David CO

I looked back at your March 1 post. You never mentioned the age difference or your age at the time. Not all of your posts are as clear as you think they are.

I understand. I have felt that way for a long, long time about YP. I know it's not true, but I have still felt that way. It feels like YP is punishing my scouts. They didn't cause the problems, so why are their scouting activities being curtailed and restricted. Why can't they experience the same sort of great scouting program their fathers and grandfathers enjoyed. It's just not fair. YP wasn't put in to punish my scouts. As much as I hate it, I have to admit that it wasn't intended as a punishment. I can't call YP a punishment. It does make things difficult and expensive, and it does drive good people out of scouting, but it is not a punishment.

I don't think your scouts are being punished.

That's partly true. But civil actions can also result in punitive damages.

That doesn't sound entirely true. Didn't you state in an earlier post that you prevented your younger brothers from joining the troop? Didn't you contemplate the possibility that your SM might sexually abuse your brothers?

Yes, it is the way these folks want to go. I agree with having lawsuits. There must be a legal way to hold people and organizations accountable. But I do find it somewhat disingenuous of them to sue the BSA and then state that they don't intend to deprive future kids of scouting opportunities in BSA. Of course they do. They understand cause and effect. They shouldn't pretend that they don't understand the likely effect of the lawsuits.

It means he has gone on ancestry.com and determined that he is part Smurf.

When it gets to that point, perhaps we should just close it all down and finally admit we can't do scouting anymore.

School security measures have increased as a response to school shootings. It really has nothing to do with the topic of this thread.

Participating in school, scouting and sports can be a little bit like watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Some families are loud, exuberant, and intimidating. Others are quiet, contemplative, and supportive. It takes all kinds. Kids need to recognize and appreciate different temperaments and styles. I am concerned about how the focus on preventing child abuse often moves away from those things that are obvious forms of child abuse to the nit picking criticisms of other peoples styles, temperaments, and demeanors. Scouters should also stop using YP as an excuse for constantly running down sports. It's getting tiresome. Give it a rest.

Thank you. I have always thought this. It is nice to hear somebody finally say it.

It's true that BSA has more rules than other organizations, but I don't think those extra rules have made kids more safe.

I get it. The elites rule and we obey. It's an old story.

Independent. Nameless. Faceless. Self-appointed. Unaccountable. Wait a minute. Isn't this the BSA National Council?

The very first thing the National Youth Safety Board would outlaw is scouting.

Absolutely. The Philmont Family Re-Education Camp. A great repurposing of a BSA camp.

Since our units were paying for the premiums, one might think that we were the ones being covered. At least that's what we were told when BSA charged us the fee. Looks like we were covering national's assets, and we will be left twisting in the wind. We need to remember that these victims of abuse were boy scouts. Their registration fees paid for those insurance policies.

I'm not sure what this means for the councils and CO's. Are the insurance companies off the hook now when the LC's and CO's are sued under the "toggle" plan?

I disagree. Sometimes the truth is disagreeable and unpleasant. We still need to be truthful. Telling the truth about child sexual abuse in BSA is in the best interest of the greatest number.

I couldn't disagree with you more. It is important that the truth be told. I am very disappointed that people had to file lawsuits in order to make the truth public. I would be even more disappointed if the lawsuits were quickly and quietly settled just to hide the truth again. Dishonesty is what is killing BSA.

Because the insurance companies say we must?

I disagree. That is exactly how B-P meant it. A scout's honor is to be trusted. It was both a promise by the scout and a directive to the adults. Trust them.

You misunderstood.

Yes. I totally agree. A child who is yet of an age to still believe in Santa Clause would probably react just as you say. Of course, I would never trust that child to go off into the woods, with his little Santa Clause believing friends, utilizing the patrol method, with little parental involvement.

Aren't we responsible for it? We made assumptions about child behavior that turned out to be untrue. Don't we have to take some responsibility for our mistakes?