Runningwolf

Well, it's enough to cripple The Boy Scouts of America in the Rocky Mountains. Some might consider that significant. Apparently, also, increasingly in the Catholic church (52/333 million nationwide). An enlightening reply, nevertheless. I will study it yet for some time. Thank you. I don't think COVID is the reason for losing 145000/150000 in Utah and Idaho. That's a pretty big framing error, even for me, particulary since my mug is in the photo. Nationwide, had Scouting just retained market share, we (BSA) should be at 8 million now. AwakeEnergyScout, do you have a sermon explaining that massive screw up? You can't do anything if you don't have a clientele. Ah, this is becoming quite the metaphorical cobler, is it not? It's worth noting that the Scout Oath and Law originate from Catholic scripture. Catholics have not changed too much in their thinking about these foundational doctrines in 2000 years. Could it be that it is BSA (at 1.2 million), not the Catholics (at 1.4 billion), that no longer appreciates the original intent? Bear in mind that I am still in the program. I love smiles of all sorts at my waterfront. Rather than steal from the Boy Scouts though, could we not just make more pie? Different flavors, even. In my experience, the original flavor so tasty to boys and men, while tolerated by a few others, is not really what they'd prefer. Make them their own flavors! Why can't the-soon-to-be Scouting America, heir to the 110 year-old beacon on the hill, do that? Two-week old iPhone apps manage it, why can't we? Why can't we admit that we need different things for different people and do something about it, rather than squeeze square pegs into one round hole. But please, more, more. I take all comers, acerbic or otherwise. If we don't invite critics, we just live in a cracker barrel. Grow the pie. Don't erase boys.

Eagledad is spot on. Don't erase boys. I am applying a broad brush for brevity. Use your brains and apply a Pareto distribution. Keep your OFF cans out of my campfire. And so, we vent: Been with BSA over 50 years. Currently on a troop committee. A very successful troop. Thirty boys with six eagles in the last year. We’re one retirement away from total collapse. 1) If we write here like we’re afraid a Scout might read it, this is nothing more than a cracker barrel. 2) I believe victims. They deserve way more than they will ever see. I’ve seen severe abuse in the BSA – and reported it. I was 15. I was hunted for a few hours through the brush and trees before the perps were driven from camp. As an adult, I chased some bare-______ perp away from camp with my vehicle. Then I called the sheriff. In the end, there is very little even a sheriff can do to a guy who was “only taking a leak.” The guy was let go with a warning. I'd still be happy to chase that _________ with my truck. BSA gave me that oppotunity. 3) A trans kid’s smile is the same as a straight kid’s smile when they learn for the first time at my waterfront that they can swim. Wow! Isn't that smile great! YES! Those bronze gods actually do something out there on the docks! 4) BSA has evaporated from my local market. When BSA became inclusive, for every Scout gained, 9+ were lost, effectively excluding 9 out of 10 interested boys. With that nine went 18 parents and 36 grandparents. This market is now a wasteland, devoid of most Scouts and nearly all alumni. The math is simple. Inclusivity brought about mass exclusion. When the cataclysm came, a DE blithely said to me, “Well, now we can do it the right way.” I said, “Dude, you can’t do anything if you don’t have clients.” The recent poll concerning mixed troops was extracted from youth. Youth are not the clients. Parents are the clients. Will mothers will send their sons on overnighters with someone else's daughter? Will fathers send their daughter overnight with someone else's son? And, who’d a thunk it? Will wives send send their husband overnight with another woman? “Good riddance,” SmartyPants might say. But the straight kid’s smile is the same as the trans kid’s smile when he learns to swim. But the straight kid is not at camp. Momma said, “Sorry kiddo. We’re not doing that.” 1 - 9 = -8. Don’t erase boys.

Thanks for the guidance on placement. I think patches should be worn when earned. I used to think patches advertised me, so I wore only bare minimum insignia. After decades of Scouting, it occurred to me that it's not about me. The patches are ads for the program. Wearing Aquatics Instructor BSA and Mile Swim patches advertises that BSA requires rigorous training of and effort by Scouters and Scouts. We are not about badges and pins. We are about rigorous training and effort. Wear badges and pins appropriately and let the world know we are pushing against the tide.