GernBlansten

"Kinda like da Salvation Army making folks receivin' services attend a religious talk? " Nah Beavh, More like the Salvation Army refusing to help anyone who was an athiest. If they did that, wouldn't you expect the same treatment that the BSA is getting? No govmint funding.

So Ed, only homosexuals choose. Heteros don't?

I don't know about you Aquila, but nothing, I mean nothing would make me choose homosexual sex. It ain't a choice for me. I'm hetero and I'm not switching. It ain't a choice for me, I doubt it is for them either.

My current post in my unit is to be the guide for the Life to Eagle scouts. That means I'm the guy who has the answers for the scouts (and their parents) who wish to advance to Eagle. I know the process, the district contacts, the requirements for projects, the advice on who to talk to and when. I ping the Life scouts in our unit monthly to find out where they are. I gently prode them along. I tell them why finishing their advancement is valuable, but I leave it to them to do the work. But its their Eagle not mine. If they chose not to advance, that's fine. Their parents might feel differently, but perhaps that's why I get along better with them.

So Ed, you chose to be heterosexual. When did you chose?

If the Salvation Army or the Catholic charity restricted the beneficiaries of its service to a certain subset of society, would that make it similar to the BSA deal? ED: like the local option on female leadership?

If it aint fun, you won't keep the interest in the youth. The trick is to make all the stuff fun. Sometimes, you got to mix some of the unfun stuff in to get the job done, but at the end of the day, if they don't think its fun, they will leave. If you focus on the un-fun stuff, the only thing keeping the youth there is the parents.

Aquila, I happen to believe homosexuals do not choose their lifestyle, its just part of their makeup. Like being left handed or blue eyed or dyslexic. If you shared my opinion, you would see how much of a travesty this discrimination is.

The local option would have alleviated the Philly problem and still allowed units chartered by the LDS to exclude whoever they wish. Win/Win situation.

One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, FLOOR!

Monkey meat going extinct? Henny Penny, I'm gonna have to alter all my recipes.

OGE: "You may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one perhaps someday you will join us and the world will live as one" HOW DARE YOU! Quote the lyrics of a song that clearly promotes atheism. I'm beyond offended!

The article kinda screams for a local option doesn't it?

Buddhists are not monotheists nor polytheists, but atheists. They do not worship a higher being but the Dharma or self. Yet, have a religious emblem in BSA. Yet, are not the best citizens. Yet, are welcomed members of BSA. Irony?

The unit my son joined was really the opposite of the problem you all describe. There was a leadership vacuum. The unit had a dedicated and beloved SM for 12 years and all the adults just got complacent. The unit thrived (although really a webelos 3 troop). The year before my son crossed over, he retired. An adult stepped forward as SM but he soon after lost his job so his personal life took him from his SM duties. The first year, we only had ASMs, no SM at meetings, campouts, committee meetings. They did fine but nobody took ownership of the program. We foundered Recruiting was almost nil. Since I had no experience in the BSA program, I didn't come in and gripe or complain. I offered to help as they saw fit, but really just stood back and evaluated the situation. Since my son had special medical needs, I attended every campout. I quickly become good friends with the existing leadership. Finally, the absent SM resigned and one of our new dad's who was wood badge trained and very active in OA stepped forward to become SM. He recruited myself and another to be his ASMs and we got trained. His plan was a 5 year process (coincidentally, when his son turns 18). Slowly but deliberately refocus the troop on the BSA program. Resistance to cultural change was most apparent with the scouts, not the parents. At first, I wanted him to do some shock therapy with the troop to get them on track, but he wanted a gentle course correction. He was right. The older scouts would have quit. We are three years into his plan. We have made great progress, but still have miles to go. Each year as the oldest scouts age out, it becomes easier to change the culture. By the time our sons age out, the troop will be well on its way to being a model BSA troop. I hope those who follow us, build on our work.

The unit my son joined was really the opposite of the problem you all describe. There was a leadership vacuum. The unit had a dedicated and beloved SM for 12 years and all the adults just got complacent. The unit thrived (although really a webelos 3 troop). The year before my son crossed over, he retired. An adult stepped forward as SM but he soon after lost his job so his personal life took him from his SM duties. The first year, we only had ASMs, no SM at meetings, campouts, committee meetings. They did fine but nobody took ownership of the program. We floundered. Recruiting was almost nil. Since I had no experience in the BSA program, I didn't come in and gripe or complain. I offered to help as they saw fit, but really just stood back and evaluated the situation. Since my son had special medical needs, I attended every campout. I quickly become good friends with the existing leadership. Finally, the absent SM resigned and one of our new dad's who was wood badge trained and very active in OA stepped forward to become SM. He recruited myself and another to be his ASMs and we got trained. His plan was a 5 year process (coincidentally, when his son turns 18). Slowly but deliberately refocus the troop on the BSA program. Resistance to cultural change was most apparent with the scouts, not the parents. At first, I wanted him to do some shock therapy with the troop to get them on track, but he wanted a gentle course correction. He was right. The older scouts would have quit. We are three years into his plan. We have made great progress, but still have miles to go. Each year as the oldest scouts age out, it becomes easier to change the culture. By the time our sons age out, the troop will be well on its way to being a model BSA troop. I hope those who follow us, build on our work.

