A lot of negatives in the media, is scouting in danger?

[mrjohns2]

26 minutes ago, Troop75Eagle said:

 It used to be that the NRA had marksmanship awards/ medals you could earn at summer camp.  Shiloh Battlefield has medals for Historic, military and 20 mile hikes.  
 

Not sure what happened to these or if they are still around.  But I am willing to believe there are other organizations that would leap at the chance to craft activities to challenge and reward effort and accomplishment.  

The God and Country award was handled through each church, synagog or other belief structure albeit with the simplest forms from national to give some measure of guidance.  It was up to the local religious leaders of the scout to guide in their traditions.

NRA medals are still offered at camp. Our girl troop LOVED earning them last summer. The Scouts are looking to move up one level this summer. 

Religious awards still are ONLY offered by local religious communities. This hasn’t changed for at least 30 years. 
 

Neither of these have changed. Are they being done differently in your unit?

[Troop75Eagle]

7 minutes ago, mrjohns2 said:

NRA medals are still offered at camp. Our girl troop LOVED earning them last summer. The Scouts are looking to move up one level this summer. 

Religious awards still are ONLY offered by local religious communities. This hasn’t changed for at least 30 years. 
 

Neither of these have changed. Are they being done differently in your unit?

Not that I’m aware.  I Obtained my eagle and a palm 33 years ago then went to college and really have had much involvement since. I’m glad to hear it.  I pointed those out to add fodder to the idea of worthy avenues for scouts that are provided by companies and others.  Looking at an uncertain big picture of change can be intimidating but being reminded of features that are and have been present and don’t depend on national can bring reassurance and perspective. In this day and time, I bet there are even more outside groups willing to step up to the plate.  

[Mrjeff]

Thanks, this is the first time that I  heard about the idea of "local option" and I think that's a grand idea.

[Troop75Eagle]

with regard to scouts being in danger, I will hasten to add this, if you go and google search for Albuquerque man chased down, you will see protesters chasing a solitary man, laying hands on and threatening to kill.  As a last resort, the man pulls his own weapon and shoots.  The circumstances are definitely a mixed bag of cause and effect but the point is the growing volatility, reaction and counter reaction.

in Portland, Oregon, a statue of Jefferson has been toppled as racist.  There is a lot that is going on that is assaulting Scouting traditions.  Each day it gets worse it seems.  Isolated incidents do not make for a new norm.  News is designed to be emotional and inflammatory and has become volatile to an extreme.  Scouts is being dragged into this mire more and more. 

I can think of a number of new avenues that, if one is not careful, the BSA will become a reactive institution scrambling to constantly appeal to every social blip on the radar.  That is not scouting.  

[yknot]

1 hour ago, Troop75Eagle said:

with regard to scouts being in danger, I will hasten to add this, if you go and google search for Albuquerque man chased down, you will see protesters chasing a solitary man, laying hands on and threatening to kill.  As a last resort, the man pulls his own weapon and shoots.  The circumstances are definitely a mixed bag of cause and effect but the point is the growing volatility, reaction and counter reaction.

in Portland, Oregon, a statue of Jefferson has been toppled as racist.  There is a lot that is going on that is assaulting Scouting traditions.  Each day it gets worse it seems.  Isolated incidents do not make for a new norm.  News is designed to be emotional and inflammatory and has become volatile to an extreme.  Scouts is being dragged into this mire more and more. 

I can think of a number of new avenues that, if one is not careful, the BSA will become a reactive institution scrambling to constantly appeal to every social blip on the radar.  That is not scouting.  

When you've been a stick in the mud, if not an actual dam in the mud, regarding other issues like girls in scouting or differently gendered kids in scouting, it is hard to have credibility when addressing things like racism. BP was a flawed individual, but what he showed through his actions as he evolved through time is that he was always youth first as best he understood that to be.  Scouts lately has not been youth first. It's been church first, special interest first, rank first, Eagle scout first, adults first, politics first, or money first. It needs to get back to youth first. And outdoors first. Otherwise it's not relevant. 

[David CO]

27 minutes ago, yknot said:

It needs to get back to youth first.

Youth first is a meaningless term.  Liberals all think the best interest of the child is to be raised liberal,  so youth first means liberal first.  Conservative parents obviously believe something else.  

Many of us believe that God and religion do come first, in every aspect of our lives.  We want to pass that view on to our children and grandchildren.  I think we have a right to do that.

[mrjohns2]

3 minutes ago, David CO said:

Youth first is a meaningless term.  Liberals all think the best interest of the child is to be raised liberal,  so youth first means liberal first.  Conservative parents obviously believe something else.  

Many of us believe that God and religion do come first, in every aspect of our lives.  We want to pass that view on to our children and grandchildren.  I think we have a right to do that.

Man, your assumptions are very general in what liberals think. I consider myself very liberal, and that is not at all what I think. 

[yknot]

5 minutes ago, David CO said:

Youth first is a meaningless term.  Liberals all think the best interest of the child is to be raised liberal,  so youth first means liberal first.  Conservative parents obviously believe something else.  

Many of us believe that God and religion do come first, in every aspect of our lives.  We want to pass that view on to our children and grandchildren.  I think we have a right to do that.

I am Conservative and I am Catholic. I just don't believe my views need to be part of a youth community organization to which all are welcome. Or should be. 

[Navybone]

4 hours ago, Troop75Eagle said:

with regard to scouts being in danger, I will hasten to add this, if you go and google search for Albuquerque man chased down, you will see protesters chasing a solitary man, laying hands on and threatening to kill.  As a last resort, the man pulls his own weapon and shoots.  The circumstances are definitely a mixed bag of cause and effect but the point is the growing volatility, reaction and counter reaction.

That is not scouting. 

That the guy they have also attacking women on video, before he uses mace and then shoots a guy during a protest.  You are right, that is not scouting.  

[Troop75Eagle]

2 hours ago, yknot said:

When you've been a stick in the mud, if not an actual dam in the mud, regarding other issues like girls in scouting or differently gendered kids in scouting, it is hard to have credibility when addressing things like racism. BP was a flawed individual, but what he showed through his actions as he evolved through time is that he was always youth first as best he understood that to be.  Scouts lately has not been youth first. It's been church first, special interest first, rank first, Eagle scout first, adults first, politics first, or money first. It needs to get back to youth first. And outdoors first. Otherwise it's not relevant. 

 

5 minutes ago, Navybone said:

That the guy they have also attacking women on video, before he uses mace and then shoots a guy during a protest.  You are right, that is not scouting.  

Hmm...the point being that action-reaction with increasing fervor is not scouting.  Isolating the events of the video is hardly the point.  The escalation of explosive politics and injecting that into BSA as has been occurring and ripping it asunder.  That is the point.

[Navybone]

1 hour ago, Troop75Eagle said:

 

Hmm...the point being that action-reaction with increasing fervor is not scouting.  Isolating the events of the video is hardly the point.  The escalation of explosive politics and injecting that into BSA as has been occurring and ripping it asunder.  That is the point.

BSA is not saying they will teach intolerance or rioting, the exact opposite.  Rioter are going to riot, for what ever reason, same with looters.  But protesting an injustice, and continuing to portent is as American as apple pie.  And it’s not diversity first, it’s in addition to.   Nothing is binary here.