I was a Boy Scout.

[ursangnome]

I spent some of the best times of my youth as a Boy Scout. But, these days, I'm rather ashamed to admit it, due to some of the organization's policies. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, I could understand the narrow-mindedness and phobia - the Boy Scouts of America wasn't notably different than the rest of the country. But by now, they should know better.

You don't need to be heterosexual or religious to be a good person, responsible adult, or positive role-model for young boys. The BSA would do better to advance it's thinking into the 21st century.

Boy Scouts tell gay leader to take a hike

Comments

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

I'm glad my local council doesn't seem to be this idiotic -- those leaders I've spoken to all think National's policy is stupid.

Unfortunately, the REAL problem is the Mormons; Scouting is the official youth program for the LDS chuch and without their money, BSA would have withered away back in the early 80s -- it means that the church has a fair amount of control over BSA policy at the moment. (For example, the BSA uniform shorts were changed to be longer so as to hide the Garment).

it's a sad thing.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

My local council is like yours (might be the same one, for all I know).

But I don't care. I will not support Boy Scouts until they stop this policy.

Umbran: perhaps you should tell them how you feel.

[umbran.livejournal.com]

Yes, locally the leaders usually reflect local values. The leaders in my troop were sane. My brother is Scoutmaster for his son's troop, and I could not imagine him enforcing some of those less-enlightened policies.

I don't mind making the shorts a little longer for the sake of some of the boys, any more than I'd mind scheduling a fund raising pancake breakfast so Jewish members of the troop could take part. I'm all for flexing a bit for the beliefs of others. But these policies are a bit much.

Unfortunately, there's a chicken and egg issue here - I, for example, would not donate money to the national organization at this point, as I cannot condone their policies. But, the situation will change slowly, or not at all, until a bunch of folks like me do start donating to the national organization and insisting that the policies must change.

[calygrey.livejournal.com]

Both my boys do/did scouts. The first is an Eagle, the second is finishing up his paperwork.

I see no reason to be embarrassed about having been a member of a group because of what a few retards do (like, oh, say the SCA and that abuse suit...). BSA has a lot of good going for it - so does the SCA. BSA has some mighty nasty warts, so does the SCA.

BSA does know they should not have done this, and the few National employees I've spoken too think it'll eventually be reversed. Eventually.


Our local troop, and most of the other local troops (likely not Littleton's LDS troop) accept gay leaders - our Council wouldn't *quite* put it *all* the way in writing, they'll be shut down by National if they do. Our Institutional Head is gay as Christmas, and their ain't anyone who doesn't know it. A nearby town has a gay Scoutmaster; they seem to do fine.

[the-smith-e.livejournal.com]

I was a scout, long ago. This is less of an issue for me now as I am the father of a daughter. Remember, there are still enough people drawn to it who will vote against changing the policy. Also remember that atheists will also be excluded.

I don't know what I would do if I had a son.

[auntiemame67.livejournal.com]

My brother was kicked out of his troop in the late 80's for having an earring. Fortunately, we lived in a city, and since it had happened to a number of other boys, a troop was formed *for* them, so they could keep scouting in spite of the dangerous jewelry.

[laurion]

Sadly, I dropped out of the Boy Scouts in middle school because it was clearly becoming just another popularity contest. I loved my time as a cub scout, and kept with it as long as it was fun, but as soon as it stopped being fun, I wasn't in the mood to play.