Open Discussion - Program

Training was generally fine.   A few problems ...  #1  "Everyone's opinions are valid".  ... No.  I value the person and make the effort to hear what they say.  "Actively listen" without pre-judging.  I'll bend over backwards to find truth and value in their statements.  But we are still in a pandemic where people are upset because they claim their facts and asssert the other side was not using facts.  ... My point is everyone's opinions are not valid.   Everyone is to be valued and heard, but that does not mean all opinions are valid. #2  Weren't we already doing this stuff?  Did I miss something?  I'm confused. #3  Course is trying to address a hot button, current affairs issue, but the course removed the meat to make it acceptable to everyone. Simple fact is I'm still extremely upset from last summer with people calling police bastards.  ... Just one example ... Bridges have been burnt.   I can't seen teaching / discussing DE&I without discussing 2020 and that means discussing what I believe happened.   I can't see opening being a resource to talk about DE&I because of racial issues.  As a middle aged white male I am a target that people will jump on and quickly label without knowing who I am or actively listening to me.   #4  Upstander seems like a pet-rock term.  Meh.  I thought we already had terms for that but perhaps the terms became too unpopular.   #5  Feels like training just grabbed some good leadership stuff and has not called it DE&I. Below are my notes from the training ... First sentence on the header for the training.   "Diversity, equity, and inclusion work only if everyone is invited to participate and feels accepted for their uniqueness." ...   Seems like a fairly innocous statement.  So, everyone is invited to participate.  ... Atheists and agnostics?  ... begins to raise hair ... drug users?  Those that drop the F bomb every fourth word?  Those that learn how to socialize from South Park and Celebrity Death Match?   ... Those that burn the flag? ...  SWorse yet, those that pay $5+ for something that pretends to be coffee?  ... I can quickly devolve this point, but "ONLY IF EVERYONE IS INVITED" and "ACCEPTED FOR THEIR UNIQUENESS" is a loaded statement.  ... People do say scouting teaches values.  ... Perhaps, we should just say scouting teaches canoeing and camping be done with it.    Introduction ... Mosby ... Nice statement.  I can accept that.  Scouting has a problem recruiting from a wide pool of youth.  Problems with groups by income or nationality or ethnic background. Introduction ... Chief Diversity Officer ...  The role has always scared me a bit, but fine.  Nice statement. Introduction ... Comittee on diversity.  ... Nice introduction.  I'm getting a bit scared about that will be pushed (definition of terms, etc), but okay.  I'll do the training. Foundations ... Objectives ... upstander?  ... Meh ... Foundations ... Defining identities ... okay Foundations ... Defining diversity ... okay ... BUT ... Units are comprised of many identities ... Yeah, I don't see that happening until the community containing the scout unit is diverse.  Units reflect the community.  ... In addition, scouting has a branding problem with different communities.  Until it's successfully marketed, it's hard to recruit evenly.   Until scouting is affordable, it's hard to be diverse.  In may ways, scouting is now a rich suburb family activity. Foundations ... Defining diversity ... "everyone feels welcome in your unit" ... SO, units can't select their membership based on the charter org values?  Is the DE&I superceding CO ownership of the unit?  So, CO's can't represent what they value by selecting the leaders that represent the CO values?  I can see bending over to accept people of all race, ethnic, income, disability, etc.  BUT, I'd have a hard time accepting a leader that contradicts the values / wishes of the CO. Foundations ... diversity wheel.   ... meh ... Foundations ... Defining equity ... examples ... We have that ingrained now.  We bend over backwards to include.  Examples of wheel chairs and money.  Been there / done that. Foundations ... Defining inclusion ... "concerted efforts to bring" ... Okay.  I can accept that within boundaries of not offending the CO.  ... So, how much effort?  ... I relate to helping children with special needs.  We bend over backwards to help, but volunteer units can't provide the same level of support that a school with paid professionals can marshal day in and day out.  We have done "concerted efforts" repeatedly, but we have limits of volunteer energy. Foundations ... "Authenticity" .... You hit my weak spot.  I love that term as a tool to teach leadership. Foundations ... "Authenticity" ... Questions ... RED FLAG !!!! ... The questions raise red flags.  The questions are meaningful and correct, but then need the skilled leadership using authenticity to create an effective program.  ... This is a volunteer program ya know.   Example:  Page asks "are all leaders appropriately involved in decision making?"  I'm not sure what that means.  I've seen it happen in units where so many different voices were speaking that committee meetings took four hours and everyone was mad and it tore the unit appart.  Scouters are passionate and often conflict.  