Opportunities, not road blocks.

[skeptic]

One of the frustrating issues I have had over the past five years or so of participation in this forum is that so often we want to immediately focus on the negatives that may or may not exist.  Is that necessarily the best way to respond?  If a play does not work in organized sports, do you simply say it is hopeless, or do you find a variant or completely new option?  Most barriers are surmountable, though many may be better if gone around.  The point is to score.  In our case, the ultimate goal is to offer the best elements of Scouting to the greatest amount of youth that we can.  There is a reason that there is the annoying, but in a way complementary, slur; "oh you are such a Boy Scout" or other similar variants of this.  Scouting, at its best, makes society and those of us within it better.

So why not look at the challenges we are given as that, challenges, rather than immediately finding reasons it cannot work.  My grandfather used to say to me fairly often, "Can't never could do anything!".  Think about it before you jump to the worst scenarios.  The positive is still there, but we may need to find alternate routes.

[Tampa Turtle]

Problemtunities.

[David CO]

8 minutes ago, skeptic said:

Most barriers are surmountable, though many may be better if gone around. 

Are you suggesting that units ignore BSA policy changes?

[Jameson76]

28 minutes ago, skeptic said:

One of the frustrating issues I have had over the past five years or so of participation in this forum is that so often we want to immediately focus on the negatives that may or may not exist.  Is that necessarily the best way to respond?  If a play does not work in organized sports, do you simply say it is hopeless, or do you find a variant or completely new option?  Most barriers are surmountable, though many may be better if gone around.  The point is to score.  In our case, the ultimate goal is to offer the best elements of Scouting to the greatest amount of youth that we can.  There is a reason that there is the annoying, but in a way complementary, slur; "oh you are such a Boy Scout" or other similar variants of this.  Scouting, at its best, makes society and those of us within it better.

So why not look at the challenges we are given as that, challenges, rather than immediately finding reasons it cannot work.  My grandfather used to say to me fairly often, "Can't never could do anything!".  Think about it before you jump to the worst scenarios.  The positive is still there, but we may need to find alternate routes.

I would agree if this was in fact a sports thing, in that as you correctly noted - If a play does not work in organized sports, do you simply say it is hopeless, or do you find a variant or completely new option? You of course try different options, as the rules and playing field are not changing as you are playing.  Yes there are always slight updates and technology changes, but I played golf with my dad, and I play with my son.  Rules are basically the same, goals are the same.

Looking at the Boy Scouts, the aims and mission (though to be clear the "mission" statement is not original canon) appear to be the same, and we hope the methods will stay the same.  But the rules to get there seem to be fluid, and honestly not 100% sure about the aims and methods, there is the National meeting coming up.  I can only speak for myself, but I wonder, what is next?  At the unit level we will continue as we have, but forces beyond our control may enact change upon us.

The adding girls is a study of fluidity in an of itself.  First is was girl packs / boy packs / single gender dens in the same pack - and for the Boy Scouts a separate or complimentary program with Girl and Boy only units.  Then they quietly slipped in "Linked" troops.  Then many of the early adopter packs could not get the needed numbers, but who cares, sign em up.  Then the convoluted name change announcement, and clarifying announcement, and clarifying statements about the announcement.  Also 20% of the BSA is taking their ball and heading home in the next 18 months.

Locally the Greenbar team just wrapped up the planning through July 2019.  Looks like good stuff, lots of fun and adventures.  We have over 50 Star and Life Scouts, many discussing the path to Eagle.  We have several EBOR's next couple of weeks, high adventure trips, summer camps etc.  We are continuing to move forward and deliver fun program.  That being said, there are storm clouds out there, hopefully we will be above the flash flood marks, one can never tell.

