A Cub Scout from Colorado has been kicked out of his den for asking his state senator a tough question on gun control.
Ames Mayfield, 11, pressed his Republican senator Vicki Marble during a question and answer session on a den outing.
When it was Ames’ turn, he read from a printed sheet he had prepared: ‘An issue that I’m concerned about is common sense gun control. I was shocked that you co-sponsored a bill to allow domestic violence offender to continue to own a gun. … Why on Earth would you want somebody who beats their wife to have access to a gun?’
Though his task was to research and ask a question that impacts the community, Ames said his den leaders called his question disrespectful and too political.
Pack leaders held a meeting with Ames’ mother, Lori Mayfield, where they told her her son was no longer apart of the den.
Ames Mayfield, 11, was just four-months sky of becoming a Boy Scout when he was kicked out of his Cub Scout den
He asked a question to Colorado Senator Vicki Marble about her stance on gun control
This was during a Q&A session in which the subs were tasked with researching and asking a question that impacted the community
Former Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords tweeted in support of Ames
The incident caught the attention of former Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords prompting her to tweet in support of the boy.
Giffords tweeted on Thursday: ‘This is exactly the kind of courage we need in Congress. Ames, call me in 14 years. I’ll campaign for you.’
The congresswoman survived a gunshot wound to the head during a public appearance in 2012.
Ames told Fox 31: Given that the Las Vegas shooting happened, I felt that it should be a reasonable thing to ask. I don’t feel like I did anything wrong.’
Ames continued his question backed by in-depth research for more than two minutes when the den leader cut him off to allow the senator to answer. Both the senator and the leader commended him for his ‘thorough’ list of questions.
Senator Vicki Marble fielded the question by saying, ‘we need crime control’.
Marble told the Denver Post, ‘I don’t blame the boy for asking the questions, since I believe there was an element of manipulation involved, and it wasn’t much different from the questions I normally field in other meetings.The invitation to meet with the Scouts was never intended to cause friction and controversy.’
The incident caught the attention of Gabrielle Giffords prompting her to tweet in support of the boy
Giffords survived a gunshot to the head at a public appearance in 2012
Ames’s mom Lori said the den leaders called a meeting with her to tell her that her son has been kicked out of his den
The Scouts did not explicitly say he was kicked out of the den. The Boy Scouts said only that he remains a member of the larger pack, and that the organization is working with the family to offer him options that will ‘allow him to continue his Scouting experience in a way that fits his and his family’s needs.’
But Ames’ mom said he was heartbroken to find out he could not longer be in his den because he took a liking to his group leader and was just four months away from transitioning from the Cub Scouts to the Boy Scouts.
She added that he didn’t understand why his question was inappropriate.
While he is no longer welcome at his former Scout den, his mother said another area den has invited Ames to join. He will transition to Boy Scouts in February.