David CO

It may not be prohibited, but as a traditionalist, I still prefer old mismatics.

I can't speak for those scouters, but I always felt that I got the better part of the deal. My former students and scouts owe me nothing. Paid in full.

I'm fine with it so long as they don't require scouts to take a partisan opinion on disputed political issues such as global warming.

You may be right. Charlie Brown got injured playing football, and he never even touched the ball. I wonder what the lawyers would make of that. Good grief!

Both.

That makes me feel bad.

I agree. It not only restricts boys from doing normal fun things at scout meetings, it also gives the rest of the world the impression that scouting is for wimps.

Scouts can participate in youth sports in school or other youth leagues. They just can't do it as a scouting activity. For example, scouts can play on their school football team, but they cannot play football at as a scouting activity. I don't think this would prohibit boys from bringing a rubber football to the beach and tossing it around.

BSA is encouraging lots of stuff that "ain't Scouts" during the coronavirus epidemic. They are concerned about registrations. Keeping kids registered is a higher priority than maintaining the purity of the scouting program. It's all about $$$.

I grew up in a family with 4 generations living in the same home, so I don't see it as anything unusual for adult children to live with their parents, or for elderly parents to live with their adult children. In order for a multi-generational household to work, people need to treat each other with respect. This includes recognizing that adult children are adults. This discussion is actually related to the topic. In multi-generational households, it is common for a member to be in the high risk category for coronavirus. The kids need to be extra cautious to avoid bringing the virus home. Carelessness could kill someone. Some scouts need to curtail their scouting activities out of concern for their family.

Nonsense. Scouting can be a good activity for a boy, but it is not the only good activity. There are many others.

You are absolutely right.

Yes. Our Chartered Organization has a similar committee. Since the scout unit is owned by the CO, it is subject to the same rules and restrictions as everyone else. This includes the adult activities, so I don't think it would be fair to say that the boy scouts are being treated like cub scouts during the coronavirus epidemic. The boy scouts are being treated pretty much the same as the adults. I agree with your observation that boy scouts are being treated more and more like cub scouts. It's also true that middle school students are increasingly being treated like elementary school kids. I don't like it.

I am not at all surprised that foreign nations try to influence American elections. I have no doubt that our leaders try to influence other countries' elections too. It would be pretty naïve for us to think otherwise. The question that is important to this forum is whether or not foreign nations try to influence, disrupt, and divide the members of BSA. I think nyet.

I'm still here because the scouting movement is bigger than BSA. The scouting movement exists in the hearts and minds of millions of scouts and scouters. No bankruptcy court can take that away. If BSA folds, we will still be here to keep the spirit of scouting alive.

OK. HAPPY BANKRUPTCY everybody!

You have got to be kidding. Our camp was right next to a reservation. We heard it all the time.

Of course not. Why would they? This issue is not about Native Americans who practice a Christian religion. Nor is it about non Native Americans who practice a Native American religion. Nobody is talking about people's right to choose their religion. This issue is about people who do not practice a Native American religion, but like to dress up and imitate the rituals. Native Americans are right to feel that their traditional clothing is not a costume, and that their religious rituals are not a game.

How do you feel about the Shriners?

The sight of me belly dancing would instantly show the flaw in your argument. EVERYONE would protest!

You should be mad at the scout executives, not the lawyers. They're the ones who killed scouting.

I don't see the point in pushing through advancement requirements before BSA goes under. What value will there be in having a uniform patch from a defunct organization? It would be far better for the boys to just focus on having fun.

To survive, we need to appeal to people who exist outside our close circle of dedicated scouters, dedicated parents, and dedicated scouts. We can depend on most of the choir. We need to fill the pews. More than half of my troop was made up of boys who would not have ranked scouting as their number-one activity. Most of them did not come from families with a generational history of scouting, and they did not join as a matter-of-course. Scouting is a little bit like politics. You cannot win an election by appealing only to your base. You have to go after the independent and undecided voters.

I don't think so.

It seems to me that you were the one who brought up the issue in the conclusion of your original post. You can't fault us for responding.