fred8033

That's my view. Even if used inaccurately or loosely or just wrong, it helps promote history. Even when used wrong, it raises awareness and people begin to learn more and even recognize the wrong use was wrong. It's one reason I hate seeing art and statues and monuments taken down. It's hiding history. Example: Recently a Christopher Columbus statue as taken down by protesters. When I think about Christopher Columbus, it brings many thoughts. Good and bad. Taking the statue down reduces awareness for future generations.

BSA has worked with NA in the past. The problem is there will always be protesters and those that interpret things differently. It's time to stop using another culture for our purposes. IMHO, we'll be worse off because of it as NA awareness and knowledge will drop. Sadly, our scouts first experience with NA culture will be at a local casino. In many ways, today's world is much more puritanical than the past and can't really talk about the hard stuff.

I hugely agree. Focusing on labels to promote equally and diversity is an oxymoron.

Kids are already thinking about these things. It's being shoved down their throat all the time.

I've sat on many EBORs. I've never seen a scout asked that question. In fact, most boards avoid such potentially self-destructing questions like this. That issue is between the scout and himself ... and maybe his family.

MBCs are rarely "selected". Rather, warm bodies are often found willing to teach the MB.

Does race exist? Duke ... https://scienceandsociety.duke.edu/does-race-exist/#:~:text=In a landmark paper based,between two different population subgroups. National Geographic ... https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/04/race-genetics-science-africa/ Is it right to tax current/future children to pay for the sins of the past? Should the U.S. pay reparations? How to know who receives money? Policing ? Defund? Is it acceptable to call all cops bastards? Should cops benefit from being assumed innocent?

Links don't work

LOL ... You are right. ... no pun intended ... For the longest time, I could not remember who was left or right. A very conservative friend (to the point I try to avoid the discussions ... LOL) ... made a comment about California, calling it the left coast. It's the only way I remember who is left and who is right.

Title is bad. Obviously right leaning. But the content is well assembled and useful to the discussion.

Censorship can occur in any group and does not need government or a public forum. Censorship is about blocking ideas.

Martin Luther King. Morgan Freeman. Lil'Waye. etc, etc. YouTube video "What the left won't tell you about the plight..." It is right leaning, but the comments are reasonable, polite, concise and to the topic.

The video was 100% on target and useful to the discussion. The point is the D,E&I badge will pull in politics. Period. The video was 100% on-topic. BSA was the original non-political organization. Hold up and wave the flag. I'm good with that. Pledge of allegiance. Fine. Teaching how government works fine. I've been involved for almost 20 years. Perhaps it's time for me to finish up too. It's not that I don't want to be part of an organization like BSA. I'm not sure I want my kids involved and subject to the whims of political discussions like this, left or right. T

The video was 100% on-topic. Many people believe the DE&I badge is propaganda and can't be taught constructively without pulling in individuals personal political beliefs. The video has 100% on-topic discussion topics. Is race real? Is it useful to discuss? Where do the issues start? How to work with police? Removing that video is today's canceling culture and is censorship. If you want this badge, we need the ability to discuss and debate the topics in the badge.

What was violated by that video? The video seemed 100% useful and appropriate for this discussion.

Removed

Outstanding video ... You are braver than I am. I would not post such a video because there are too many that are too quick to toss out words such as racist and biggot. I find the video very useful and 100% worthy of discussion. But I don't want to be the target of the stereo typing by people who would use such ugly and hateful words.

Two sided discussion is important. This badge can not sit in a one-sided political vacuum. The issues raised here really reflect that we've failed to teach "civics" as a school topic and "civility" as a social need. We need to be able to discuss these topics. That means that videos like about should be discussed without people getting upset and irate at each other. Welcome to the D,E&I (pronounced deny) badge.

Because we are continually working with our scouts teaching how to work with each other, be respectful, etc. It's what the whole scouting program is about. Scout Law and Oath. But we do it thru activities and the necessity of working with each other. I think @CynicalScouter had a great response above. But even more, it's offensive because I'm not sure I want to trust my scout to joe-blow MBC to get their view on diversity.

Thank you. It's my view of scouting is different. I've always seen scouting as something different that our youth need. Knives. Fire. Outside in the rain. Getting the scouts out doing things. It's why I like the MBs that require activity. I don't have issues with the ideas in the badge. I have an issue that it's a badge. In this context, the scouts should be required to earn a Scout Law merit badgse. We teach values during our activities, not as the activity itself.

I like the ideas discussed above. Every MB has requirements that are usually done poorly. For emergency preparedness, it's the drill. Never done great. Somehow our troop has used the summer camp emergency drill to fill the requirement. The emergency plan was often chicken tracks haphazardly done on paper.

Yeah. Over the top. My apologies.

As a MB, we are defining this as a discussion with an adult. You are right that scouts discuss this continually on their own and they discuss specifics. But MBs are about the adult connection with an experienced expert.

Because pushing this badge is offensive. A mentor of mine a long time ago said to watch out for companies that have signs such as "# of days without an accident" because those are the companies with accidents. So we need this badge because our scouts are ignorant about diversity, equality and inclusion? From what I've learned, this is being shoved down their throat day after day.

Our kids are getting indoctrinated at school, entertainment, etc all the time. Scouts should put this in the context of Scout Law and Oath and the nature of being a good person. To be honest, the MB is bordering on offensive to me that we need this as a MB. I'd rather see a required MB for sewing or a specific skill. This MB is at best a waste and a worst yet another MB that will be mostly done very poorly.