Re: Advancement
Scott Drown (scottdd@HALCYON.COM)
Fri, 25 Jul 1997 11:18:02 -0700
Bob Rosebrough wrote:
>Again, I have become depressed by the general lack of knowledge of BSA's
>national policies concerning advancement exhibited by many members of
>this group. Plane and simple, you will be over ridden if you impose some
>after the fact requirement on the leadership requirement used for
>advancement. Errors in leadership need to be addressed on the spot and
>not some months in advance. Another pet peeve of mine is the
>misinterpretation of the simple concept of Scout Spirit which means to
>live the Scout Law in every day life. It is not an omnibus rule to delay
>advancement at the whim of some adult. Perhaps this should tell you
>something about your views on a NATIONAL PROGRAM. It annoys me to some
>degree how some of you give information on how one can get around the
>spirit of national rules. It seems that a whole bunch of Scouters need a
>good dose of training at Philmont to really understand both the rules and
>spirit of Scouting.
>
>As far as comments concerning the use of the legal system to right
>perceived of wrongs in the advancement process. Perhaps when one sees
>adults ganging up on a little kid by using personal interpretations of
>Scouting's rules, the use of the legal system seems a little more
>defensible. Remember, if you don't like our system of juris prudence,
>what would you replace it with - Dodge City?
I am saddened that you feel that those engaging in this debate are
misguided and not educated as to the "real" policies of National. I
suspect that even within the Committees at National that determine these
policies there is real and active debate as to what it all means.
Different philosophies debate and a compromise is reached and written up in
the Scout Book. The "real" policies are subject to interpretation.
Why else do think that the advancement procedures and requirments have
changed over the years? This discussion gives an avenue to better educate
those involved and also, to possibly address and make changes that may be
needed in the over all system. BSA is not static and must change to
address changing needs or it will not survive.
As far as my comments regarding the establishing a BSA Court system - that
is my own feeling and while an attorney took excpetion and posted it to the
whole list I did not post my own reply to him. We, as a society, have
increasing gone to a system that is not designed to right wrongs or even
determine the truth.
It is more about tactics, presentation, logical arguments and positions.
We have done this in the belief that we need to get our way and win out
over the other person or organization because we are more right. People
need to sit down and actually communicate to each other, perhaps using an
arbitrator, rather than jump to an adversarial system where the
representatives (lawyers) make more money if the problem is NOT solved than
if some sense is made to both parties and a lawsuit is headed off.
Scott Drown
SM Troop 39, Maltby
Mt. Baker Council, Everett Wa.
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
