fgoodwin

Freedoms under siege, retired general says http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060529/NEWS01/605290348 http://tinyurl.com/n9oq4 Bullitt ceremony honors veterans By Darla Carter dcarter@courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal Monday, May 29, 2006 A ceremony to honor veterans became a call to action yesterday as a retired Air Force general urged the crowd not to let freedoms that he treasures slip away. "There's two wars going on: There's a war in Iraq and there's a war right here at home, and we may have our eye on the wrong place," retired Maj. Gen. Carl D. Black told a crowd at Highland Memory Gardens in Bullitt County. "Today, we're trying to remove God from everything," Black said. "We're trying to do away with the Pledge of Allegiance, remove prayer from schools, remove prayer from the Armed Forces. I say there's something wrong with where we are today, and we better wake up and start looking and see just exactly what it is." Black, a Vietnam veteran, was the featured speaker at the annual Memorial Day weekend service sponsored by Chapter 454 of the Vietnam Veterans of America. The ceremony, which is in its 14th year, honors veterans of all wars. Myrtle Martin of Louisville attended the ceremony in memory of her son Clayborn W. Ashby Jr., who died in the Vietnam War in 1968, when he was 21. She said Vietnam veterans have not always been given their due, so being able to have a ceremony like yesterday's meant a lot. The service included a 21-gun salute and the laying of several wreaths in front of The Final LZ (landing zone), a memorial to Vietnam veterans. If people want to maintain the ideas and ideals that veterans fought for and that continue to make this country great, Black said, "you and I and the younger generations coming on must get involved." "Today we have come to pay respects to our fallen heroes and our fallen comrades -- but not that alone," Black said. " Today, we've come to receive the torch, to hold it high, to keep the faith and to pass it from generation to generation," as has been done since the nation was founded. Only then can "Rest in peace" truly be uttered, Black said. After the speech, Black said in an interview that many parents, schools and churches seem to have become apathetic about passing certain values on to young people. "They just take for granted all of the freedoms that we have and think, 'Aw, they were just given to us.' " Instead, they should be teaching youths "the basics," he said. "Teach them respect for the flag. Teach them respect for themselves. Tell them the history." Lisa Goad, a Louisville parent who attended the ceremony, thought he had a point. There are "a lot of kids nowadays that are not respectful, and I just think it's something important for me to give to my children," said Goad, whose sons Eric, 10, and Brandon, 13, were at the ceremony. Brandon is a member of Boy Scout Troop 262, which took part in the event. He said he believes, "If you're going to live in this country, you need to learn what it (the flag) stands for and respect that." Matt Davis, who is 14 and a fellow Boy Scout from Louisville, said that attending the event and teaching younger children to have reverence for the flag "shows respect to all the veterans that have passed away." Reporter Darla Carter can be reached at (502) 582-7068.

Editor's note: North's convictions were overturned on appeal and the case was dismissed. Tallahassee Democrat http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060527/OPINION02/605270307/1006/OPINION http://tinyurl.com/gf4f4

Rumsfeld Receives Scouting's Highest Commendation http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2006/20060526_5239.html http://tinyurl.com/otj68 By Steven Donald Smith American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, May 26, 2006 Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld received scouting's highest honor from the Boy Scouts of America here today. "I'm very honored to accept scouting's Silver Buffalo Award," Rumsfeld said during a breakfast sponsored by the National Eagle Scout Association. "Since its earliest days, the Boy Scouts have cultivated leadership and good citizenship, a service that has been recognized since the United States Congress first chartered the Boy Scouts back in 1916." The Silver Buffalo Award, created in 1925, is bestowed upon those who give "truly noteworthy and extraordinary" service to America's youth. Notable recipients include Charles A. Lindbergh, Norman Rockwell, Gen. Colin Powell, Walt Disney, Hank Aaron, Bob Hope, Vince Lombardi, Neil Armstrong, Charles M. Schulz and 14 U.S. presidents. Rumsfeld became a Cub Scout in 1941 and rose to Eagle Scout in 1949. In 1975, he received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, an award that acknowledges Eagle Scouts who have distinguished themselves in business, professions and service to their country, Boy Scouts officials said. The secretary said that outside of his Pentagon office door is a small folded American flag that Boy Scouts distribute to servicemembers. "The flag has a little note with it that says, 'Here's a flag for your pocket, so you can always carry a bit of home.' That small flag shows that so many Americans and so many Boy Scouts recognize the importance of the duty of each members of the military," he said. "That recognition is greatly appreciated by all those in uniform." He said tens of thousands of Scouts have gone on to join the military. "By putting on our county's uniform, they are living up to the highest ideals of the Scout oath," he said. "Our country is truly blessed to have such wonderful young people, willing to sacrifice so much for the cause of freedom." The secretary said many people throughout the U.S. government have been Scouts. "I'm told that about half of the current members of the Congress have participated in scouting in one way or another," he said. "And 27 were Eagle Scouts." Life is not always a "smooth, steady" upward climb, he said. Life is "filled with choices, and often one does not know the impact of a decision until a good many years later," he said. The secretary said one of his life's important choices came when he was 12 years old and wanted to quit the Scouts. He sent a letter to his father, who was on a Navy carrier in the Pacific during World War II, saying he wanted to leave the Scouts. Rumsfeld's father sent a note back to his son telling him that is was OK for him to quit. "After all, he said, quitting is easy," Rumsfeld said. "He said, 'You can quit one thing, and then quit another. And soon you're a quitter.' Even at age 12 I got the message. I stayed in scouting and it was one of the best decisions I've made." Related Site: Boy Scouts of America

Does anyone know anything about this painting? You can see a sample here: http://www.picassomio.com/poster/a5979,i1363668/en/ http://tinyurl.com/zw7p4 It looks like three Boy Scouts are carrying flags in a parade of kids and dogs. The title says "1917" and given the style of the uniforms, I assume that's when Knowles painted it. I'm thinking about buying a copy but before I plunk down my $$ I wanted to confirm with others that those are indeed Boy Scouts. Does anyone own a print or poster of this painting? YiS, Fred Goodwin

I think its appropriate to ask a boy how a Scout might show reverence or how a Scout might do their duty to God, because those two items are in the Scout Oath and Law.

Nick, I don't know when the law / rules went into effect here in TX, but I do know that my Council (Alamo Area) mentioned this at our April RT (Apr 6) and asked all leaders to get their day camp parents trained. Many of those leaders & parents showed up for our May RT where we offered both day camp training and YPT. Our day camp staff has been calling all units, and all UCs have been reminding their units of this requirement, ever since we first heard about it on April 6. I've gone so far (as Keystone District Training chair) to offer YPT onsite at the day camp registration area in case adults show up w/o a YPT card. I don't know what else we can do, or that we could've gotten the word out any earlier or better.

