Scouts targeted in San Diego

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | September 25, 2005

[zipper]

One group consists of parents who are gay themselves or that have kids who are gay that want the advantages of Scouting for their kids and want to participate in Scouting with them. Many of these parents were Scouts themselves. I have some sympathy for this, as their motivation is to get the Scouting program for their kids.

That's possible but I haven't observed this, to my knowledge. I think at the age of adolescence a young male my be somewhat confused about his sexuality-- and if so that's an even stronger argument for protecting him against homosexual influences.

The other group sees Scouting as a means to an end; by having "avowed" homosexuals able to join Scouting, it helps to normalize homosexuality in American culture. I have no sympathy for this, even as I have no sympathy for people who desire to use Scouting for any other self-gratifying end. I don't think they intend to destroy Scouting, but I do think that they don't care whether or not it does. The idea is that it is paramount that homosexuality be accepted across the board, and if something can't survive that then it shouldn't survive.

Yes, I agree-- the homosexuals want to be accepted by society as a whole; in fact that was the main point of my first post.

[zipper]

And yes the Boy Scouts is a paramilitary organization, from its start in the UK it has been a pre-military organization and to this day, Eagle scouts are recognized by the Army with an immediate rank advancement upon enlisting.

Good point, I agree. I'm glad you pointed out the Army priveleges granted to Eagles. That's strong evidence that the skill sets overlap.

[KC_for_Freedom]

The BSA is not a paramilitary organization. There are certainly skills taught that are useful in a military setting, but they are not taught in a military context, nor is there an emphasis on military skills


You may well be correct in today's Scouting Orgn. But I was referring historically. the Scouts as envisioned by Powell in England were a pre-military group for boys, and this is shown more clearly in the older Handbooks for Boys. I remember when morse code was a requirement (I believe for First Class) and field hand signals were in the book too. (Down, take cover was two outstretched hands moving downward). I remember tracking a group for two miles without being seen by them as well as identification of edible plants in the nature area. Of course Archery, Marksmanship, swimming, lifesaving, and pioneering all have their military sides. One last thing, (probably not entirely true) was that the Boy Scouts are the only civilian organization commissioned to do the US Flag retirement ceremony. Something all branches of the military also have.

Here is a synopsis of Lord Baden Powell's that shows the relationship between scouting and the military.
http://www.pinetreeweb.com/bp-listener.htm


I agree with you that military emphasis and direction are not part of the scouts, nor is there any push towards doing military service from the scouts. Thank you for clarification about the rank advancement.

[zipper]

The BSA is not a paramilitary organization. There are certainly skills taught that are useful in a military setting, but they are not taught in a military context, nor is there an emphasis on military skills.

Well of course it is. Not in a specific way like the CAP or ROTC/JrROTC, which are really auxiliaries of the military, but in many, many other ways. If the Boy Scouts aren't paramilitary in nature, then the US military is para-BoyScouts ;)

[zipper]

Here is a synopsis of Lord Baden Powell's that shows the relationship between scouting and the military. http://www.pinetreeweb.com/bp-listener.htm

Thank you for that, KC for Freedom. A must read. Slam dunk. Game over (that's parasports slang).

[KC_for_Freedom]

The other group sees Scouting as a means to an end; by having "avowed" homosexuals able to join Scouting, it helps to normalize homosexuality in American culture. I have no sympathy for this,

You are right to give this group no sympathy. They resent the scouts for taking two steps that they find loathsome. The first step is that the Handbook for Boys takes on sexual molestation at the outset. (I admit as a parent I was stunned to see this as the first item to be discussed with my son the scout. But as someone who had been molested myself,-- not in the scouts -- I recognized this as a good step. Scouts are forewarned and leaders take a two hour course in recognition of abuse and how to avoid having it happen on your watch.) Thus the Scouts are manning the wall in the fight against sexual abuse.

The second step taken is to deny the openly homosexual activist the forum with developing boys that they could have if their leadership was accepted and approved by the Scouting Organization.

With the Scouts blocking the homosexual agenda (or movement to normalcy) the homosexuals have moved to open hostilities with the Scouts. Lawsuits and seeking to have liberal support groups deny the scouts a location to meet, and misguided parents choosing to enroll their sons in other "more multicultural" programs are some of the means that are used to whittle Scouting down in size and impact.

[Serb5150]

Is there a San Diego ping list?

[RonF]

Yes, Morse Code was a requirement for First Class. I don't know why they took it out. While numerous other required skills in the BSA advancement program are useful in the military, I've used them quite a bit in my life and have never been in the military. I guess it's all up to what "paramilitary" means. The BSA is certainly not designed to prepare Scouts for the military, although historically that was an idea that Lord Baden-Powell had when he started the Boy Scouts in Britain.

One last thing, (probably not entirely true) was that the Boy Scouts are the only civilian organization commissioned to do the US Flag retirement ceremony. Something all branches of the military also have.

Actually, no organization, military or civilian, is commissioned any special privileges for flag retirements. Any organization or any private individual can do a flag retirement; there is nothing in the U.S. Flag code about it other than to state that the ceremony should be dignified and private and is preferably done by burning the flag.

[HungarianGypsy]

There is some group called World Scouts. Why don't they just join them and leave the Boy Scouts alone?

[Hildy]

Not only do I have no knowledge of a San Diego ping list, I don't even LIVE in San Diego anymore!

[SaintDismas]

Only if you are an abortuary protester