Edited May 10, 2018 by Jameson76

[Saltface]

18 minutes ago, skeptic said:

One of the frustrating issues I have had over the past five years or so of participation in this forum is that so often we want to immediately focus on the negatives that may or may not exist.  Is that necessarily the best way to respond?  If a play does not work in organized sports, do you simply say it is hopeless, or do you find a variant or completely new option?  Most barriers are surmountable, though many may be better if gone around.  The point is to score.  In our case, the ultimate goal is to offer the best elements of Scouting to the greatest amount of youth that we can.  There is a reason that there is the annoying, but in a way complementary, slur; "oh you are such a Boy Scout" or other similar variants of this.  Scouting, at its best, makes society and those of us within it better.

So why not look at the challenges we are given as that, challenges, rather than immediately finding reasons it cannot work.  My grandfather used to say to me fairly often, "Can't never could do anything!".  Think about it before you jump to the worst scenarios.  The positive is still there, but we may need to find alternate routes.

I believe that is what the LDS church just did.

[walk in the woods]

56 minutes ago, skeptic said:

In our case, the ultimate goal is to offer the best elements of Scouting to the greatest amount of youth that we can.  

I don't believe this is a shared goal so the premise fails.  For many, the ultimate goal is to help as many boys as possible make the transition to manhood.

56 minutes ago, skeptic said:

The point is to score.

I disagree.  The point is to play the game to the best of your ability inside the rules.  When the rules are rewritten to the point the game is fundamentally changed, people have to make a decision on whether to continue.  

[TMSM]

I became Scoutmaster to help boys turn into great men, I did so because I saw how unfair school was to boys and how girls seemed to be in leadership roles vs boys. I can't seem to see why Scouts BSA is an opportunity for boys.

[Eagle94-A1]

As others have stated, BSA is changing, and is turning into we either do not like, or do not agree with. We see BSA changing the rules and moving the goalposts  furhter and further, or changing rules to make things easier. And of course, changing the rules that make traditions and traditional Scouting activities no longer able to be done.

I admit I am a selfish old man. I want my sons to have similar opportunities that I had as a Boy Scout. I am in it for them.  I have mixed emotions on this topic. One one hand I see the addition of girls as harmful. I see double standards appearing, I see boys' "safe space"  going away, and I see the gradual diminishment of boys in the program. I am also remembering the challenges and frustrations I had as a Sea Scout in a coed ship back in the day. I am also remembering some of the "challenges" I encountered and dealt with as an associate adviser with coed Explorer Posts/Venturing Crews. I know there will be "fire watches" when the girls arrive.

But I also saw how Scouting is done overseas. Yes I saw some challenges, but overall it was not as bad as what I encountered here in the USA. So there is some hope. But in all honesty I see National fouling up this process so badly, That there is not much hope there.

[WAKWIB]

12 hours ago, skeptic said:

One of the frustrating issues I have had over the past five years or so of participation in this forum is that so often we want to immediately focus on the negatives that may or may not exist.  Is that necessarily the best way to respond?  If a play does not work in organized sports, do you simply say it is hopeless, or do you find a variant or completely new option?  Most barriers are surmountable, though many may be better if gone around.  The point is to score.  In our case, the ultimate goal is to offer the best elements of Scouting to the greatest amount of youth that we can.  There is a reason that there is the annoying, but in a way complementary, slur; "oh you are such a Boy Scout" or other similar variants of this.  Scouting, at its best, makes society and those of us within it better.

So why not look at the challenges we are given as that, challenges, rather than immediately finding reasons it cannot work.  My grandfather used to say to me fairly often, "Can't never could do anything!".  Think about it before you jump to the worst scenarios.  The positive is still there, but we may need to find alternate routes.

My take on a lot of things pertaining to Scouting is that National can roll out chicken poop, and the volunteers make a delightful chicken salad!  I'm actually a bit excited and intrigued as to what the future will bring. I'm blessed to be in a Council with some very talented and dedicated Scouters; many of them I have known since we were kids 40 years ago. If big changes are happening, in my opinion and in my area, this is the best time.