dkurtenbach Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Quote We condemn the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and all those who are not named but are equally important. We hear the anguish, feel the heartbreak and join the country’s resolve to do better. So we're going to introduce a new MERIT BADGE???!!! Could there be a more trivial response to murder, anguish, and heartbreak? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentinel947 Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 While they add another merit badge (agree with @dkurtenbach, not sure that's the best way to address it) can they finally throw us a bone and consolidate the Citizenship badges? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David CO Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 2 hours ago, Jameson76 said: They wreak of knee jerk reaction No, I think they have been planning something like this for some time now. They have probably been looking for a reason to impose their political correctness doctrine. I don't think this is just a knee jerk reaction. I think they are taking advantage of recent events to do what they have been wanting to do all along. This won't be just about racism. They will add the whole liberal grocery list. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post tnmule20 Posted June 16, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 16, 2020 Why would the BSA feel the need to wade into this? Does National not know the Scout oath and the Scout law? I just marked a Scouts rank advancement tonight about how he lives the law and the oath in his daily life. As Scouts that is what we are called to do. Does National not think we take take the law and the oath seriously. We must all share in the collective guilt, right. Purely political. Sad. 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InquisitiveScouter Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 2 minutes ago, tnmule20 said: Purely political. Sad. Agreed. This is a perfect example to illustrate the term "virtue signalling" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navybone Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 4 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said: Agree to that. But these moves won't address any of that. Stuff and fluff... If there is a merit. Badge which discusses racism, discrimination, and how it is able to perpetuate, and how to see it and react, why is that a bad thing?How does that not help? Racism is learned, not an innate belief. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navybone Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 3 hours ago, dkurtenbach said: So we're going to introduce a new MERIT BADGE???!!! Could there be a more trivial response to murder, anguish, and heartbreak? What Alternative would you propose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldscout448 Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Honest question Have you read BLMs manifesto? Looked at their stated goals? Can you honestly say they are compatible with scouting? As for me "bending the knee" and begging forgiveness for my "white guilt", not gonna happen. I believe we once fought a war so that we could stop kneeling to King George III. My ancestors fought the redcoats in that war, and died in the war to free the slaves 85 years later. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuctTape Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 While BSA has had Black scouts since its founding; as an organization it also allowed COs to continue racist membership policies such as segregation as recently as the 1970s. Residual racism still exists even if it is not overt. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David CO Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 5 hours ago, Navybone said: How does that not help? It doesn't help stop the rioting, looting, and arson. I doesn't help show our support for law and order, or for the police who put their lives on the line to protect us every day. The scouting program of my youth were unapologetically pro-military and pro-police. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 (edited) IMHO, the larger issue is injustice... liberty and justice for all, helping other people at all times is the Scout Way. My $0.02, P.S. I wonder if Dan Beard Council will return $2.5M from the Marge Schott Foundation and drain Lake Marge Schott? Edited June 16, 2020 by RememberSchiff 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkurtenbach Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 5 hours ago, Navybone said: What Alternative would you propose? Something much more like this: https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2020/june/a-statement-from-chief-scout-bear-grylls/ A statement of support; of the idea that justice, empathy, and peace are part of the very fabric of Scouting; that these events reinforce the necessity for each Scout, each Scouter, each unit, each Council, and every other component of the Boy Scouts of America to ensure that we are living and acting every day in accordance with those principles. It must be deep, open-ended, and continuing. By responding with steps that are minor -- a merit badge, a sensitivity class, a review of property names -- BSA is saying that the underlying racial issues are minor. And that is coming from an organization that just a few years ago was seen as one of the biggest advocates of discrimination and exclusion in America. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 6 hours ago, Navybone said: What Alternative would you propose? The alternative is quite simple. If BSA believes that BLM has merit, they should: Encourage scouts to participate in the rallies in uniform either with the movement or with the police (both-and is possible), and help all participants maintain peace and order as they advocate their position. No merit badges, no rank advancement ... just another good turn daily. It's not original either. It's what we do. From two years ago: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39804471 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MattR Posted June 16, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 16, 2020 Here's another idea: Make scouting more available to kids in poor neighborhoods. Rather than describe and discuss, do. I read a discussion among some people trying to figure out how to reduce violence in poor neighborhoods. A study was brought up in which three different approaches were tried. The first was increase police. The second was increase social workers. The third was replace dilapidated buildings with parks and playgrounds. The first two did very little but the third made a substantial impact. They also mentioned how important youth programs are. They mentioned Boys and Girls Clubs but not scouts. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle1993 Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 13 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said: Agree to that. But these moves won't address any of that. Stuff and fluff... What additional actions would you have BSA take to help eliminate discrimination? Are there other best practices that they should follow and are not? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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