William Cronk Elected as National President of the Boy Scouts of America http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060524005678 http://tinyurl.com/rmaqy Business and Civic Leader Assumes Role as Top Volunteer May 24, 2006 12:11 PM US Eastern Timezone WASHINGTON, D.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2006--Today at its National Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) elected William F. "Rick" Cronk as national president. In his new role as the BSA's top volunteer, a two-year term, Cronk will direct the National Executive Board, which guides the National Council of the BSA. Cronk has been a long-time supporter of the Scouting movement has served the BSA in various roles, including district chairman and area president, and on the BSA's Finance and Investment Committee. "It is an honor to serve the Boy Scouts of America," Cronk said. "More than ever before, our young people need character development and a strong sense of values. I am proud to be part of this storied organization that prepares young people for today's challenges and tomorrow's promises." Cronk received his bachelor of science in business administration from the Haas Business School at the University of California at Berkeley in 1965. After graduation, he began his career with Eastman Dillon. In 1977, Cronk and his best friend, Gary Rogers, purchased Dreyer's Ice Cream, a $6 million San Francisco area-based company. When Cronk retired recently as president of the company, his leadership had made Dreyer's the nation's largest manufacturer and distributor of premium and super premium ice cream brands, expanded its distribution throughout the United States, and attained revenues in excess of $1.5 billion. "As the BSA continually evolves to remain relevant in the lives of today's youth, Rick's business and civic leadership will be extremely valuable to our organization," said Roy L. Williams, Chief Scout Executive. "We are excited as Rick leads millions of BSA volunteers in their work on behalf of millions of Scouting youth." While Cronk dedicates much of his free time to the BSA, he remains active with many civic and business organizations. Cronk is focused upon dramatically reforming California's K-12 public school education system, to provide educational opportunities to all youth, particularly the disadvantaged. Cronk is a recipient of the BSA's Silver Buffalo Award, Scouting's highest commendation for service to youth. The father of three sons, all of whom are Eagle Scouts, Cronk and his wife reside in Lafayette, Calif. Past national presidents of the BSA include Ed Whitacre, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of SBC Communications Inc.; Milton Ward, chief executive officer of Ward Resources Inc.; Roy Roberts, managing director of Reliant Equity Investors; and outgoing president John Cushman of Cushman & Wakefield Inc., a global real estate services firm. The Scouting movement is composed of 1.2 million volunteers, whose dedication of time and resources has enabled the Boy Scouts of America to remain the nation's leading youth service organization. Serving nearly 4.5 million young people between 7 and 20 years of age with more than 300 councils throughout the United States and its territories, the Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. For more information on the BSA, please visit http://www.scouting.org

For new head of Boy Scouts, mentoring is key http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-05-23-cronk-interview_x.htm Updated 5/23/2006 10:04 PM ET The Boy Scouts of America will soon be under new management. Rick Cronk, retired president of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream and a lifelong Scout, takes over as president of the 96-year-old organization on Friday. USA TODAY's Vicky Markovitz spoke with Cronk, 63, on what the future holds for Scouts in America. Q: How is membership? A: We've got about 4.6 million kids in Scouting. Basically the same number of kids as it has been for the past 10 or 15 years. We ought to be serving 10 million kids ... but we're working on that. Q: What kind of things are you doing? A: We work really hard at reaching out to inner-city kids and, in an ever-growing sense, to the Hispanic community. ... We do a pretty good job, but we need to do a perfect job. We're spending a lot of research money and time talking to kids of different backgrounds and their parents to figure out what gets those kids excited ... and what parents want. The people in the program already enjoy it. It's a matter of introducing ourselves to these constituents. Q: What are the biggest issues for today's youth? A: The world is much more confusing and it moves very fast. For boys in Scouting, the male mentor is often not there. That is the value of having good role models. Q: How does Boy Scouts of America try to help kids? A: In Cub Scouting, they don't know they are learning a message. In Boy Scouting, it is much more direct. In a Scout meeting or troop meeting, the Scoutmaster ends the 1-hour meeting with the Scoutmaster's minute ... talking directly on one aspect of the Scout Law (such as being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, etc.), or on respecting people of different backgrounds. If you hear these one-minute presentations 40 or 50 times a year, you start to say, "There must be something here." It becomes part of their value system and part of their soul. (The Good Turn for America initiative) is focused on these kids actively participating in community projects. ... (It) was founded 100 years ago and is still a big part of what Scouting is today. Q: The BSA has been criticized for not allowing gays and atheists to participate. Do you agree with these policies? A: You have to distinguish between members and leadership standards. Scouting has its own values, and you teach and train kids to be courteous of kids who have different values. We don't expect everyone to agree with BSA, but we are proud of what we do. When it comes to standards we use as identifying leadership and mentors, we don't quiz anybody. But if somebody and these are virtually always adult leaders in Scouting avows publicly a gay lifestyle, we say to that leader, "It violates our standards, and we prefer you offer your services to some other organization." When people use the word "membership" you think of kids, and Scouting asking kids if they believe in God. ... We don't ask those questions. Q: Hypothetically, if a boy were in the Scouts, and he came out about being gay, would he still be allowed to participate? A: That's a situation that I don't know has ever happened. I think if a Scout were to say to a Scoutmaster, "I think I am gay," I think the Scoutmaster would say, because he cares about the Scout, "I think you ought to talk to your parents about that; you ought to talk to a minister if you go to church; you need someone to help you through it." These are kids that are 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. As you get older, maybe (you start thinking about these things), but we're talking about an event that may not have ever happened. It's an intoxicating subject to talk about, but it's not relevant to a large extent. Q: On March 9, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the BSA, and other non-profits that don't comply with government anti-discrimination laws, may be refused subsidies. Do you think other cities or states will adopt the same policy? A: I hope not. They shouldn't. ... If they do, we'll be just fine. I don't mean to be arrogant about it, but (they) are not going to change a program that is 100 years old. There are so many organizations that understand the challenges kids face today and support the BSA. Q: How is the BSA working to prevent sexual abuse within the Scouts? A: We do obvious things with not having adult leaders one-on-one with a Scout. Some of the more recent things are criminal background checks. They are not perfect, but it's one step. There is also online training. If you live in the remotest part of the country, you can go online and be trained. -------------- THE CRONK FILE Name: William "Rick" Cronk Title: President-elect, Boy Scouts of America Born: Oct. 4, 1942 Home: Lafayette, Calif. Education: Bachelor of science degree, Haas Business School, University of California-Berkeley, 1965 Boy Scout background: Started as a Cub Scout and advanced to Star, the third-highest rank; served as BSA district chairman, BSA area president; Finance and Investment Committee member; and chairman of World Scout Organization. Won Silver Buffalo Award for services to youth. His three sons are Eagle Scouts, the highest rank. Past job: Recently retired as president of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream. Cronk and a friend bought the company in 1977 when its worth was $6 million. It is now valued at more than $1.5 billion. Other activities: Advisory board for EdVoice, which works to improve California's public schools; Development Committee for Hoover Institute Board of Overseers, which handles affairs for public policy research center.

