Faithspotting Boys State

Kenny and Mike discuss the film and faith elements spotted in the documentary film Boys State. Directed by Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss, Boys State documents the 2018 Texas Boys State gathering. Boys State is a national program dedicated to building in high school age teens greater understanding and participation in civics as well as developing leadership skills in community and state governance.

Dating back to the 1930s, Boys State and Girls State is sponsored by the American Legion with AL Auxiliaries in each state sponsoring and supporting boys and girls who attend their respective programs. Each state organizes and conducts their Boys and Girls State gatherings. 

While the primary focus of Boys and Girls state is to elect statewide office holders, the program in Texas also elects members to the Boys/Girls State state legislature where legislation is presented and voted on. Each party also develops a platform which is a part of the election process.

In planning the film, directors McBaine and Moss identified 4 of the 1150 that would be the primary subjects of the film. The film details as the boys go about the work of running for leadership positions in the political party they were randomly assigned. The for primary cast members are Ben Feinstein, Steven Garza, Robert MacDougall, and Rene Otero.

Kenny's reaction to a prescreening of the film:

Watching Boys State is a Dickensian experience as we see the best of our society and the worst of our politic. The best is watching 1100+ teenage boys spend a week taking serious the complex job of governance and reflecting on issues that impact society. The worst is the witnessing the imitation of the most inferior practices of Adult State. The hope is the rising generation will retain the former, refine the latter and lead the nation in a resumption of its foundational march toward a more perfect union. 

Faith elements spotted and discussed include the appropriate and inappropriate ways persons of faith are called to deal with differences and disagreements. Such ways of keeping community in the midst of differences are an act of love Christ calls all persons to offer all others.

I Corinthians 13 is lifted up as an example and expectations for how individuals and communities are to behave. 

Another topic is maintaining an awareness that as younger members of society and communities watch, listen, and replicate the behavior of adult leaders, so persons of faith are observed by persons within and beyond the faith and seen as representative of their faith community but also of God and Christ.