Hey GoldWinger, I happen to agree with Mervyn on most everything he posts. Wanna make some pithy comments about my momma too? Payback Time... Sportbike riders: "Live to ride. Ride to Live." Goldwing drivers: "Eat to ride. Ride to eat." Top Ten Reasons Why Gold Wing Riders Don't Wave Back 10. Wasn't sure whether other rider was waving or making an obscene gesture. 9. Afraid might get frostbite if hand is removed from heated grip. 8. Has arthritis and the past 400 miles have made it difficult to raise arm. 7. Reflection from etched windshield momentarily blinded him. 6. The expresso machine just finished. 5. Was actually asleep when other rider waved. 4. Was in a three-way conference call with stock broker and accessories dealer. 3. Was distracted by odd shaped blip on radar screen. 2. Was simultaneously adjusting the air suspension, seat height, programmable CD player, seat temperature and satellite navigation system. 1. Couldn't find the "auto wave back" button on dashboard. What is the difference between a Gold Wing and a logging truck? 1. About 40 pounds and a stuffed animal. 2. Logging trucks don't throw sparks when they go around corners. 3. Logging trucks need all their lights. 4. Logging trucks will usually pull over to let you pass. 5. Logging trucks must stop at weigh stations. 6. Logging trucks don't all look alike. 7. Logging trucks are not as wide. 8. Nobody ever built a three wheel logging truck. 9. You can't get a 400-pound woman on a logging truck.

As my daddy would say, "Time to man up, Scoutldr" Or you could take my advice and just have the lowest expectations from our fellow citizens. You will never be disappointed. You see, I'm a person reflecting a half-glass-full mentality.

Yeah, I'm talking about the 2000 Selection. Once that travesty unfolded, the fix was in and all subsequent elections become suspect.

At least we can all take solace in knowing that the majority of Americans did not vote for the current occupant. There is hope.

Brent, lets also not forget that the republican candidate John Ashcroft, lost to a dead guy. Edit: Dang, Merlyn beat me to it. Let the EAGLE SOAR!!!!! (This message has been edited by GernBlansten)

Hey, my VFR800 goes zoooooooom, not zing, zing.

"I am Beavah! King of the Scouters!" Who made him king? Well I didn't vote for him. King Beavah: You don't vote for kings. Well how'd you become king then? [Angelic music plays... ] King Beavah: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Wood Badge Beads from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Beavah, was to carry Wood Badge Beads. THAT is why I am your king. Trev: [interrupting] Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' beads is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

Yeah, reminds me of the scene from Holy Grail where the villagers want to burn the witch. We are the villagers, you Beav, are Bedevere. http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/grail/grail-05.htm VILLAGER #1: We have found a witch. May we burn her? CROWD: Burn her! Burn! Burn her! Burn her! BEDEVERE: How do you know she is a witch? BEDEVERE: What makes you think she is a witch? VILLAGER #3: Well, she turned me into a newt. BEDEVERE: A newt? VILLAGER #3: I got better. VILLAGER #2: Burn her anyway! VILLAGER #1: Burn! CROWD: Burn her! Burn! Burn her!... BEDEVERE: Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! There are ways of telling whether she is a witch. VILLAGER #1: Are there? VILLAGER #2: Ah? VILLAGER #1: What are they? CROWD: Tell us! Tell us!... BEDEVERE: Tell me. What do you do with witches? VILLAGER #2: Burn! VILLAGER #1: Burn! CROWD: Burn! Burn them up! Burn!... BEDEVERE: And what do you burn apart from witches? VILLAGER #1: More witches! VILLAGER #3: Shh! VILLAGER #2: Wood! BEDEVERE: So, why do witches burn? [pause] VILLAGER #3: B--... 'cause they're made of... wood? BEDEVERE: Good! Heh heh. CROWD: Oh, yeah. Oh.

Just wait until this scout does a high adventure. Big wakeup call. We had a scout who was a very picky eater, he only ate chicken fingers and poptarts (every meal, no kidding). He wouldn't eat at our campouts. Maybe he stashed poptarts in his pack but we never saw it. At northern tiers, his dad was pretty nervous about the menu. He had never eaten fish nor dehydrated food. My opinion is that hunger can change alot of attitudes. Well after the 2nd day, he tried the dehydrated food. By the 4th day he tried some fish. By the end of the trek, he was just like every other scout. Cured!