Group Protests Boy Scouts Exclusionary Policies http://www.axcessnews.com/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=9706 http://tinyurl.com/huq2b May 25, 2006 By Eba Hamid (AXcess News) Washington - David Knapp was 67 years old in 1993 when three visitors to his Guilford, Conn., home informed him that he was being kicked out of his leadership role at Boy Scouts of America. He had joined in 1938 and was serving as a volunteer district commissioner when the three scouting officials knocked on his door. So why now? Someone had written a letter to the Boy Scouts' leadership informing them that Knapp, an Eagle Scout, was gay. He suspects it was a relative upset over his divorce several years earlier. "I was in the closet," Knapp said, "deep in the closet." Now, Knapp is Connecticut state chairman for Scouting for All, a nonprofit organization that aims to have the Boy Scouts rescind their policies against both gay members, like Knapp, and atheist youth and adults. Members of Scouting for All staged an eight-hour protest Wednesday outside the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel as some of the 3,000 people attending the Boy Scouts' national annual meeting began to trickle in. "We're a peaceful group, but we're not going to remain silent," said Scouting for All President Scott Cozza. "The Boy Scouts of America will never be the same. They're going to have to deal with this issue. According to Scouting for All's Web site, more than 40 percent of its members are Eagle Scouts. More than 100 of them have returned their Eagle Scout awards either to the Boy Scouts or Scouting for All, which is holding them in trust until the BSA's policies change, Cozza said. "I still love scouting," Knapp said. "I still believe it's the best youth program in the world. We need it now more than ever before." The national spokesman for Boy Scouts of America said Scouting for All is welcome to protest as long as the group allows the service organization to do as it wishes. "The Boy Scouts accepts their rights of free speech," Gregg Shields said. "We would ask our fellow Americans to respect our right to define our membership." That right allows the Boy Scouts to exclude gays and atheists, said Shields, adding that the Boy Scouts oath states: "I will do my best to do my duty to God." "If you want to be a Boy Scout, you must believe in God," Shields said. "Similarly, we don't admit to our membership overtly homosexual peoples in leadership positions," he said. A 2000 Supreme Court ruling upheld the Boy Scouts' right to set its membership rules. The 5-4 decision in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale overturned a New Jersey Supreme Court decision requiring the Scouts to readmit a gay scoutmaster. In 2002, the Boy Scouts adopted a resolution reinforcing the group's stance against admitting gays and atheists. Members of Scouting for All have protested the Boy Scouts' annual meeting since the late 1990s, Cozza said. Also speaking at this year's rally were members of Equality Maryland; Virginia Partisans, a gay and lesbian Democratic club; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays; the Unitarian Church of Montclair, N.J.; and the Secular Coalition of America. The group was to hold a candlelight vigil and walk from Dupont Circle to the hotel late Wednesday in memory of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and atheist youth who have committed suicide. The protest was to continue Thursday. Boy Scouts of America's conference concludes Friday.

Oliver North defends Boy Scouts against 'the far left' http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060524/NEWS01/605240340 http://tinyurl.com/l56z4 Article published May 24, 2006 By Bill Cotterell DEMOCRAT POLITICAL EDITOR The Boy Scouts face a legal and political attack by "the far left" for defending traditional American values of faith, patriotism and morality, Retired Lt. Col. Oliver North said Tuesday. The former Marine officer, who gained national fame in the Iran-Contra scandal 20 years ago, was the featured speaker at the annual banquet of the Suwannee River Area Council of the Boy Scouts. He compared the Scouts to the military - saying both institutions have been vilified by critics, but that their rank-and-file members remain steadfast and dedicated. "The Boy Scouts are nearly 100 years old. They're in the cross-hairs of some of the most litigious and wealthiest opponents in this country," North said. "The goal is simple: To force the Boy Scouts, this venerable organization, to abandon its long-standing commitment to faith in God and what many of us euphemistically refer to as traditional values." North, host of the Fox News program "War Stories," showed pictures from his eight trips to Iraq during the war. He said morale and confidence remain high among the troops and that "an astounding number of them" are former Boy Scouts. "They have been diminished by many of my colleagues in the media," North said. "They have been described by some politicians as like Stalin and Pol Pot and those who fought for Adolf Hitler." Similarly, he said, Boy Scouts and their adult sponsors have been ridiculed and called "anachronistic" for their beliefs. He said the state of Connecticut has cut off employee payroll deductions to Scouting, many cities and counties have denied use of public parks and meeting halls, some United Way chapters have dropped them and the Pentagon has warned against allowing Scout troops to form on military bases. North, who was a Boy Scout and has been a troop leader, recited the Boy Scout Oath - with its references to God and being "morally straight." "What is so repugnant about that? Nothing, unless you insist that there is no God, that nothing is bigger than self," North said. "Those who pretend that our entire country and society must accept those radical norms demand that the BSA abandon the 'duty to God' and 'morally straight' phrases in the Boy Scout Oath and amend the scout law." Chuck Ezell, executive for the Scout Council, said about 350 people attending the annual banquet at the University Center raised about $150,000 for the organization.

You might contact SHAC and find out which district in SHAC is closest to you, then ask for their training chairman, who should be able to tell you when their next few BALOOs are scheduled.

Boy Scouts of America and Celestron® Set Their "Sights" on Space Exploration http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/05/23/1658732.htm May 23, 2006 SkyScout Personal Planetariums Donated To Scout Camps Nationwide WASHINGTON --(Business Wire)-- May 23, 2006 -- The Boy Scouts of America (BSA), the nation's foremost youth character development program, in partnership with Celestron, a leading designer and manufacturer of telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes and microscopes, announced a joint program to encourage interest in space exploration and astronomy among America's youth, beginning with a donation of 200 Celestron SkyScouts. Each year in the BSA program, nearly 50,000 boys earn merit badges in space exploration and astronomy. To enhance their learning experience, Celestron is donating the SkyScout units to the astronomy programs at all high adventure and approximately half of the BSA summer resident camps nationwide. Last year more than 1.2 million youth attended a Boy Scout summer or high adventure camp. The formal donation was made today at a kick-off event during the BSA's National Annual Meeting, when Celestron gave a demonstration to BSA camp directors and local Scouts and presented the BSA with a check for the value of the donation, approximately $80,000. "American youth have always had a natural curiosity to explore new frontiers including our universe and space in general," said Dave Bates, director of Boy Scout camping and conservation. "During the past century nearly 1 million Scouts have earned merit badges in Astronomy and space exploration-related topics. This donation of Celestron SkyScouts will further allow BSA to inspire Scouts to explore and discover our universe." About the size of a camcorder and weighing less than 16 ounces, the SkyScout utilizes a consumer-friendly "point and shoot" GPS technology that enables stargazers to instantly identify and/or locate over 6,000 celestial objects in the sky with the press of a button and listen to commentary on the object and its history. The SkyScout also has a "locate" feature that allows users to select an object they wish to view (i.e. Mars) and the SkyScout, using illuminated arrows in the viewfinder, will point the user to the object. "Simply put, SkyScout is the perfect tool for any one that has ever looked up at the night sky and had a desire to know more about the objects that make-up our surrounding universe," said Joseph A. Lupica Jr., president and CEO of Celestron. "Teaming-up with the BSA is a perfect fit for us, in that we both share the desire to grow the budding curiosity of today's young people who will launch the space and science developments of tomorrow." Serving nearly 4.5 million young people between 7 and 20 years of age with more than 300 councils throughout the United States and its territories, the Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. For more information on the BSA, please visit www.scouting.org. Founded in the 1950's, Celestron is a leading designer, manufacturer and importer of high-quality optical products including computerized and non-computerized telescopes and related accessories, binoculars, spotting scopes and microscopes. Celestron is a leader in the sale of performance telescopes and enjoys brand-name recognition among serious amateur astronomers for superior optics, outstanding design, and innovative technology. Celestron sells and markets its products worldwide through a variety of specialty retail outlets and international distributors. Celestron is a privately held company with corporate offices and manufacturing facilities, in Torrance, CA. For more information about Celestron and the SkyScout product please visit, http://www.celestron.com and http://www.celestron.com/skyscout

