Posted on 04/08/2014 3:54:27 AM PDT by markomalley
New survey numbers from Rasmussen show public opinion turning slowly against the Boy Scouts. Though most Americans still view them favorably, their numbers continue in a perennial trend of decline.
The national poll taken by telephone shows 59% of Americans still view the Boy Scouts at least "somewhat" favorably, this represents a decline of six percentage points from last May and a 14 point decline from February, 2012. Twenty-eight percent view the Boy Scouts unfavorably.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
36 Robert Gates is slated to be the next National President...his history precedes him as it relates to homosexuality...
38 Robert Gates is slated to be the next National President...his history precedes him as it relates to homosexuality...
I thought he already is? Hard to believe he used to be president of the very conservative Texas A&M University.
... and a past director of the CIA and president of the National Eagle Scout Association.
41 Could be and if so, thanks for the correction...if its not here on FR, I dont keep up with what theyre doing any longer...
10/29/2013 Former Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert M. Gates elected to National Executive Board; will serve as an executive vice president and national president-elect
Gates elected to BSA National Executive Board
Upon approval of the voting members of the National Council at the next annual business meeting during MAY 2014 in Nashville, TN, Gates would begin a 2-year term as the BSA national president. Coincidentally, Nashville was where the splinter Scouting organization, Trail Life USA, was founded in SEP 2013. It is also where the Southern Baptist Convention has its headquarters.
2/25/2014 Retired Defense Secretary Robert Gates enjoys Skagit home before taking Boy Scouts top job
Retired SoD Robert Gates enjoys Skagit home
... "I think they (BSA) took an important step forward saying that gay youths can be in Scouts," he says. "And I strongly support that. I think now, certainly for the period that I am president, I think that there is a focus on trying to heal the organization, heal the divisions that were caused by the debate and refocusing on the program itself."
The scouting program is especially important now, he says, at a time when 3 out of 4 Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 don't qualify to join the military. Most of that is due to physical issues, including obesity, diabetes and asthma.
"I think any program that teaches leadership and character but also gets kids out of the house and into the out of doors and learning skills is ever more important today," he says. "And particularly with so many of them basically being couch potatoes with the video games and the electronics and so on."
Scouting also teaches kids how to lead people their own age, a skill Gates found extremely useful during his career. He has a long history with the Boy Scouts both he and his older brother are Eagle Scouts, and he has a 1918 photo of his father in a scouting uniform.
Gates is stepping in at a time when many advocacy groups are calling for the Boy Scouts to also allow openly gay adult leaders.
"The beauty of CIA and the military is at the end of the day, when the law has changed or the policy changed, you can just tell people," he says. "(Boy Scouts of America is) a volunteer organization, the volunteers had a big debate and they had a huge vote and the vote was pretty strong in favor of letting gay youths be in scouting, but it's clear that there's still a lot of reluctance to take the next step. We'll see."
Ding Ding Ding.
You are terminally naive.
The Gaystapo has the mounted head of the BSA on their wall now, and they will commence playing darts with it.
With your Scouting background you most likely already know that charges of militarism have been leveled at Scouting since its inception.
Wikipedia - Militarism in early Scouting movement
Can't put my hands on the list right now, but there is a collection of books written by opponents of Scouting over the decades which make the claim that Scouting is too closely tied with the military.
I deal in facts, not fancy. Your comments are ignorant hyperbole.
Too many FReepers run when they should fight, they freak out at a little setback, and are, essentially, fatalists. I win. That’s what I do. I don’t cry that things aren’t perfect or turn tail and skitter away if I don’t get everything I want.
mostly, they fear how they will look
It is fashionable in some groups to be antiBSA because it has become the in thing
They are delusional in attempting to create a substitute
You just think “you win.” The BSA has sold out. There is no turning back this policy. How would scouts now go back into the closet?
What is it going to take to wake you up? When openly homosexual leaders are allowed/forced in? When they participate in multi-troop functions with your sons?
I’ve absolutely seen the value of Scouting 10..., but at the same time I cannot and will not serve under “leadership” who I have absolutely no respect for. My “fire” for Scouting has been extinguished by the actions of secretive, deceptive and manipulative people at National and in my case, Council. I’m not a “self-righteous quitter”...Scouting told me and people like me that we are not needed nor wanted unless we conform to their current set of “values”.
They are the ones who demonstrated a lack of moral guidance, they failed to follow the very things we represent when we put on that uniform. When we recite the Scout Law, Scout Oath we are affirming that we will live by a certain code. A code they themselves do not follow.
The policies they implement, the ambivalence towards fixing the REAL problems in Scouting, the inaction of so-called “leaders” as it relates to addressing the very real concerns parents and leaders have, the ignoring of the survey results and many other reasons are why I view Scouting “unfavorably”.
The Program itself, implemented correctly, is sound, it is favorable...it is the people in charge of the Program at the National level who are undermining it, they (Scouting) are unfavorable.
