Posted on 05/30/2015 10:01:41 AM PDT by QT3.14
[Snip]... To be honest, the BSA hasn’t been doing well for a while. Membership has been steadily declining for decades, and recent decisions to go full Episcopalian—and you never go full Episcopalian—haven’t helped. But with this decision, and the resulting onslaught of righteous indignation, we see just how far a once-proud paramilitary organization has fallen.
Why the change? The cynic in me, the one who remembers how long it took to evacuate us when we were sleeping in the woods without shelter and the skies opened up in biblical fashion that one weekend, thinks the BSA is now run by a bunch of effete pantywaists. The optimist in me reads this sentence, which supposedly explains why water gun fights are wrong, then slaps the cynic for being too forgiving: “Why the rule? A Scouter once told me this explanation I liked quite a bit: ‘A Scout is kind. What part of pointing a firearm [simulated or otherwise] at someone is kind?’”
(Excerpt) Read more at thefederalist.com ...
Whoa!...They're just now getting back?
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Good job Rome. Congratulations!
I am old enough to remember when boys were raised by fathers who encouraged them to become men and assume leadership roles as they attained adulthood. Instead, today many are happy to remain a mama’s boy or a pussy and avoid as much responsibility as they can throughout their lives. This is what the lack of a male role model in the family has produced in our society.
Lack of the strong traditional male-female family model has caused the younger generation to question their sexuality, relationships, and roles in life. In their confusion, they have chosen the unnatural over the natural. They are unfit to lead anyone by example. And you will find most are liberals. What an abomination they have brought on our society.
that is their loss
Trail Life USA is eating their lunch. It’s already got 20k members and is growing at a rapid pace despite only being 20 months old.
BSA can boast 2.5 million members but not for long.
Meanwhile Navigators USA is fairly static and probably should just integrate with Grindr.
This policy is a surprise to me, too. However, maybe we just didn’t know it was the BSA’s “shooting sports policy.”
Just asked my oldest son. He doesn’t remember any water guns at troop meetings or anywhere with his troop.
I was a scout (Cubs and BSA) from 1957-1968.
My BSA adult leaders were almost all WW II veterans. They taught us how to live in camp, how to forage, how to cook and clean, how to stay healthy and safe in all conditions. In 1964 or 65, we stayed out two nights with a low of -34F. We ran rapids on the Delaware where the canoe editor of Field and Stream managed to drown. We were rifle marksmen (.22LR) and skilled with map and compass. I wouldn’t call it paramilitary, but those who stayed until age 16 clearly were being prepared for service as well as personal adventuring.
Interestingly, both long-term scoutmasters (as opposed to Dads in leadership) turned out to be homosexual molesters. One was fired, one (after my time) actually went to prison. The language to talk about this didn’t exist in 1964-1968, and I really believe some of the older male leaders seriously couldn’t imagine such a thing (which BTW is the basis for my understanding of Joe Paterno).
Anyway, BSA formed me in a lot of ways, I still try and don’t always succeed to follow the Scout Law daily.
I agree that BSA is basically finished. Where are the 18-year olds who will have to beat ISIS going to come from?
Poor research on their part. Nothing they did showed how old the policy is. For all we know the book could have been edited in 2014 to support the policy as a soft rollout.
As a kid in the late 80s we had water gun fight a. Nobody said anything about it
I got a lot out of Scouting back in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s.
I had my son participate in the ‘90’s.
I would not if I had a young son today.
I had seen the word "Grindr" a few times without knowing what it was, so when you mentioned it I looked it up:
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Grindr is a geosocial networking application geared towards gay, bisexual, and bi-curious men . . . The app makes use of the device's geolocation, which allows users to locate other men within close proximity.
So it's an actual GAYDAR!
Yes, indeed, BSA can prepare you well for military. My only point is that BSA itself never was “paramilitary.”
Boy scouts still learn marksmanship, wilderness survival, and all those things you mentioned.
Two of my sons were at BSA summer camp a few years ago. One son had to sleep in the wilderness overnight there with no tent or anything; he had to construct his own structure somehow.
However, I always wanted to see competing boys’ organizations. Competition never hurts.
Thanks, Trail life USA
And we (trail Life USA) not only allow, we encourage airsoft and paintball. We refer to them as warrior games. Squirt guns and NERF get lots of use. In fact, next weekend, we’re doing a recruiting event for our troop. We’re giving away squirt guns to the kids.
That was not by coincidence.
I was a scout in the 1960's and that kind of activity would get your toten chip jerked.
Maybe, if they can make a decent finger sandwich it will, all, be worth it.
Well there are a lot of fruits in it now...
I don’t see any other boys in the picture
Conservative Boy Scout Alternatives
http://tamarawilhite.hubpages.com/hub/Conservative-Boy-Scout-Alternatives
I think you should read up on the history of the scouts - the guy in England was an army instructor fed up with new recruits that knew nothing coming in.
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