Jewish Scouting struggles to attract new members http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2006/05/23/news/local/acover0519.txt http://tinyurl.com/eomag BY: ALAN SMASON, Staff Reporter Tuesday May 23, 2006 When Boy Scout Troop 96, chartered to Bnai Jeshurun Congregations Mens Club, folded last fall after nearly 50 years of continuous operation, many felt it may have signaled the end of all Jewish scouting units in Cleveland. Through nine decades, nearly a dozen different Jewish scouting units Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops and Explorer posts have closed. Yet, hot on the heels of Troop 96 closing comes news from Temple Israel Ner Tamid (TINT) they are chartering a new Boy Scout Troop (see related story on page 21). Insiders say factors may now be favorable for future expansion within the regional Jewish community. I see a resurgence in Jewish scouting in Cleveland, says Judy Caine, vice president of relationships with the Greater Cleveland Council. Were really excited to start up the new troop at Temple Israel Ner Tamid that will be open to the general public. She is heading a team that is currently meeting with a major Jewish youth group in Cleveland for a program that will run concurrently with TINTs. Despite these seemingly positive events, most adult leaders, called scouters, agree that the loss of Jewish units tied to Jewish institutions has been troubling. My take is that we just dont have the parent involvement, says local Jewish committee on Scouting chairman Paul Wolf. Theyre putting their kids into other activities, and the parents arent involved with running the program. The program was at its strongest when parents were most involved. Randy Korach, a member of the Greater Cleveland Council executive board agrees. I dont think its a new problem that we face in the Jewish community, but weve missed a generation of leadership. Korach also cites what he calls the hip factor as being a deterrent to attracting greater numbers of Jewish youth to scouting. There is also increased competition with alternative activities, such as sports or other Jewish extracurricular activities, he explains. Kids are overprogrammed now in general, says Wolf. But, in this case, they are leaving out the program that has the most parent involvement and the one that requires more effort on their parts. Wolf also cited inherent problems with housing scouting units in the Orthodox and Conservative communities, especially when it comes to keeping the commandments against lighting fires, carrying items, or traveling on Shabbat. More of the problems are associated with camping, he explains. He notes, however, that several shomre Shabbos (Sabbath-observant) Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops and Venturing crews (the high adventure, co-ed branch of scouting for older teenagers and college students) are fully functional elsewhere. Former National Jewish Committee chairman Jerrold Lockshin, a resident of Canton, attributes the loss of Jewish parental support to assimilation of former immigrant families into mainstream society. When I was active as a scout in 1938, immigrant American Jews were just coming into American society, he says. When my two sons were active in scouting, it was still very, very popular. There was a feeling that every Jewish kid should be a part of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It was apple pie and the American dream. The problem, admits Lockshin, is in the generations that followed. Getting those next generations interested in scouting has been very difficult. They certainly are less willing to participate than they were years ago. Statistics kept by the National Council of the BSA back up those feelings. For example, Jewish chartering organizations have fallen from a high of 926 units in 1963 (the earliest year that records were kept) to an all-time low of 214 units in 2005. Numbers of Jewish youth in these units have dropped precipitously from a high of 13,808 in 1975 to an all-time low of 4,375 in 2005. Those figures dont tell the whole story, insist Korach and Caine. Just because there arent Jewish troops and packs sponsored by temples doesnt mean that there arent any Jewish Scouts, says Korach. Both believe that many Jewish scouts and their parents are simply joining traditional units not sponsored by Jewish institutions. Greater Cleveland Council scout executive Kenn Miller confirms that assessment. If a boy wants to get into scouting, well have a unit available to him, he says. While Wolf, associated with the Bnai Jeshurun troop since 1982, thinks the numbers of Jewish Scouts are down, other factors suggest that Jewish scouts are still very active within scouting ranks. According to Lockshin, There are more Jewish Eagle Scouts today, and more Jewish religious emblems are being presented to Jewish scouts. Age-specific religious emblems, such as the Ner Tamid and Etz Chaim for Boy Scouts, and Jewish Eagle Scout certificates are presented by local Jewish committees in ceremonies at synagogues and temples. These presentations are on behalf of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting and the Relationships Division of the Boy Scouts of America. The Greater Cleveland Councils Jewish Committee on Scouting has also suffered from the ongoing problem of adult leadership. In the past, its formerly large, energetic staff held various Scout Shabbats and camping events such as kinussim (gatherings) throughout the year. However, in recent years, the committees ranks have thinned to fewer than 20, with only six active members, according to Wolf. Program offerings have been severely limited, as the committee has struggled to keep itself solvent. Nationally, the BSA has found itself the target of more than 30 lawsuits that have sought to attack what it calls its core values. Most lawsuits have been aimed at challenging membership requirements. The most controversial of these is the fallout from the 2000 Supreme Court decision in the case The Boy Scouts of America v. Dale. The case revolved around assistant Scoutmaster James Dale, who openly declared himself a homosexual while attending Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey. During the course of several interviews with the news media as co-president of the Gay Students Union there, Dale confirmed that he was both an Eagle Scout and a scouter. He was removed as an adult leader by his council, who cited the national standard of barring avowed homosexuals. Dale won several cases on state and regional levels before BSA challenged him and won the decision in the Supreme Court. BSA considered the case an affirmation of its right to determine its policies for adult leadership and free speech. Outspoken gay rights groups, and the American Civil Liberties Union in particular, considered the policies to be highly discriminatory and created a groundswell of controversy decrying the National Councils policies. The Union for Reform Judaism (formerly the Union of American Hebrew Congregations) drafted a list of recommended actions through their Reform Action Committees Commission on Social Action. They pledged to fight what they termed Scoutings discriminatory policies. Recommendations included pulling charters from existing units, refusing to house units on Reform temple sites, blocking any financial support for scouting from Reform temples and families, and removing scouts from existing non-Reform units. The North American Federation of Temple Brotherhoods (NFTB) drafted a similar resolution a year earlier in December 1999. This followed a similar 1992 resolution from the National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) and the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR). Despite this juggernaut of opposition to scouting policy from the Reform movements leadership, the rank and file of Reform member scouters has not necessarily chosen to follow all of their leaders recommendations. About 20% of Reform temple scouting units have shut down permanently, but many have been re-chartered to Conservative or Orthodox synagogues, Jewish day schools or JCCs. The Jewish War Veterans and several other social and fraternal groups have also volunteered to become charter partners with formerly Reform congregation-housed units. According to figures from the BSAs Relationships Division, 80% of the Reform movements acouting units continue to operate as they had prior to the 2000 resolutions. Lockshin, who was the National Jewish Committee chairman at the time, discounts the role the gay issue had played in the loss of Jewish units and numbers of Jewish scouts. Prior to the Reform movement coming out against scouting, there was a lessening of interest, he admits. The National Jewish Committee on Scouting has stated they will take no position on the gay scout leaders issue. According to Lockshin and others, this was done to prevent the issue from fractionalizing the effectiveness of the committee and to maintain a solid presence on the national scene. In addition to court challenges on the gay Scout leader ban, recent suits have challenged the BSAs barring of avowed atheists and agnostics as scouts and scouters (Randall v. Orange Council, BSA and Seabourn v. Coronado Area Council, BSA). Also, the BSAs use of public facilities and government forums that support scouting units and events has been challenged. A recent Department of Defense memo prevents military bases from chartering existing or new scouting units, and the ACLU and others have sought to quash the BSAs use of the federal fort A.P. Hill in Virginia where scouts have held their massive gatherings, called Jamborees, since 1937 (Winkler v. Rumsfeld). Meanwhile, Wolf and others look to re-charter Troop 96 at Bnai Jeshurun Congregation. The congregation is fully behind us, he states. Its just finding kids and parents that want to be involved. I think its cyclical. The programs been around for almost 100 years, and its had Jewish kids involved in it since it began. Were just in a downward turn right now. asmason@cjn.org

