Re: Female on Campouts
rmorehead (rmorehead@NLS.NET)
Wed, 20 May 1998 15:54:50 -0400
For The Gillams,
I expected to raise a few hackles with my views. At least I know my
instincts are sound. I'll handle each of your questions individually.
>Do you have to be in the woods to build boys into a man of character?
Where did I say in my post that everything took place in the woods? The
subject line was merely because I was responding to a particular post on the
subject of women in camp and prefaced it with my views on women in scouting
in general.
>Are you saying that mothers/females cannot build their boys into well
>rounded individuals with character?
Not even close. I had a wonderful relationship with my mother and believe
mothers are crucial in the development of their children. I also believe
women have important roles to play in scouting. My view, however,
is that scouting at its best exposes boys to men who exemplify the type of
men they should become. While it's obviously not a perfect world out there,
I still believe something close to that ideal works best.
>Character is a good word as I've really met some in my life time.
Indeed, so have I. Obviously, in order to work properly the man modeling
the character should have some.
>I find that in the Scouting program you could live in a box on the street
an
>be a leader.
Are you insinuating the simply being unfortunate enough to be homeless
signifies a lack of character? Is character dependent on personal income?
If, however, you are stereotyping all homeless men as drug abusers or
alcoholics, then, again, it's not a perfect world. But the councils should
crack down on
troops that don't properly screen their leaders.
>My husband's dad never had time for him so he was pulled out of the
Scouting
>program but suppose his mother had had the time?
He would have been better off, then, for having had the privilege to
experience scouting. I
still believe, though, that boys better emulate behavior displayed by men,
just as girls emulate women. That's as it should be. And, taking it
further, what if he'd been allowed to remain in scouting and had been
exposed to PROPER masculine role models? What difference would that have
made? Big Brothers/Big Sisters and traditional scouting at their best
succeed for that reason.
>By the way what is your age? That might explain your way of thinking.
Surprise! I'm 35, not some codger stuck in a previous century. There have
been some very influential women in my life and I thank God for them. But I
am the man I am today because of the men I knew as a boy, mostly from
scouting.
YIS,
Bob Morehead
ASM Troop 381
Copley, Ohio
PS, These views are entirely my own and in no way reflect the policies or
practices of Troop 381, Old Portage District, Great Trail Council or the Boy
Scouts of America.
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
