Gwaihir

I don't disagree at all that the internet, social media, online dating, snapchat filters, pornhub, and all the like have had a net negative effect on humanity and on child development at large.

I agree, I'd drop it completely, but since it was a current required, I'd placed it last.

yes, Scouting is absolutely where we should be teaching that. And even still, we're talking about Eagle Scouts... no one HAS to take these merit badges, but I think an Eagle Scout is exemplified by being a well rounded citizen, not just an exceptional "scout". Two of the first 57 merit badges was Scholarship and Civics (which was then split into the 3 separate badges), so since BSA's inception, these "school" merit badges have been essential Merit Badges for the well rounded person. Also, these were when civics was actually taught well in school.

That's fair... but the Underground Railroad and the Righteous Gentiles of WW2, while they served their roles in history... were ultimately ineffective to the overall goal compared to the likes of Normandy or Gettysburg.

All 3 Citizenships should absolutely be Eagle required. I'd drop every other merit badge first before those community and nation especially. The one thing we lack most of all in this country, imo, is civics. I rate the required MBs in order of priority: 1. Citizenship in Community 2. Citizenship in Nation 3. Communication 4. First Aid 5. Emergency Preparedness 6. Personal Fitness 7. Swimming 8. Personal Management 9. Environmental Science 10. Camping 11. Cooking 12. Citizenship in the World 13. Family Life 14. Lifesaving 15. Hiking 16. Cycling 17. Sustainability You SHOULD be a bit of an expert at Scoutcraft by First Class... having required merit badges that are around Scoutcraft seems redundant... you want merit badges that make for a well rounded and responsible citizen. imo. I'd also make rank advancement more challenging and make the MBs more challenging.

I disagree. Now more than ever, dealing with the crap to reach as wide an audience as possible, is what we need to do. I think of the coptic Christians in the middle east, facing down the barrel of a gun and refusing to renounce their beliefs in public before being executed, or the political dissidents of communist Russia facing execution or a life time in the gulags and choosing the gulags over bowing to the party. How can we say we are brave, if we shirk this responsibility because of name calling when there are those around the world who would do ten fold for their beliefs?

So quit. throw in the towel. the fight is lost.

A Scout is brave. Also, I'm not saying we all need to be Jordan Peterson (who is called all those things, but presses on because it's what's right) on youtube with millions of subscribers... I'm saying focus on your neighborhood, on your community. Start there, double down there. I'd also argue that the retired group has got much less to lose, so they have a little extra capital to expend before their time on this earth expires. But to each their own.

Sorry, but we men need to stand up, especially those who are "retired" or those who feel that all is lost. The defeatist attitude is a contributing factor to the detriment of boys. Rally those in your community to your cause, put in the extra work. Be vocal (not online). WE have to fix this, and bemoaning the state of affairs doesn't fix anything.

God know, I'm trying. I just wish other units would put in the work to do the same, for the kids' sake, and not take the easy way out and just lump everyone together. ancillary to this discussion... it's time for a serious discussion about criminal justice reform in this country.

Do you also subscribe to the notion there are over 200 genders?

technically speaking, by speaking to the scout to send them away, you have now had one on one contact with the scout and are in violation of policy. The adult needs to get up and leave in order to comply with policy.

How does anyone know they have a limited pool of volunteers before a program has even been rolled out? You have families chomping at the bit to get into scouting, to get their girls into scouting, but not a single one of those parents is up for being a part of it as well? I highly doubt the question has even been broached to those parents. From where I stand, it's laziness and dishonesty (from volunteers and from national) .

I don't understand why no one can be trustworthy or obedient. The program is to be single-gender for troops. It's incredibly disappointing to know the leadership involved in these troops are the ones teaching their youth to be disobedient and untrustworthy.

eh, tying heavily into religious themes, it's no different that Christ being murdered, dying and then having a resurrection. Anakin's redemption is similar in this regard. so yeah, I think resurrection is the apt way of looking at it. again, I don't think Lucas planned Vader becoming Luke's father from the get go, so this is all shoe horned in post-facto, and like you said, it's a good try. I think it works a little better than you think, that's all ps, my Grandma loved the term full of baloney, it needs to come back into popular lexicon.