February 8

Events

1910 - A good deed on this day - William D. Boyce of Chicago, Illinois incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on this date. The Boy Scouts were originated several years earlier by Englishman Sir Robert Baden-Powell. It seems that Mr. Boyce was visiting England and one foggy day in London town, he lost his way. A young boy guided him, but refused any monetary reward. A surprised Mr. Boyce queried as to why. The boy replied that he was a Scout and Scouts did not accept a reward for doing a good turn. This gesture of good will so inspired Boyce that he searched out Baden-Powell to learn more about the British Scouts and how they groom boys' behavior. Upon his return to the United States, he formed the Boy Scouts of America.^[1]

1996 - "We gotta protect kids from something ... whatever it might be." - United States President Bill Clinton signed into law the Communications Decency Act on this date. The act made it a crime to transmit "patently offensive material" or to allow it to be transmitted over public computer networks where children might see it. It authorized the US government to restrict on-line speech and conduct with fines of $250,000 and jail sentences of up to 2 years for anyone who made such material available to children on line. One problem with the act was what should count as "patently offensive material." Especially so, considering what Bill's idea of a good time in the oval office was.^[1]

1999 - The final word on the whole story - Vili Fualaau became famous as the 12 year old boy who had a sexual relationship with his teacher, Mary Kay Letourneau. Fualaau appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on this date. Here is what he had to say: "Mary didn't take away my childhood. I gave it away by consent. I knew what I was getting into. She knew what we were getting into. I don't feel one bit in my whole entire body that she ever raped me. I don't love her because she's 30 years old and she doesn't love me because I'm 15 years old. We love each other for who we are. Do I plan to marry her? Yes, I plan to marry her. She's my world, she's my life, and they all know that I have her ring on still, and it's never going to change." Well said, Vili.^[1]

2016 - President Barack Obama signed HR 515, known as the International Megan's Law‎, into law.^[2] ^[3]

February 8, 1892 - Ralph Nicholas Chubb was a British poet, printer, and artist.