Scout’s honor? Time to bring the Boy Scouts of America up to date

Pasadena Weekly ^ | 04-27-06 | Hannah Naiditch

[fgoodwin]

Scout’s honor? Time to bring the Boy Scouts of America up to date

http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/article.php?id=3353&IssueNum=17 http://tinyurl.com/k96l2

By Hannah Naiditch

About two years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America could use membership criteria that excluded homosexuals and atheists. It was a big victory for the Scouts, but its rules have backfired. Its donations have declined because it is in conflict with many of the donors’ anti-discrimination policies.

Recently the Boy Scouts made news again. The California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Berkeley did not violate the rights of the Scouts when the city revoked their free berthing privileges.

With all the recent and past publicity, it is interesting to look back at their founder, Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who started it all in Great Britain in 1907. Baden-Powell was a controversial figure. He was an officer of the British Empire and a hero in the Boer wars. However, some historians also see him as a militarist, an imperialist and even as a racist and a fascist. Two major books have been written on this subject and both were originally published in London. There is a harsh critique by Michael Rosenthal published in 1986: “The Character Factory: Baden-Powell’s Boy Scouts and the Imperatives of Empire.”

The other book was written by Tim Jeal: “The Boy-Man: The Life of Baden-Powell.” Jeal is critical of what he sees as some of Rosenthal’s excesses. For instance, Jeal addresses Baden-Powell’s anti-Semitism by asserting that Baden-Powell had several Jewish friends and a Jewish doctor and therefore could not have been an anti-Semite. He also points out that there was at that time considerable anti-Semitism, not only in England, but in Poland, Russia, Romania, Austria and Germany. He characterizes Baden-Powell as a man of conflicts and naïve on some issues.

Jeal explains that Baden-Powell was not alone in his admiration for Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and that his feelings were based on his hatred for communism. Baden-Powell used the swastika symbol on his “Thank You” badges that were given to individuals who had helped the Boy Scout movement. According to Rosenthal, he used the swastika because he was a Nazi sympathizer, while Jeal blames it on Baden-Powell’s naiveté and his stubborn claim that the symbol meant “good luck” in Sanskrit. Both authors agree that Baden-Powell was deeply troubled by what he saw as lack of physical courage and military resolve.

Baden-Powell saw a moral decline of the British people, especially British youth. He believed in authority, obedience and conformity; hardly the values that qualify as a foundation for democracy. Baden-Powell denied that the slogan “Be Prepared” had anything to do with war, but he was a great believer in military might and saw the urgent need not only to defend but to expand the British Empire. He was also a great believer in maintaining the purity of the white race. He hated “niggers” (as he called them), Jews and homosexuals, and he admired Hitler and Mussolini.

What does this history tell us of the “traditional values” that the Scouts are so proud of? What kind of character are the Scouts trying to instill in their young charges? Whatever the truth about Baden-Powell may be, he was like most of us; a product of his time. Those were the days of declining empire and declining national pride. They were also days when fascism was rampant all over Europe and an accused homosexual could end up in jail. Interestingly enough, Rosenthal claims that Baden-Powell didn’t want to exclude atheists. He blamed atheism on an impoverished environment and hoped these boys would change their view when they joined the Scout movement.

Is today’s Boy Scout intolerance an echo of the past? Boy Scout leaders claim that their core values have remained the same since 1910, a claim that may be true but troublesome. Our Constitution, which reflects our democratic values, does not require a belief in God, nor does it allow discrimination based on sexual preference. The values of Baden-Powell are not the kind of values that form the basis of a free society.

Times have changed since the days Baden-Powell formed his Boy Scout movement almost 100 years ago. Those were the days of “manifest destiny” and empire, when Europeans called the blacks of Africa “primitive savages.”

Maybe the time has come for the Scout oath to represent not the values of the early 1900s, but to reflect the modern democratic values of our nation that are based on a system of inclusion.

04-27-06

[randog]

If you don't like it, start the Atheist Scouts!

That's called, "Scouting For All".

[isrul]

"reflect the modern democratic values of our nation that are based on a system of inclusion."

This is a crock. She just wants to turn the Scouts into a breeding ground for effeminate metrosexuals and a playground for pedophiles. Atheism and homosexuality are not the mainstream values of this country. In fact neither are "values" at all.

[Banjoguy]

Its donations have declined because it is in conflict with many of the donors’ anti-discrimination policies.

Where is the evidence supporting this statement? In Orlando, Florida, the BSA is a community supported organization and has actually been more successful at raising capital than in the past. Some of this is due to the supportive reaction of many men in the community after the United Way debacle.

[olezip]

The Boy Scouts of America is the most wholesome group in the world for building character and future leaders. Atheists and homosexuals contribute disease and aimless wandering in contrast. The enemies of the scouts could try to establish their own boys organizations. Maybe they have and failed again and again. So all they can do is take pot shots at the successful and exemplary Boy Scouts of America. God Bless the Boy Scouts!

[Unmarked Package]

Every Boy Scout who earns his Citizenship In The Nation merit badge has to complete several requirements to the satisfaction of his merit badge counselor, including Section 4 of the requirements listed below:

4. Discuss each of the following documents with your counselor. Tell your counselor how you feel life in the United States might be different without each one.
a. Declaration of Independence
b. Preamble to the Constitution
c. The Constitution
d. Bill of Rights
e. Amendments to the Constitution

As a merit badge counselor for our local Boy Scout troop, I must hear Hannah Naiditch's responses to these questions before I waste any more time on her other opinions regarding the Boy Scouts of America.