Francis Scott Key http://www.thehighcalling.org/WeeklyMessage/ViewMessage.asp?MessageID=12 By Howard Butt, Jr. (Bio) In 1814 an American lawyer, held on a Royal Navy vessel, viewed Britains assault on Baltimore. From the ship, he watched the English rockets distinctive glare as they sailed against the dark sky. During the night, fighting continued, but at dawn, the American flag still waved. Although Francis Scott Key was an attorney, history remembers him as the writer of the American national anthem. Since he was no songwriter, his lofty poem was put to the tune of a popular drinking ditty. Im Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge, and no single job description fully defines anyone. Francis Scott Keys legacy amounted to more than the way he made his money. Gods creativity uses all our gifts, bringing all we are to all we do in the high calling of our daily work. -- Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men. (Eph. 6:7)

SA, you're welcome, and thanx for your comments.

I'm pretty sure this was a "Ten Commandments Hike" (it certainly sounds like a variation of one). If so, I'm surprised the reporter never used that term. If you google "Ten Commandments Hike" or "Scout Law Hike" I think you'll find a lot of info about similar events.

Scout uniform fades differences http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/atoz/article_1149300.php http://tinyurl.com/gto5s Four youths, each of a separate religion, bond over outdoor get-togethers and character-building activities in a Mission Viejo troop. By MARK EADES The Orange County Register Saturday, May 20, 2006 MISSION VIEJO Religious distinctions can be the source of a lot of strife in the world today, but for four Eagle Scouts friendship is more important. Meet Amyn Shidi Jr., Daryl Davis, Geoff Leach and Tyler Barron Eagle Scouts with four different faiths. Shidi is Muslim, Davis is Jewish, Leach is a Lutheran and Barron is Catholic. Despite the religious differences, they became the best of friends while spending 10 years together earning their Eagle Awards. The "Four Amigos," as they call themselves, started as Tiger Cubs in 1995, when they met Geoff's dad, Rick Leach, the Scoutmaster. As they advanced to Boy Scouts and joined Troop 321 of Mission Viejo, Rick stayed with them, leading them throughout the entire 10-year journey. While some may let religion get in the way of getting along, the boys feel differently. "People shouldn't get hung up on the different religions," Shidi said. "It's not about religion," Davis said. "It's about being friends." "It's about character and who you are," Geoff Leach said. "We're good friends," Barron said. "Religion shouldn't matter. People should matter." Along the way they've been on numerous camp-outs together, including the National Jamboree, hiked hundreds of miles and earned 152 merit badges among them. Sometimes the journey had some rough bumps. "There were times when I didn't want to do it," Davis said. "I was ready to quit a couple of times." But they had their own support system, their friendship. "It gets harder the more you move up in the ranks," Geoff Leach said. "But we kept pushing and helping each other." They all agreed that wanting to hang out together at Scout meetings helped, along with the occasional "bonding" activities at camp. "Amyn and Geoff were in a canoe on a lake one morning," Rick Leach said. "The water was as smooth as glass. I turned around. When I turned back around the canoe had overturned." "I don't know why it overturned," Geoff Leach said. "Amyn's a good swimmer, and we got everything out of the water OK. We're lucky none of the sleeping bags were ours." One time they went to the Boy Scouts' Lost Valley campground right after a forest fire had swept through the place. "It was barren, and there were still hot spots," Shidi said. "We went around them and planted a bunch of trees." Sometimes they'll just hang out at one another's houses and play cards - Geoff Leach is the best poker player, according to the others - or offer one another advice about girls. "We're trying to help Amyn get a girlfriend," Barron said as the others laughed and Shidi briskly shook his head. The guys agree on who is the best-dressed (Barron) and geekiest (Geoff Leach) and that their Eagle community-service project was the hardest thing they had to do. "We probably killed a couple of trees with all the paperwork we had to do documenting the Eagle project," Shidi said. But in the end they stuck together until each earned his Eagle honor. "You should definitely stick with it," Geoff Leach said. "It's about commitment." "It took a lot of work, but it was worth it," Shidi said. "We've been together 10 years. Not a lot of people can say that." Will they continue as friends? Though they are all now more than 16 years old and more concerned with girls and getting their driver's licenses, the man who led them on their journey thinks they will. "There are less than a handful of people that you'll keep in touch with the rest of your life," Rick Leach said. "These boys will because of their accomplishment and because they're friends." "We started together and finished together," Barron said. "That's something special." ------------------------------------------------------------------ Four scouts Amyn H. Shidi Jr. Residence: Wagon Wheel Parents: Amyn Sr. and Patsy Shidi Date of Eagle Award: Nov. 17 Court of Honor: April 9 Merit badges: 39 Eagle project: Designed, planned and constructed garden plots at Mission Viejo High Agricultural Farm. Raised more than $1,800 for materials and food. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Daryl Davis Residence: Mission Viejo Parents: Alan and Diane Davis Date of Eagle Award: Nov. 17 Court of Honor: April 23 Merit badges: 30 Eagle project: Designed, planned and built a fence line at Mission Viejo High Agricultural Farm. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Geoff Leach Residence: Mission Viejo Parents: Rick and Kathy Leach Date of Eagle Award: Feb. 24, 2005 Court of Honor: April 30, 2005 Merit badges: 43 Eagle project: Hillside beautification project at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Mission Viejo. Removed weeds, overgrown bushes and trees, and planted ground cover. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tyler Barron Residence: Mission Viejo Parents: Frank and Doreen Barron Date of Eagle Award: April 28, 2005 Court of Honor: March 19 Merit badges: 40 Eagle project: Coordinated adding a cement pathway and planted 10 trees at O'Neill Elementary School in Mission Viejo.