Sometimes the SM or CC needs to help chart a consistent path.  Sometimes that strong lead can help create a good program.   Foundations ... Dance party example is useful. Scouting values embrace ... Check your understanding ... Pretty basic.  Not really special to DE&I Embracing Diversity in Scouting ... Active listening is part of DE&I?   Embracing Diversity in Scouting ... "Treating others in the way they would like to be treated" ... Ya know, there was this guy in Hollywood that ran a restaurant in the 1930s who thought he was a Russian prince.  ... Personally, I'd like to have my kids salute me each day and stand up when I enter the room.  ... The quote begins to lose me.  ... but within reason, it's an okay statement.  Embracing Diversity in Scouting ... Love the Gandhi quote.  Gandhi has been one of my heros for 40+ years.  BUT, he's not perfect either.  ... time for another discussion.   ... Not sure Gandhi meant the same thing with diversity, but I can accept the use of the quote. Understanding equity ... Fine.  not sure what the argument is.  Creating a culture of Inclusion ... Fine Building the BSA of tomorrow ... What the ####?  ... Well produced video.  Very good message.  But from a different course?  ... A bit obvious message, but good.  The issue I have is we just had all the earlier sections talk about what I'd call is basic good leadership and being a good person and authenticity as leadership.  Now, the video is about blatant color of skin bigotry with explict presentations of effectively white supremist bigotry.  It's a baiting video.  It's like the video is from a different course.  ...  Worse ... though the mesage of the video is fine ... it's like the video is the direct output of the summer of 2020.  The course earlier had examples of people in wheelchairs ... people who could not afford scouting ... language ... beliefs ... culture ... etc.   The video is only about the color of skin.   Earlier in the course, the examples were examples that any long-term experienced scouter has seen.   Now, the video seems to be presenting a case that we all hope to never see. I'm saying ... either all the meat has been removed from earlier in the course or the video seems to be addressing a different course. Ummm ... what about the unconscious bias so prevelent in today's popular bigotry.  That being that middle aged white men are poor examples and it's okay to silence and shame them.   Building the BSA of tomorrow ... Upstander ... Feels like a pretend word, but the guts of it I can see directly in the type of actions I'd expect from my child hood heros of John Wayne, Jimmy Steward and Chuck Norris.   Building th BSA of tomorrow ... quote Elie Wiesel " silence of the bystander" ... Great quote.  I won't use the term upstander.  The term sucks.  But, it's about being a person of backbone for standing up for what is right and speaking out about what is wrong.  ... Ya know, I really thought that was what we were supposed to be teaching from the beginning.  I'm slightly confused as this training seems to be pointing out basics that perhaps BSA did not include earlier.  ... In a way ... I cringe at this being called DE&I as it's fundamental leadership.  DE&I introduces too much current day political crap and controversy.   "being curious and asking authentic" ... Just listened to NPR in last few days where the speaker was saying it's impolite to ask questions about nationality, origin, etc.  Another friend shared a cartoon of a spoons and forks and the message was implying it's wrong to ask basic questions about orientation. ...  ... I'm not sure those educated really agree on what can be discussed and what can't be discussed.    

My opinion: At the very least this is a very good case for having no statute of limitations for child molestation in both the criminal and civil sides of law.  Who was really looking out for the two boys?  Were the parents thinking about the embarrassment or shame for the children or themselves?  Who was thinking about the long term ramifications of their mental health, the anguish and mental torture they more than likely have had to endure?  Also the monetary cost of treatment.  The ASM who committed crime did not have to answer for it.  How many more youth did he abuse?  How many more will he abuse?  If it happened in the early eighties it was more than likely not until their 30's did the worst of the mental health issues arise.   As for compensation thru the Bankruptcy I vote very much for just compensation. The abuse happened when the 2 were 10 and in the care of the Troop/Local Council/Chartered Organization/BSA National.  The ASM was an employee of the BSA which makes the BSA responsible for his actions whether anyone could have predicted it or not.

If enough occurred that the ASM was forced to resign then that is enough for the youth victims to seek compensation. The fact I find most chilling is that he likely went on to have other victims elsewhere afterwards. These people are sick. They don't stop. 

I would be interested to hear others opinion on this...

The wording here is that Paddle Craft is strongly recommended: https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss02/#b Edit: The other reason to have this training is to protect yourself from liability in the event something happens.