SAGReagan

Scouting is not free from government regulation just because it doesn't recieve a tax break or subsidy. The Supreme Court has forced its self onto countless independent instituations in the past, private industries, private schools, almost every "private" sector of American life. And what exactly is "the right thing?" Is following measures necessary to preserve the institution in come form the right course of action? Or is clinging to an unpopular value to watch the pressure of public harrassment and financial ruin tear you down bit by bit the proper solution?

Indeed. Now, will the religous right truely loose its control over the instituation as within the last 30 years labor and blue collar position holders have become increasingly more liberal, less interested in spiritual life and thoroughly digusted with the foreign world?

A squelch? I don't think you give one of the countries oldest special interest groups enough credit. Scouting needs allies in office, allies that don't need to be repeatedly reelected, ie, supreme court justices. The BSA's measly treasury and support base pales in comparison with the funds that the ACLU or the American Trail Lawyers Association can throw at an issue. I give it 5 years before scouting is accepting openly gay members, 10 before there are gay Scoutmasters.

"Living in Harmony," you act as though they're people from two different countries. According to the US Labor Department "Youth clubs run by organizations other than the School Systems are 3x more likely to appeal to the children of Tradesmen and Organized Labor." I quoted a situation that supports this, you quoted one to refute, however, the BSA as a whole is much larger than EITHER of our closed experiences. I quote one, you quote one, the labor department qoutes all, and predicts a 30% loss of manufacturing jobs over the next five years mainly from General Motors, Delphi, and Ford, the former pillars of the American manufacturing base. The question still remains, will Boy Scouts change from its more "rural" reputaion as the people considered most likely to value that reputation slowly see their labor skills become obsulete?

The United States is increasingly becoming a world economic player, specializing in the white collar professional areas. As developing countries suck up the manufacturing jobs tensions have boiled over with the Labor Unions and the protectionist crowd. At least in my Troop, Boy Scouts has been dominated by the children of manufacturers, unionized laborers, and tradesmen; the people that stand to be most affected by this change in the capitalist system. How will the institution be affected in an ear when most American Flags are made in Taiwan?

Major evidence will be provided concerning a recent study in Sweden invovling pheromone reactions in the brains of hetero and homosexual males, undeniably connecting the word biology to the situation. As a result this will come down to a brawl over the age old defining question of this debate, "Is one born hetero or homosexual?" Watch Senator Boxer, she was a major proponent of the research.

Back on topic, Scouting is an extra in your life, a supplement, but your economic situation is NOT. The utility company won't care how glued to your morals you are before they turn off your water. If this "gaybar" is necessary for your financial well-being, well then, necessary is necessary, keep the job, if not and this is having a profoundly 'taxing' effect on your emotions, quit.

With the entire House up for reelection next year, Representitives will rush to pick sides they see as "representitive" of their constituants, watch the NE and NW states.

The ACLU flexes its political muscle and rallies its supporters and lobbyists on Capitol Hill, once again the BSA will soon be facing a Supreme Court firefight over it's most controversial tradition, the last line of the Scout Oath. Is the institution damaging itself by continuing to fight a continually more high profile political battle or should the BSA Old Guard stick to their guns and hope for more of Washington's "Good Old Boy" support?