History and religion lift boys in downtown Detroit heritage tour http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060521/NEWS01/605210727 http://tinyurl.com/pzwed Scouts explore beauty, diversity and freedom BY DAVID CRUMM FREE PRESS RELIGION WRITER May 21, 2006 Detroit often draws visitors for sports, casinos and music, but on Saturday 200 people headed downtown for a rare opportunity to glimpse some of the crown jewels of Detroit's religious heritage. "It's great to be involved in any first, and today is our first-ever Boy Scouts of America Walk with God in Detroit," Ron Pelley, a Scout leader from Allen Park who coordinated the event, told the crowd of scouts and adult helpers. In seven hours, the group hiked to the location of Detroit's first Jewish congregation, then to six historic Christian churches. The tour wrapped up with a lecture on Islam on the lawn of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan, a cosponsor of the event. Despite the long hours, stereotypes about kids getting bored in churches vanished. Heads rotated in church after church as the boys scrambled to explore the sights in every direction. Sam Delisi, 8, of Harrison Township loved Old St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greektown. "It's so beautiful. I like how they decorated all the statues here and the big marble pillars." Joshua Daniels, 10, of Southfield said he was amazed by Second Baptist Church, also in Greektown. "I just liked being in a church where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke," he said. The Rev. Kevin Turman, Second Baptist's pastor, was among several clergy who wowed the kids with cool details about church history. At Second Baptist, the scouts were eager to know about the below-ground room in the church where runaway slaves were hidden more than 150 years ago as part of the Underground Railroad. "Well, it was like hiding in what amounted to an oversized closet," Turman said. The boys' enthusiasm for such history lessons impressed many parents, including John Daniels of Southfield, Joshua's father. "Today, I was pleased to see how interested they were in connecting what they were seeing with what they've learned in school," he said. At the Episcopal Christ Church near the Renaissance Center, the Rev. Phillip Jackson drew oohs and aahs by pointing out "the most valuable piece of art in our entire church -- a priceless Tiffany stained-glass window." At the moment Jackson pointed to the window and 200 heads turned in that direction, sunlight streaming through the rainbow-hued glass made it a startling sight. Christine Woods of Troy brought her son, Caleb, 8, on the hike and was impressed with the event's diversity. "In my son's den, we have Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic and Hindu scouts. It's very important for children to learn from an early age how people from different religions can get along." At the site of Detroit's first Jewish congregation, where a Michigan historical marker now stands on East Congress, Ray Clement, a Jewish scout leader from Trenton, led a prayer in Hebrew and stressed the importance of defending religious diversity. "What should freedom mean?" Clement asked the boys. "It should mean freedom to live where we want, to get an education and to worship where we want." In the final talk on Islam, Abdulredha Jasem of Dearborn told the crowd, "God made us unique so that, together, we can make this world a beautiful place." Contact DAVID CRUMM at 313-223-4526 or crumm@freepress.com

Scouts denied funding http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/homepage/local_story_138230721.html http://tinyurl.com/n2l7h Published: May 18, 2006 11:07 pm Kelli Hernandez VALDOSTA Decades of continued financial support to the Boy Scouts stopped after the Bank of America Charitable Foundation denied their request for funding this year, according to a letter written by Michael Harp, Market President for Bank of America. The letter, addressed to Scout Executive Matt Hart, with the Alapaha Area Council Boy Scouts of America, outlined the Banks newly adopted non-discriminatory policy for charitable giving. According to the letter, under the non-discrimination policy, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation cannot provide funding to any organization that practices discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship or veteran or disability status. The Boy Scouts current employment and membership practices do not comply with this policy, according to the organizations general position statement. The statement says, Since its inception in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America has believed that open homosexuality is inconsistent with the values it wants to communicate through its leaders. The statement adds, The Boy Scouts of America has a constitutional right to provide a youth organization for families who share those values. Other groups are similarly free and may follow a different path. We believe these policies reflect and respect the diversity of beliefs among our associates, Alex Liftman, spokesperson for Bank of America, said. Liftman also added that the bank also respects the beliefs and values of their associates by matching any charitable donation to a non-profit organization made, even if that organization has been denied financial support by the foundation. The policy was implemented Jan. 1 of this year after the banks foundation merged with the Fleet Foundation and the two policies were reviewed and joined. The banks rejection letter added that if the Alapaha Area Council, Boy Scouts of America departed from the current discriminatory practices of the national organization, placing the organization in line with the current policy, the request for funding could be reconsidered. In a letter Hart wrote as a response to Bank of Americas denial letter, Hart notes that the organization respects the Foundations right to adopt the new policy of non-discrimination. He also noted, however, every nonprofit organization serves a specific audience, as does Scouting. To open membership to those who do not share the values of the Scout Oath and Law would violate our constitutional rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association. Hart also noted in an interview that numerous other non-profit organizations restrict membership to those who meet a certain set of criteria, which in some cases includes gender, race or other practices that may discriminate against certain groups. He offered the example that a young boy does not have the right to join the Girl Scouts and yet there has been no discussion of discrimination on this point. Hart also pointed out that the policy of the organization pertains only to Scout leaders who serve as role models. The policy does not apply to the Scouts themselves. After hearing the news of Bank of Americas decision to withhold contributions from Boy Scouts of America, two Cobb County legislators made the decision to draft legislation aimed at the bank. House Rules Committee Chairman Earl Ehrhart and Sen. John Wiles said, Georgians and Scoutings values are not for sale and should not be subject to extortion by any entity, according to a media release to the Boy Scouts of America. The proposed legislation would prohibit the state of Georgia from doing business with companies which invoke non-discrimination policies against organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America. The legislators added that the legislation would pertain to Bank of Americas subsidiaries and holding companies as well. Liftman added that the policy is not directed at any one organization, but Bank of America has not yet withheld any funding from any other organization throughout the country since the policy took effect the first of the year. Hart added that a number of Scout families and those associated with the area council have closed Bank of America accounts as a message that those organizations who support and believe in the mission of the Boy Scouts of America will be supported in return. Bank of Americas decision to withhold funds from the Alapaha Council was discovered after a grant was submitted during the annual Friends of Scouting fund-raising campaign. The Alapaha Area Council serves 12 counties in South Georgia. Anyone wishing to be a part of the Friends of Scouting campaign can call the Valdosta office at 229-242-2331.

Boy Scouts of America Selects Campfire Cafe Cookbook http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/5/prweb384364.htm (PRWEB) May 16, 2006 -- Over The Open Fire, a unique cookbook featuring open fire cooking recipes and methods from the popular television series Campfire Cafe, has been chosen for worldwide distribution by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors. In the outdoors, the skills and activities practiced at troop meetings come alive with purpose. Outdoor cooking has long proved to be an activity that helps make outdoor excursions more fun and educational. Over The Open Fire takes traditional open-fire cooking methods enjoyed by Scouts to a higher level with gourmet recipes and menus that challenge and inspire. Scouts are required on campouts to provide their own meals: create menus, buy ingredients, transport and store it safely, prepare recipes, serve meals and clean up afterward -- while outdoors. They must do this in good or bad weather, and without modern conveniences. Learning to cook maximizes the Boy Scout experience, and Over the Open Fire offers recipes, instruction, tips, and techniques to assist Scouts in fulfilling the requirements necessary to earn a cooking merit badge -- one of Scoutings basic character-building programs. Being close to nature helps Boy Scouts gain an appreciation for the beauty of the world around us. In addition to recipes with step-by-step instruction and photographs, Over The Open Fire is a cookbook filled with helpful information on a variety of outdoor issues common to Scouting. Camping etiquette, food safety, selection and storage, fishing and boating safety, and respect for nature are just a few of the topics covered. Scouting, as known to millions of youth and adults, evolved during the early 1900s through the efforts of several men dedicated to bettering youth. Pioneers of the program conceived outdoor activities that developed skills in young boys and gave them a sense of enjoyment, fellowship, and a code of conduct for everyday living. Cooking is an activity that allows participation on some level by all those involved, and promotes a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie when enjoying meals together. Campfire Cafes dedication to teaching open-fire cooking as a valuable life skill fits well with Scouting objectives. The BSA believes that Over The Open Fire will prove to be a useful handbook for Scouts and Troop Leaders seeking to elevate the outdoor cooking experience that remains an important element of Scouting today. Over The Open Fire cookbook will be available online at Scouting.org in June 2006 for $24.95 in a special softcover edition, 264-pages with over 230 recipes and directions for both open-fire and kitchen preparation and cooking. # # #

