Raymo

Why are we attacking each other with name calling? Isn't that exactly what "THEY" want us to do? Our focus needs to remain on our mission - to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. Youth are the reason we exsist as an organization and they rely on us to "Set THE Example". If the youth became a part of this forum and/ or read portions would they understand? We do need forums of this nature to freely express opinions and to talk things out. We also need to be mindful that we ARE the example, right or wrong, and with or without conscious thought. Let us make this New Century one in which we learn to understand diversity. Morality may be an individual matter but the teaching of it, based on the Scout Oath and Law, is the business of each registered Scouter, both Volunteer AND Professional. Understanding does not necessarily mean accepting. When we begin to understand our differences we can develop an empathy and remove hatred. The Boy Scouts of America are for all individuals who will accept and follow the Oath and Law. If you dan't or don't want to be the Example, following the Oath and Law, Scouting is NOT the place for you!

Old Beaver, I'm sorry you have such a jaundiced opinion of us professionals. I was a volunteer for about 30 years joining the profession a bit over seven years ago after retiring from the service. I joined because I admired the dedicated individuals who worked so hard to help develop tomorrow's leaders. True there are corrupt individuals within the professional ranks of Scouting, but unfortunately, that is true of most every aspect of life. There are slightly more than 3,000 professional Scouters and by far the vast majority of them are dedicated men and women who take the Oath and Law seriously. Not all of us walk the talk, but the most of us do our best to keep the promise made to each member. In my Council for example there are currently five paid professionals and nearly 3,000 adult volunteers. We urgently need all the dedicated individuals committed to helping our youth prepare for a better tomorrow! Thanks for being you! I wish all of the reader's a very Merry Christmas and a peace filled properous New Century!

Girl Scouts Councils across America have taken this opportunity to announce their support of the Gay movement. Since 1990, officially adopted in 1993, when they voted to remove the word GOD from their Oath, allowing whatever a member wanted to replace it with they have openly hired and welcomed Gay members into their fold. To my knowledge it has not significantly hurt their overall numbers but I know personally of a large number of employees and members who left the movement specifically because of that. Each of us has the right to make our own personal choices. We can worship whom and in the manner we please. The freedom we have, specifically in America, allows us to say and do pretty much as we please, SO long as it does not infringe on the rights of others. In my view God created us as equals and gave us the choice, and we must be willing to pay the consequences both good and bad. I personally feel what you do in the privacy of your own bedroom is YOUR business and I will not ask nor will I relay publically my sexual practices. You can guess by the fact that I am married but I know and have known those who have other desires and kept them to themselves. Many in every walk of life who are strong moral leaders likewise maintain privacy when it comes to their sexual preference and I feel that is as it should be!

Isn't it interesting how things get twisted around. The Boy Scouts were taken to court because their bylaws established membership guidlines. An organization felt these guidelines violated the publics right to participation in what they called a public organization. The Boy Scouts claimed and proved in court, upheld by the Supreme Court of the land that they were not a public but a private organization. Now the hue and cry is that the Boy Scouts are establishing a sexual preference. Sexual preference has not now and never had anything to do with sexual preference. The case was about a private organizations right of establishing and maintaining membership criteria. We, the Boy Scout Leaders, are here to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. I, for one, am pledged to continue doing my best to help our youth develop positive characteristics, giving them an opportunity to demonstrate participative citizenship, and become physically fit and morally straight. Let us all pledge to help more and more young men and women grow to be the best possible citizens as we begin the 21st Century. Scouting may not be the answer to solving the vexing problems of the decay of family values and lack of personal responsibility but it goes along way toward helping to make things right. At least it gives a lot of young people a running chance to make things better in the future! Mey you all have a fantastic Christmas Holiday and a peace filled properous New Year!

This discussion has really gone far afield. There are numerous check points for all sorts of, what chartering organizations AND the Boy Scouts of America, call undesirables. THe adult application process is specifically designed to screen all potential adult leaders. In addition a background and police record check is run for each individual adult applicant. Having said all that, It was NOT National that turned this entire affair into a media event. Every day somewhere in the US an individual is turned down or their registration is revoked for any number of reasons. In this specific case someone with a lot of $ decided to make an issue, and it was not the young Scoutmaster. Whatever, Thank you Scouter Magazine for providing us this forum where we can freely express our opinions, get more information that what might be readily available, and meet new and interesting comrades in arms. It is great to be in a country that allows this kind of freedom, the freedom of speech, association, ETC. BUT it all comes at a cost and requires individual responsibilities. Each of us swore the uphold the Scout Oath and Law. The last time I looked "On MY Honor" when I spoke it meant that I, Me, not anyone else promised to do MY best. Never let us forget that the ONLY reason we exsist as an organization is for the BOYS. If we like it or not we ARE the example. Let's promise to DO OUR BEST to keep the promise we make to each youth member when he joins our ranks!

