOUTH or ADULT designation on them…. This way NO MISTAKE could be made by an adult trading with someone that looked 18 but was actually 17.
That’s the latest that we hear…Section leadership from 296 and 70 were at our Winter Banquet (Occoneechee 104) and the name tag thing was discussed with the Lodge Advisor. We are still talking with Section about the youth / adult trading issue as this will NOT resolve the real problem which is spoof patches….at least that was the issue last year that caused all of the commotion….an adult trading his conclave-look-a-like spoofs.