Celebrating Our Survival: Why May 16 is Special for Scouting http://www.scouter.com/features/0026.asp May 3, 1999 By MaryAnn Gardner The founding of the Boy Scouts of America in 1910 was the establishment of the National organization. It opened the door to fun and learning in the outdoors to thousands of American boys. It's founding, however, did not guarantee that the organization would survive. Certainly, Baden-Powell had supplied the basics for Scouting in America along with Ernest Thompson Seton, founder of the Woodcraft Indians, and Daniel Carter Beard, founder of the Society of the Sons of Daniel Boone. Seton and Beard brought emphasis on the Native American and American frontiersman influences in outdoor activities of American Scouts. While all of this was fun, interesting and exciting, it did not focus on the successful management necessary to sustain and grow the organization. Into this mix came a man who was not an outdoorsman, who, in fact, had spent his youth in an orphanage and who had difficulty even walking because of a hip deteriorated from tuberculosis. James E. West's childhood difficulties had built him into a strong determined man. After earning his law degree he became an activist for children. As a volunteer, he worked to provide safe, clean places for children to play, helped thousands of children find foster homes, and removed troubled youth from adult courts by helping establish the first juvenile court. West did not welcome the job of Chief Scout Executive and only intended to serve for six months. A demanding businessman, West methodically managed the organization according to the bottom line. He knew that the very survival of the Boy Scouts of America depended on a strong organization that could help itself and sustain itself through tough periods of growth. He understood that children could not benefit if the organization could not survive. Seton and Beard found West talented, but obstinate and unyielding. They believed the boys must be the first and only consideration. They also believed he knew little of the benefits of the outdoors, didn't understand their program, didn't understand boys, and lacked the intended vision of the BSA. His strong feelings and many conflicts with West led Seton to resign from the organization in 1915. West and Beard remained at odds in philosophy, but continued to work together and shape the BSA for years to come. James West proved to be just what the BSA needed to make it a viable, accepted national organization. At age 34, he was the youngest of the founding fathers. His ability to keep the organization focused and growing kept him in that position for 30 years. During that time he established SCOUTING MAGAZINE and was the editor of BOYS LIFE for over 20 years. In 1921 he allowed an experimental Order of the Arrow program to be established nationally. It would take almost 30 years for it to become an official part of the Scouting program. In 1929, together with William Hillcourt, he wrote THE SCOUT JAMBOREE BOOK: American Scouts at the 3rd World Jamboree. In 1933, they wrote another book about the 4th World Jamboree. In his comments about the closing ceremony (CHAPTER XI -IN WHICH WE CLOSE THE FOURTH WORLD JAMBOREE AND LIGHT OUR LAST FIRE) , West's description of those voices can touch the hearts of Scout and Scouters today: ". . .a roar arose from the gathering. Each Scout in his own language yelled the key-word of the jamboree: 'Brother!' It rose high, spread across the arena, came back as a tremendous echo: 'Brother! Bruder! Frere! Broder! Testvor!' " Today James E. West is remembered and celebrated as he lived. This child-welfare advocate who knew the importance of structure and support for an organization's longevity and growth, was honored by the BSA through the establishment of an award in his name. In 1993 the James E. West Fellowship Award was established to recognize major contributors to Council endowment trust funds. In August of 1999, the Finance Support Division of the BSA is holding the first of a new type of donor seminar. James E. West Week will take place at the Philmont Training Center from August 9-13. Session topics will feature estate and trust planning. On May 16 Scouting celebrates the birthday of James West, born on that date in 1876. Perhaps, those of us who have had the privilege of volunteering our time to work with the youth of America through the programs of the BSA, should pause with thanks and in memory of this man who showed, from the beginning, the necessity of Unit fundraisers and Friends Of Scouting(FOS) campaigns. Maybe, if only for a moment, we can show a hint of compassion to those professionals we sometimes see as "out of touch" with the grassroots, and try to understand how important is their task of providing the support necessary to continue the program we love so much.

Scouting out new friends http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20060511-9999-7m11scouts.html Muslims find opportunities to reinforce values, share culture in Girl Scouts By Helen Gao UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER May 11, 2006 A devout Muslim, Lallia Allali was drawn to the Girl Scouts because it shares many of the values of her religion, such as an emphasis on moral character, service and charity. That's why about two years ago, Allali founded three Muslim Girl Scout troops at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in San Diego County, where her husband is the imam. The troops, which serve about 50 girls, are among a growing number of Muslim Girl and Boy Scout troops sprouting up across the nation. A Muslim Cub Scout troop of about 25 boys also meets at the Islamic Center in Clairemont. In Girl Scouts, it teaches you to be confident. In Islam, it says you should be confident and never give up, said Layla Elmi, 10, who attends school at the Islamic Center. You can be friends with people of any skin color or religion. In Islam, it's the same thing. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have for years been reaching out to Muslims and other religious groups, working with them to offer patches or medals tailored to their faiths. The Girl Scouts has made it known that the word God in its oath can be substituted with Allah (God in Arabic) or other words to fit one's beliefs. The Girl Scouts appreciates diversity. That's very important. It's important to teach our girls to accept our diversity, our differences, said Allali, mother of three daughters, one a Brownie. Muslim Girl Scout troops have formed in Phoenix, Nashville, Washington, D.C., and Santa Clara, but the organization does not track how many exist. The Islamic Committee on Girl Scouting in Connecticut estimates almost 1,000 Muslim girls participate in scouting. The Boy Scouts of America has counted nearly 2,000 Muslim Boy Scouts in 104 units affiliated with mosques and Islamic schools. Together, they sang It's a Small World and recited the Girl Scout Promise. Later they visited one another's booths and sampled ethnic food. Some had their names written in Arabic and got their hands painted with intricate henna designs. Non-Muslim guests were won over by the hospitality of their hosts. They are people instead of something you read about in newspapers, said Megan Alcock, 15, who lives within a short distance of the Islamic Center and only recently became aware of its existence. It's just a couple of people who make the image bad for everyone, said Ari Schechter, 15, who came with Alcock. These people I've seen and met are really nice people. Assimilation factor Throughout history, minorities have sought out scouting to help them integrate into American society. When you get into the more ethnic churches, then assimilation becomes more predominant as a motivation to join the scouts, said Donald York, director of the relationship division for the Boy Scouts. Immigrant parents, he said, want their children to learn American ways and associate with other American citizens. In the 1920s and 1930s, large numbers of Jews enrolled their children in the Boy Scouts. In recent years, Armenian youths on the East and West coasts have embraced scouting on a large scale. Like the Muslim troops in Clairemont, ethnic groups that form their own troops often combine standard scouting activities with cultural and religious activities that help their youngsters preserve their heritage. The spiritual principals of Islam are a big part of Muslim troops. Their leaders try to reinforce values taught in scouting by citing relevant verses from the Koran. Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world about 80,000 to 100,000 Muslims call San Diego County home, and 6 million to 7 million followers live in the United States. But it's also one of the least understood religions, according to a poll conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations in 2005. One in four Americans associates Islam with hatred and violence, and almost 60 percent say they know little or nothing about Islam. Muslim leaders formed the National Islamic Committee on Scouting in 1982, after noticing there were no Muslim religious emblems in a well-established program that encourages youths to be stronger in their faith. The religious emblems program also includes Buddhists, Jews and others. The Islamic Committee on Girl Scouting, which coordinates separate religious awards, has also been around for some two decades, as part of a larger faith-based recognition program sanctioned by Girl Scouts. In 1993, Girl Scouts decided that the word God in its pledge could be substituted. We felt it's important girls can substitute the word 'God' with whatever is comfortable to them or their families, Girl Scouts spokeswoman Marion Swan said. We are very proud of the fact we are a very inclusive organization. The Clairemont-based Muslim Scouts are ardent advocates of tolerance, keenly aware that their acceptance of others is crucial to others accepting them. Even if you have different religions, you can be friends, said Medeeha Khan, 9. Racial diversity Judy Pritchett, who has been active with Girl Scouts since 1965, recalled a time when troops were mostly white. Today, her granddaughter's troop, she noted, is only a quarter white. It's awesome. The girls' families come from all over, she said. Many Muslim parents say they are attracted to scouting for the same reasons other parents are to promote their children's growth through healthy activities. Samar Dibas, whose daughters are scouts, said she likes how the Girl Scouts exposes them to the world and expands her mind. The girls can go out together. The families feel they are safe, said Dibas, who is of Palestinian descent from Jordan. Aisha Boulil, a mother and a middle school teacher at the Islamic school, said the Girl Scouts helps youngsters build a healthy identity. They grow up with a lot of confidence in who they are, she said. When they accept people around them. People accept them. Nure Elatari, communications director for the Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Muslim Girl Scouts help break down the stereotype of oppressed Muslim women. It's definitely pushed them to integrate with society and let society know who Muslim women are, she said. Allali, who came from Algeria four years ago, said she has been overwhelmed with the support she has received from other troops and leaders. The Girl Scouts here has a high level of diversity. When we talk about diversity, it's not just the word, it's not just talking. It's believing what we are doing is improving diversity, she said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Helen Gao: (619) 718-5181; helen.gao@uniontrib.com

