A whole new meaning to "Be Prepared"

[KoreaScouter]

Absolutely right, LittleBillie; I lived in the Netherlands for 3 years -- European attitudes, for example, are much different than ours, and those attitudes are reflected in their Scouting programs and policies.

 

I think what you mentioned underscores my point... the Thai government having a condom-issue program for large international gatherings such as WJ should not lead one to automatically assume that BSA Scouts are going to WJ for an orgy, or as evidence that BSA national policies are somehow inherently flawed.

 

KS

[littlebillie]

KoreaScouter "the Thai government having a condom-issue program for large international

gatherings such as WJ should not lead one to automatically assume... that BSA national policies are somehow inherently flawed. " not sure if I've juxtaposed this properly, but really, the Thai condom policy is apples to the US mebership oranges. It (the Thai policy) has no relevance to flaws in any US membership policy - it neither supports nor criticizes it.

 

kwc57 - actually, I have to wonder about the BSA attending any world function, since to do so runs the risk of acknowleging the legitimacy of gays in other Scout organizations. Does the US presence give tacit recognition of gays in Scouting at all? We have, after all, been criticized in the international Scouting community for that stance...?

 

Add to that the condom thing, and you DO have to wonder...

 

 

 

[KoreaScouter]

Frankly, I don't see any "endorsement" effect or scandal in a BSA unit attending an international event, given that other countries' delegations may include gays or females (not just as Venturers, but also as Boy Scout-age members). Many of the Korean Scouts at the airport on the 27th were female...

 

BSA offers an international activity patch. To earn it, one must attend an event involving Scouts from another country. Inherent in this is the understanding that these Scouts may not only be from a different country, but also have a different culture, different customs, etc.

 

In a larger sense, we as a country trade with, support, and ally ourselves with countries whose national policies we don't agree with 100%, and we do so for good reason. Yet, we don't compromise our beliefs and principles in doing so. I see BSA involvement in international events the same way.

 

KS

[littlebillie]

and as a country, we boycott and embargo as well. probably not the best example - our record is NOT as a laissez faire power, not even in international sports.

[NJCubScouter]

Before this thread disappears, just for the record, I never said nor suggested that anyone was going on a "sex tour," a phrase I am not familiar with but I guess I understand what it means. If anyone did suggest that, it was the person who started this thread with the title "A whole new meaning to "Be Prepared." However, I think the title was an attempt at humor and was not making the suggestion of a "sex tour" either. My post about the gay issue was also mostly an attempt at humor, by the way, which I thought was in keeping with the title of the thread.