In response to WoodBadger: Each Chartering Organization does have the right to set the criteria for the individuals who provide leadership to their unit. The chartering organization forms a partnership with the Boy Scouts and they own the Unit. Each leader fills out an application which must be approved by the Unit Committee Chairman AND either the Chartering Organization Representative or the Institution Head. If either of these individuals refuses the applicant he/ she will not be registered as a leader for that unit. I know of no situation where the local council would override the chartering organization and/ or the committee chair. When the partnership is formed each partner agrees to abide by the Scout Oath and Law and the principles followed by the chartering organization. It is not uncommon for a requesting volunteer to be denied by the chartering institution and/ or the committee chair. The Boy Scouts of America typically only rejects individuals when they fail a police record check, have lied on the application, and/ or the unit sponsor or leadership has rejected the applicant. Once an individual becomes a registered Scouter they can be removed for committing a felony, child abuse, creating significant problems, or violating a major principle.

The sad part about this entire issue is what is overlooked by many. If the supreme court had ruled against the Boy Scouts in favor of the Gay Coalition it would have meant that no organization in America would have the right to establish membership criteria. We forget that descrimination is a GOOD not a bad thing. We want our children and our friends to associate with individuals that have, in our judgement, good character and accept responsibility for their actions. Everyone wants their children to grow up to become competent, capable, responsible citizens, and potential leaders. We descriminate for good and against bad. Each of us wants to love and be loved and to feel worthwhile. As parents we want our children to grow up in a society that is tolerant and respectful of others without being disruptive of their own personal values. Freedom means each of us willingly accepts responsibility for our own action and is respectful of others. It does not mean that you have to accept values that are abhorent to yours nor does it mean that you should attempt to violate the privacy of others right of association. We are all created equal with certain unalienable rights, I believe it says in the preamble. God bless us each and evey one!

In response to Woodbadger's remarks of 11/7 - The Boy Scouts, just like every youth serving organization in America is required and does conduct background and police record checks on every adult that registeres. You are exactly right this is an emotional issue that will continue. Why do we insist on looking into others personal sex lives, or maybe more importantly calling their sexual preference a "Lifestyle". The vast majority of religious institutions and groups feel homosexuality is against their beliefs. I don't think any organization has said that individuals that practice or claim to be homosexual are BAD. What has been said is that the practice of homosexuality is against the standards of conduct established for that given organization. Many organizations have said that individuals who do not want to follow their established standards are welcome to join another group. Some have even invited them to be a part of their organization but do not allow them to become leaders. The issue that the supreme court was dealing with was NOT homosexuality it was the right of a private organization to determine and uphold their own standards for membership and leadership. It is unfortunate that some folks feel that if you don't believe the way I do or the way I want you to you are wrong. Reasonable people agree to disagree but move forward together. Our Nation, especially our youth desreve positive forward looking leaders that can discuss issues, make decisions, and move on. When decisions turn out to be incorrect or misguided a re-evaluation takes place and they continue to go forward. Remember the glass is ALWAYS half full! Let's all make sure that our youth get the boest possible leadership and positive programming available. God bless us everyone!

Recently there was a poll passed around on the net about Scouters maintaining our values and opposing homosexuals. A number of older senior Scouts and young adult Scouters have ranted and railed about the intolerance of the BSA. They appear to believe that our Oath; "On MY honor..." means, in part that they have the authority to believe what they want because it is THIER honor. In my estimation, similar to the Girl Scouts who agreed to let "GOD" stand for whatever back in about 1991. How do you get the message across to these Senior Scouts and Adult Leaders that they represent our Scouting values? That our Scouting values are those clearly espoused by our Sponsors and that we are NOT intolerant but we do discriminate against immoral and bad things while being clearly for moral and good. I know we can't deal with this from an emotional level but it is almost as if they are saying "don't try to confuse me with the facts, my mind is already made up". Help me resolve and save these young lives without compromising my principles AND losing good young adults!