As a former DL and CC, and currently district training chair and UC, I agree that many new leaders leave their basic training feeling shortchanged. Without fail, the one complaint I hear most often is, "I thought I was gonna learn how to run a den meeting, and I still have no idea!" (or Pack Meeting in the case of a CM or Committee Meting in the case of a CC, etc.) When I ask them how many of them took Fast Start before coming to training, invariably, none of them had done so. Folks, Fast Start is the training that gives new leaders the nuts and bolts about running meetings at their level (den meeting, pack meeting, committee meeting, etc.). I've asked my Council w/o success to REQUIRE FS before NLE + PST. The response is, such an approach is not responsive and that I should never turn away a trainee, regardless if they lack the background in FS. In response, my Council has offered the last two years a special den leaders workshop to talk about exactly how to run a den meeting (first offered at Pow-Wow and now offered as a stand-alone supplemental training). Sadly, despite the complaints that our "canned" training is lacking, the turnout for the den leader workshop was extremely disappointing, so much so that cancellation is being considered. I don't know the answer, I wish I did.

Scouts honor? Time to bring the Boy Scouts of America up to date http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/article.php?id=3353&IssueNum=17 http://tinyurl.com/k96l2 By Hannah Naiditch About two years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America could use membership criteria that excluded homosexuals and atheists. It was a big victory for the Scouts, but its rules have backfired. Its donations have declined because it is in conflict with many of the donors anti-discrimination policies. Recently the Boy Scouts made news again. The California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Berkeley did not violate the rights of the Scouts when the city revoked their free berthing privileges. With all the recent and past publicity, it is interesting to look back at their founder, Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who started it all in Great Britain in 1907. Baden-Powell was a controversial figure. He was an officer of the British Empire and a hero in the Boer wars. However, some historians also see him as a militarist, an imperialist and even as a racist and a fascist. Two major books have been written on this subject and both were originally published in London. There is a harsh critique by Michael Rosenthal published in 1986: The Character Factory: Baden-Powells Boy Scouts and the Imperatives of Empire. The other book was written by Tim Jeal: The Boy-Man: The Life of Baden-Powell. Jeal is critical of what he sees as some of Rosenthals excesses. For instance, Jeal addresses Baden-Powells anti-Semitism by asserting that Baden-Powell had several Jewish friends and a Jewish doctor and therefore could not have been an anti-Semite. He also points out that there was at that time considerable anti-Semitism, not only in England, but in Poland, Russia, Romania, Austria and Germany. He characterizes Baden-Powell as a man of conflicts and nave on some issues. Jeal explains that Baden-Powell was not alone in his admiration for Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and that his feelings were based on his hatred for communism. Baden-Powell used the swastika symbol on his Thank You badges that were given to individuals who had helped the Boy Scout movement. According to Rosenthal, he used the swastika because he was a Nazi sympathizer, while Jeal blames it on Baden-Powells naivet and his stubborn claim that the symbol meant good luck in Sanskrit. Both authors agree that Baden-Powell was deeply troubled by what he saw as lack of physical courage and military resolve. Baden-Powell saw a moral decline of the British people, especially British youth. He believed in authority, obedience and conformity; hardly the values that qualify as a foundation for democracy. Baden-Powell denied that the slogan Be Prepared had anything to do with war, but he was a great believer in military might and saw the urgent need not only to defend but to expand the British Empire. He was also a great believer in maintaining the purity of the white race. He hated niggers (as he called them), Jews and homosexuals, and he admired Hitler and Mussolini. What does this history tell us of the traditional values that the Scouts are so proud of? What kind of character are the Scouts trying to instill in their young charges? Whatever the truth about Baden-Powell may be, he was like most of us; a product of his time. Those were the days of declining empire and declining national pride. They were also days when fascism was rampant all over Europe and an accused homosexual could end up in jail. Interestingly enough, Rosenthal claims that Baden-Powell didnt want to exclude atheists. He blamed atheism on an impoverished environment and hoped these boys would change their view when they joined the Scout movement. Is todays Boy Scout intolerance an echo of the past? Boy Scout leaders claim that their core values have remained the same since 1910, a claim that may be true but troublesome. Our Constitution, which reflects our democratic values, does not require a belief in God, nor does it allow discrimination based on sexual preference. The values of Baden-Powell are not the kind of values that form the basis of a free society. Times have changed since the days Baden-Powell formed his Boy Scout movement almost 100 years ago. Those were the days of manifest destiny and empire, when Europeans called the blacks of Africa primitive savages. Maybe the time has come for the Scout oath to represent not the values of the early 1900s, but to reflect the modern democratic values of our nation that are based on a system of inclusion. 04-27-06

"H&S" = Health and Safety (syllabus part #19-100, issued 1998). This is not a new training, but I'm wondering if its a new requirement for Philmont, and if so, why? And yes, I was the one who posted to the Philmont List (just trying to cover all the bases)