I am extremely upset at National for blatantly disregarding and undermining the wishes of its membership and torn by my love of Scouting but at the same time, the prospect of serving under people who don’t deserve a bucket of warm spit if they were dying of dehydration.
But there is also the dark cloud of Robert Gates looming large...an avowed advocate of homosexuality who is, or soon will be, the BSA National President. He has indicated that is time for the BSA to go all the way and admit adult homosexual leaders.
The BSA gives no quarter to those who openly flaunt or violate their policies...any unit who refuses to register an avowed homosexual risks losing their Charter (based on the current policy for youth). If hindsight were foresight, it might have been prudent to accept National’s first offer of allowing individual units the “authority” to determine who joined or not.
The split has happened 10, Trail Life USA is beginning to fill the moral, spiritual and values void left by the BSA. More will join and although it may not grow in size to that of the BSA, it will be where the pastors and preachers can turn for such a program that AFFIRMS what they profess. Not just give it lip service.
I repeat, I am torn by this...pi$$ed is more like it...But I will not and do not endorse or engage in any action or activity beyond that of the Troop...I keep my level of activity strictly at the Unit level. I have resigned from my District and Council level positions.
I will serve the remainder of my “term” and gracefully hand over the reigns to another adult who can serve under these terms that BSA has put in place.
Then I will get to trying to empty the 55 gallon drum sized “honey do” jar that has been filling up over the past 23 or so years.
Again, my fight is with those suits on the board and any who would personally attack those who are in disagreement with National.
See how you are? Still won’t answer or address any of the questions I posed.
Why won’t you come out onto the field of play and engage instead of sniping from the sidelines?
Or is it that you know what we say has merit and you are too timid to accept that you are defending the indefensible?
A Scout is “Trustworthy”, a Scout is “brave”, a Scout is “courteous”, a Scout is “kind”...not seeing much of that in your posts.
“Loyalty” is earned bert, not given freely lest it be abused...and the BSA and her defenders expect me and folks like me to remain loyal when they fail to continue to earn that loyalty?
I don’t think so.
desertion in the face of the enemy is inexcusable.
BSA still has two deep leadership policy with mandatory youth protection training that is the best there is
As far as I am concerned nothing really happened. Boys join at 11, never older than 13. There are no queer 11 year olds.
The deserters don’t know about boys. The boys know each other and a queer will be ostracized. The boys can and will handle the situation in the extremely rare event it ever actually develops. Troops where leaders don’t let the boys lead generally wither from poor adult leadership. In our area, those are the units that are gone.
The leaving by those holier than thou will pass and their sons will loose out on the best training in the world. There are llots of churchmen that want control and a scout troop in their church but not under their thumb is disdained. They will cobble up something to try to make up for the loss
BSA will be better to have weeded out the weak of spirit.
Our troop lost no one. I expect we will grow
Looks to me like you’re being the holier-than-thou, especially with your unsubstantiated flat statements, but that’s to be expected.
Grow, shrink, stay the same, we don’t care... finally a really Christian alternative has been founded. But I hope you repent so that reuniting, rather than having to hear your excuses, will be possible.
Your thinly veiled ad hominems again demonstrate the persistent support for an organization that has shown itself to be undeserving of such “loyalty”.
You’re still parroting the BSA party line bert...
How do you KNOW there are no queer 11 or 13 year old boys?
Again, Why is it permissible, under BSA policy for a queer 17 year old to tent with an 11 year old hetero, but not permissible for an 18 year old hetero to tent with his 17 year old hetero buddy?
And I’m here to tell you that if I ever caught any Scout behaving in an un-Scout like manner as you propose with regards to ostracizing, I’d have his head on a pike before I would the queer. Why? Because he knows better and the queer, if he isn’t engaged in any behavior that requires my intervention or action should be left alone to learn what he can. Our Troop policy is to address the behavior, since National(SPIT) hasn’t provided any direction, we’ve made our own.
And if you really cared to know how the rot at National is affecting many Scout leaders, you might try reading my response here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3141987/posts?page=68#68.
Then again, since I’m a “holier than thou deserter”, maybe not since I’m not “worthy” of such deference.
And for good reason. Lord Baden-Powell felt British soldiers in South Africa were woefully inadequate at basic outdoor skills and developed Scouting as a ‘game with a purpose,’ the purpose being to teach skills that would be helpful in the military.
Baden-Powell first suggested uniforms that looked like South African constables, with a broad-brimmed khaki hat, a neckerchief, a shirt with sleeves rolled up most of the time, shorts, stockings held up by garters, and comfortable shoes.
That uniform appeared on the cover of the 1910 U.S. Official Handbook for Scouting.
By the 1911 Handbook for Boys, the uniform was replaced by an Army uniform. Not coincidentally, Sigmund Eisner, of Red Bank, N.J., whose company manufactured uniforms for several of the world’s armies, had just become the BSA’s official uniform and equipment supplier. The BSA was required to make minor changes to its uniform during WWI to avoid confusion with ‘doughboys.’