[aliquando]

I am strongly resisting a rant at the point. BSA is one of the finest institutions short of the military this country has. It gave me a sense of honor, belonging, achievment, you get the drift. STOP SCREWING WITH THE SCOUTS!!! We are part of what is good about this country.

[JMS]

Where is there a right to inclusion? We have a right to free association and therefore cannot be forced to associate with those we do not want to associate with.

[fwdude]

We have a right to free association and therefore cannot be forced to associate with those we do not want to associate with.

That's what you think - not in the PC nation we're becoming.

[muawiyah]

This guy is gay, right?

Let him do his own cruising ~ the Boy Scouts have no business lending him a hand, or anything else for that matter.

[SandRat]

One of our District Troops 401 was formed the year before Arizona became a State (Feb 14 1912) and is the very first Troop in the State. It is still up and running.

[aculeus]

Atheists and homosexuals contribute disease and aimless wandering in contrast.

Fess up, rightwing, what diseases are you contributing? ;-)

[darkangel82]

ugh.
Ping (more agenda-driven, anti-scouts b/s)

[dhs12345]

Aren't the Boy Scouts in trouble right now? -- Scout Master molested a scout and the scout later claimed it was consensual (yeah, right).

Obviously, the Scout Master is gay and the Scouts are liable.

Wonder if this dingbat would like a hetero male "supervising" whatever club, etc. her daughter is in? Especially, one where they are together a lot and away from home, share a locker room, etc. I am guessing, no.

[madprof98]

Our Constitution, which reflects our democratic values, does not require a belief in God, nor does it allow discrimination based on sexual preference.

Also, it tells us that abortion is the most basic of human rights. What a great document it is!

[DBeers]

Our Constitution, which reflects our democratic values, does not require a belief in God, nor does it allow discrimination based on sexual preference.

A sexual "preference" implies inherently that discrimination exists -ALL discriminate -some choose normality while others choose abnormality. Why do leftists insist that preferences chosen such as colon exploration be the unquestioned sacred cows of sexual preferences?

Society has always discriminated in regard to sexual preferences by rewarding privilege to heterosexual procreatively positive married couples' sexual preferences while discouraging, sanctioning, and or not rewarding unhealthy, unmarried and or procreatively negative sexual preferences.

[DBeers]

Homosexual Agenda Ping!

If you oppose the homosexualization of society
-add yourself to the ping list!

To be included in or removed from the
HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA PING LIST,
please FReepMail either DBeers or DirtyHarryY2k.

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Is today’s Boy Scout intolerance an echo of the past?

Hmmm.. -today’s Boy Scout "intolerance" is a burr under the saddle of the leftists' sacred cow village rodeo of delusion...

Embracing and promoting the homosexual disorder is embracing and promoting a morally corrupt self-destructive procreative dead end -a future of darkness...

[El Gato]

Jeal explains that Baden-Powell was not alone in his admiration for Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and that his feelings were based on his hatred for communism. Baden-Powell used the swastika symbol on his “Thank You” badges that were given to individuals who had helped the Boy Scout movement. According to Rosenthal, he used the swastika because he was a Nazi sympathizer, while Jeal blames it on Baden-Powell’s naiveté and his stubborn claim that the symbol meant “good luck” in Sanskrit. Both authors agree that Baden-Powell was deeply troubled by what he saw as lack of physical courage and military resolve.

100 years ago, there were no Nazis. The swastika was used by several groups around the world. Including American Indians, where it was indeed a "Good Luck" symbol. It was also used on the patch of the 45th Infantry Division composed of units from the Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona National Guards. When Hitler stole the symbol, the division replaced it with the Thunderbird

The redesignated 45th Infantry Brigade still proudly wears the Thunderbird patch.

You can check out the history of the Swastika on Symbols.com It goes back at least to the ancient Sumerians. But was also associated with Buddha in India, China and Japan. (Sanskrit is the ancient language of India, upon which most modern Indian languages/dialects are based)

[olezip]

Not much in comparison. Homosexuals, like the general population, contribute in the workplace and in their communities. Nevertheless, homosexuals engage in behaviors that are destructive to themselves and to society. Homosexuality carries a number of risks, the most serious of which is exposure to HIV/AIDS and other STDs. Fifty percent of men who have sex with men will eventually become HIV positive or infected with another potentially fatal sexually transmitted disease. About 30 percent of homosexually active men and women have serious drug and alcohol problems. Pedophilia is widespread among the homosexual community. Though homosexuals make up just two percent of the U.S. population, homosexuals commit 33 percent of the pedophilia crimes. About 40 percent of homosexuals have been victims of childhood sexual abuse or adult sexual violence. Prevention, early intervention, and treatment for homosexual behavior, while not 100 percent effective, does work. Lawmakers, parents, teachers, students, and the community at large have a right to know the negative consequences associated with the homosexual behavior and lifestyle. Not a very wholesome lifestyle, IMHO.

[Das Outsider]

Hmmm.. -today’s Boy Scout "intolerance" is a burr under the saddle of the leftists' sacred cow village rodeo of delusion

I don't get it. Are the lefties mad because the Boy Scouts won't wear saddles?

Yes, I am fit to be lassoed.

[Das Outsider]

What a silly argument.

Methinks she needs a refresher in history. Almost one-hundred years ago would be what, 1910? Manifest Destiny was all the rage then, for sure!

In fact, it was about the same time that we had just finished colonizing California, which had originally belonged to the French, when the first Secretary General of the United Nations, Thomas Hart Benton said, "I came, I saw, I conquered," shortly after landing on the moon.