How to Ruin American Enterprise (an Essay by Benjamin J. Stein)

[Pack38Scouter]

http://biz.yahoo.com/fo/021213/how_to_ruin_american_enterprise_2.html

 

The funny thing is that the same thing is happening to Boy Scout ... We are going away from the traditional scouting and Baden Powell's scouting spirit in exchange for for being pc and lawsuit freed.

[NJCubScouter]

OK, so now we're quoting articles on economic and legal policy written by comedians. (Ben Stein, if you haven't clicked on the link. Admittedly, he is a comedian with a law degree, who once worked as a White House speech writer, for Richard Nixon. I think Forbes Magazine was so amazed to find a comedian who is a conservative Republican that they had to run this article.)

 

I agree with part of what he says, but I think he takes parts of it too far. Personally, I think that as a social and economic commentator, Mr. Stein should stick to acting. ("Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?" Ironically, in that movie, he was playing an economics teacher, or maybe a history teacher whose lesson for the day was about economics. Great movie.)

 

I do have to ask you, Pack38Scouter, about this statement:

 

We are going away from the traditional scouting and Baden Powell's scouting spirit in exchange for for being pc and lawsuit freed.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by that. How is Scouting really moving away from its traditions? And which traditions are you talking about? An emphasis on "values"? I think that has received increasingly more emphasis over the past 10-20 years -- and as you know if you have read my posts, I think the "values" thing has been taken too far in one specific case, by imposing the "values" of only one segment of society on the rest of Scouting. Or are you talking about "Scoutcraft"? It seems to me that the focus on outdoor activity is as strong as it ever was. There certainly seems to be more emphasis on "high adventure" than when I was a Scout (starting in 1969), in fact back then "high adventure" basically meant Philmont. In the troops around me, boys of high school age in Scouting seem to be looking to do "high adventure" almost exclusively, which presumably means that they have mastered the basic outdoor skills in the lower ranks and maybe even while Webelos. The numbers of boys in Scouting in my area has probably diminished, but the enthusiasm I see among those now in Scouting does not seem to be diminished at all.

 

(I do realize that there was something of a move away from the "outdoor" emphasis in the early 70s, while I was a Boy Scout. I think that this move is exaggerated by many today. If there was a "message" that camping, hiking, backpacking etc. was being de-emphasized, the troop I was in certainly never got the message.)

 

And when you say "pc and lawsuit free(d)," what does that mean? Is it bad that Scouting today promotes diversity (well, most of the time) more than it used to? Is it bad that more measures are taken to make sure that the boys do not get injured or abused? I assume you don't mean that, so what do you mean?

[SR540Beaver]

NJ,

 

Not to speak for pack38, just my 2 cents worth. I think what he is getting at is that scouts (like many other organizations or entities today) are constantly being hassled by a tiny little fractional segment of society who chooses to go against the current to be accepted as part of the mainstream. Most scouters find these alternative lifestyles to be something that they simply cannot endorse. Why should 9 people in some sort of group have to change their plans because the 10th person wishes it. To the 9 other people who are in agreement, the desires or the 10th person really don't matter. That 10th person needs to find people of like mind to associate with. Not be a party pooper for the other 9. Why do people want to join something they don't agree with and then seek to change it's makeup to their liking and in the process completely destroy what it was they wanted to join in the first place?

 

Scouts do not endorse atheists or gays. Why do atheiests and gays want so badly to be a part of Scouts? There are other equal quality programs that will gladly take them.

[Pack38Scouter]

NJCubScouter ... I'm trying not to get into the debate about diversity. I'm all for diversity. I just don't remember all of these issues being an issue close to 30 years ago when I was a Tenderfoot! Now protecting the kids is the first and last priority and the only priority, but beyond that it's all about ... neah what's the use ... the more we talk about it ... the more we become divided.

 

No point at all about my posting ... it's just Ben Stein points out some poignant about what is happening to our society that rings (somewhat) true and it's hilarious. Lawyers are laying down the road to which we should follow. That's all.

 

I guess that anyone who posts something here should be ready to defend his/her posting. In that case ... I withdraw my posting.

 

kwc57 ... somewhat along my line of thinking, but if I agree with you then I am not diversified. I have taken too many diversity training at work to agree with anything that implies that I am not diversified. What really got me scratching my head is seeing on "20/20?" (was it?) the other night and saw how the lawyers managed to get a 6' boy to play field hockey for a girl field hockey team. He just wants to play on the girls team ... that's all. I guess that if I want to be part of something that I don't belong, all that I need to have is some money and a good lawyer! By the way, I am very diversified kwc57. After all, I was on the receiving end of prejudicism.

 

Oh well staying unprovoked and honest is the best policy. I will stay out of this hot bed and this forum. I think that there isn't anything in this forum that I can learn to better myself as a Scouter for the kids!

 

YIS(This message has been edited by Pack38Scouter)(This message has been edited by Pack38Scouter)