Certain countries have changed their Scouting uniforms over the last 20+ years to remove any semblance of the military, like Finland’s t-shirt and beanie. Not so female Polish Scouts, unless they’ve recently dropped the wide black leather belt, the heavy boots and thick wool socks, military peaked cap, and grey skirt and military dress uniform top.
Past uniforms, the organization into Troops and patrols, with salutes and pledges and oaths, and Scouts using military surplus gear, added to the claims of militarism.
Let’s face it - if you’ve been in Scouting as long as I have, you know of more than one Troop where the ex-Military leaders have decreed camo BDU pants the official “Class A” Troop uniform, or added berets as part of the uniform. The Scouts march to a cadence. A military name tape has been added to each Scout’s uniform. The Scouts wear Desert Storm-type boots, and “drop and give me twenty” commonly comes from the Senior Patrol Leader’s mouth.
When a non-Scouter sees that Troop, he or she would be hard-pressed not to think ‘militarism.’
And for good reason. Lord Baden-Powell felt British soldiers in South Africa were woefully inadequate at basic outdoor skills and developed Scouting as a ‘game with a purpose,’ the purpose being to teach skills that would be helpful in the military.
Baden-Powell first suggested uniforms that looked like South African constables, with a broad-brimmed khaki hat, a neckerchief, a shirt with sleeves rolled up most of the time, shorts, stockings held up by garters, and comfortable shoes.
That uniform appeared on the cover of the 1910 U.S. Official Handbook for Scouting.
By the 1911 Handbook for Boys, the uniform was replaced by an Army uniform. Not coincidentally, Sigmund Eisner, of Red Bank, N.J., whose company manufactured uniforms for several of the world’s armies, had just become the BSA’s official uniform and equipment supplier. The BSA was required to make minor changes to its uniform during WWI to avoid confusion with ‘doughboys.’
Certain countries have changed their Scouting uniforms over the last 20+ years to remove any semblance of the military, like Finland’s t-shirt and beanie. Not so female Polish Scouts, unless they’ve recently dropped the wide black leather belt, the heavy boots and thick wool socks, military peaked cap, and grey skirt and military dress uniform top.
Past uniforms, the organization into Troops and patrols, with salutes and pledges and oaths, and Scouts using military surplus gear, added to the claims of militarism.
Let’s face it - if you’ve been in Scouting as long as I have, you know of more than one Troop where the ex-Military leaders have decreed camo BDU pants the official “Class A” Troop uniform, or added berets as part of the uniform. The Scouts march to a cadence. A military name tape has been added to each Scout’s uniform. The Scouts wear Desert Storm-type boots, and “drop and give me twenty” commonly comes from the Senior Patrol Leader’s mouth.
When a non-Scouter sees that Troop, he or she would be hard-pressed not to think ‘militarism.’
your straw me are just that. You had to develop a mental rationalization to leave and obviously did.
I have been in scouting for ever and know that boys know each other and there is not a real problem
Your opinion is just that and is in my view misguided and unjustified.
The queers in scouts flapis a theoretical problem that in reality does not exist
What “strawman” exactly? I posed relevant questions to current BSA policies and you “deem” them “strawmen”?
You are either; obtuse, ignorant or deceitful...
As for no homos in Scouting, that is an outright lie...
http://news.yahoo.com/gay-teen-achieves-eagle-scout-milestone-md-143744414.html
http://www.dallasvoice.com/gay-scouts-leaders-converge-bsa-headquarters-monday-10138226.html
http://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Gay+Scouts&qpvt=gay+scouts&FORM=EWRE
When a non-Scouter sees that Troop, he or she would be hard-pressed not to think militarism.
I don't like seeing these kinds of things and remind the "leaders" of proper uniforming. But you're correct in that many don't take the time to correct these appearances and it serves only to reinforce the notion that the BSA is "militaristic".
Oh, they built the ship Titanic, to sail the ocean blue
And they thought they had a ship that the water wouldn’t go through
But the good Lord raised His hand, said the ship would never land
It was sad when the great ship went down.
Chorus: Oh, it was sad, so sad
It was sad when the great ship went down
To the bottom of the sea
(Uncle’s, Aunts little children lost their pants)
It was sad when the great ship went down.
O they were not far from shore when they heard that mighty roar
And the rich refused to associate with the poor.
So they put them down below where they’d be the first to go
It was sad when the great ship went down. .
Chorus.
The California not a dozen miles away
never heard the SOS ‘cus the crew had hit the hay
Captian and crew never knew that ship was through
It was sad when the great ship went down. .
Chorus.
The moral of this story is very play to see
Always wear a life preserver whenever you’re at sea
Uncles and Aunts, little Chilren Lost there pants
It was sad when the great ship when down. .
Chorus.
Ker plunk it sunk! what a rotten piece of junk!
Double Bubble, You’re in trouble
The end. Amen!
evil is evil and the scouts chose evil.
Scouts taught the lesson of pandering to enemy. The might as well call them the nevil chamberlin scouts.
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