Eagledad

I remember back in the days when my two sons started to playing combat video games. That was back when those kinds of games were still new and crude, but they eventually were playing these games for hours. After a few months, their mom and I notice that our sons general mood after became more hostle. So we put limits on the games and the time they played. They balked at first but even they saw what we were talking about once we start pointing out their behavior after too much video gaming. So yes, I think we as a society are some of the cause and can make some changes to help our youth. By the way, this isn't a guns discussion. It's a mental health discussion. Barry

Thinking about the alternative you guys have been discussing here, I was wondering what you guys were thinking on scouts who would let their parents be the counselor of all badges? I'm not challenging the suggestion of taking the SM out of the MB process, I actually like it. But what is your thinking on the issue of a scout using just one counselor for all the badges. Just curious. Thanks or Mahalo Barry

Saw this and thought finally somebody wants to attack the source of the real problem. I know it's not a solution at all, but I think it is step in the right direction of talking about causes of some of these attacks. ""(Dolan) If they were to take away all of these things, itd still be bad people doing bad things. But in our small nook, we can maybe foster some real discussion and some action on our violent society cause we know somethings broken."" Source:http://radio.foxnews.com/2013/01/13/towns-buy-back-violent-video-games/ Barry

Strong responses from a very small sampling of scouters in this forum. Road block? If they are road blocks, it's only from the way they were trained or a misunderstanding. Not a passionate desire to control. I think I'm the most boy run member on this forum and I dont see any conspiracy. It's just a process that has been part of the program since I can remember. Next to aged based patrols, this policy has .01 negative affect on boy run. But hey, I'm open to a personal poll of leaders at your next Round Table. Let us know. Barry

>>Alot of scoutmasters need their egos deflated.

The problem Beav is you are asking a gray area question in a black and white pretense with a slightly emotional condescending tone. >>Not allowing guns in courthouses and such seems remarkably sane.

>>Eagledad, When I had children, I parked the bike. When they finished college, I started riding again.

>>I went and took the course with the guys from work met for breakfast, out to lunch and beers afterward.....I had a good time. We all went down to the sheriffs office as a group and applied for the permit together.

>> But maybe I am a softie...

>>Beavah, c'mon. That has to be a joke. No one is wacko enough to believe something like that. The rest of you guys need to stop baiting the furry guy.

>>More proof that humans are irrational. A surge in folks buying up guns thinking that will protect themselves and a refusal to go out and get a flu shot.

>>Does any other church have similar programs, other than to declare it a sin and move on? I don't see any orphanages around any more...

I'm curious if you approve of the presidents approach Beav. From the AP: ""Some of those steps could be taken through executive action, without the approval of Congress."" AP source: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130109/DA3MSESG2.html Barry

>>Cost estimates for this were in da $10 billion per year range, not includin' the additional insurance costs for da school (insurers generally prefer gun-free schools as being more safe from a liability perspective). Are yeh willing to add a $25 tax per year on every owned firearm in order to pay for it? Or perhaps a tax on ammunition? Beavah

This in no way means district or council agrees with the scout. Its fairly common for districts and councils to shove controversial Eagle applications up the ladder to save them the hassle and/or loosing friends. It's likely going to end up there anyways, so why even mess with it. I've seen Scoutmasters do this as well leaving district or councel tell the scout and his parents the the bad news saving the SM from being the bad guy. Barry

>>No where in any mentions of these actions is there a discussion of whether a person who pulls his gun and engages in a firefight with a "bad guy" is covered under a State's Good Samaritan laws.

Anyone know the percentage of Eagles compared to the rest of scouts? It used to be somewhere around 3 to 4 percent. As for program differences, I think a lot has change in the last 50 years, but not in tne last 25. So it is a curious record with the membership decline. However, thinking about it, maybe the decline is fat that the program couldn't handle. Kind of like a Troop finds its natural size by the character and nature of the SM. Maybe the BSA is finding its natural balance and the present membership is leaner and meaner. I agree with ASM162, if you can keep scouts around long enough, their odds of getting Eagle are better than 50 percent. The 17.1 average age is very close to our troop Eagle average. But I am surprised because I think the average age of Eagles in our district is closer to 16. Maybe our district is skewed because we have two giant Eagle mills that promise Eagle by 14 if the scout follows their troops predesigned advancement program. I'm not one to measure success by the number of Eagles, but strangely I find this record comforting. Barry

>> Honesty, Eagledad. He staked out an absolute position and sticks with it no matter what. He doesn't try to 'spin' some rationalization for violating that position just because things are uncomfortable.

>>I respect OGE's honesty.

>>When we start acting like life is sacred, ..........., then we can pull out the life is sacred card and have it mean something.

I'm still amazed by your justification for abortion Calico. Would you say that is a progressive justification? Barry

So Calico, that is your justification for encouring a culture of mothers killing their babies? All I can say is Wow! Wow!

>>Abortion is murder, it results in the death of a human. I know I can't change minds that are set, but then again do not tell me that in our society we hold life to be sacred because we end it so indiscriminately

>>Just because some are encumbered by their religious beliefs does not mean that everyone else should have to bear and raise a child that they may not want, nor can support.

I shouldnt have been, but I am shocked. It's a commentary, but it strikes hard at the soul of our culture. While government subsidies to Planned Parenthood have reached an all time high, so too has the number of lives ended by this profit-driven abortion business, Women havent won, elitist have. It was debated as women gaining right to control their bodies. In reality it's simply handing over our freedom of choice to the guy with the big stick so he can force everyone (against their will) to support a mother's legal right to kill her living baby. They call it progressive. Anyway, here is the source: http://washingtonexaminer.com/planned-parenthood-reports-record-year-for-abortions/article/2517801#.UOs82UbCz8A Barry