AZMike

Although we have been assured by many that it won't happen, and that the LGBT pressure groups will be happy with the scalp they got, it seems likely that the lawsuits against COs (whether religious or religiously affiliated (like the Knights of Columbus and church PTAs) will begin soon against COs, without the legal protections of the Dale decision or Headquarters to back them up. Unless they have the legal resources and the will to back them up, they will fold, either by acquiescing or closing up shop. The LDS will probably be safe as their troops are an official youth program of their religi

Several people have posted that this is purely a Youth Safety Issue. There's nothing to see here, folks, move along smartly. It seems to be be a policy issue as well. If I'm not mistaken, were we not told that a) this sort of thing would not happen, as gay kids would have the sense and maturity to keep their hands to themselves, and b) COs could bounce a kid who is gay if he overtly acts on his sexual interests - i.e., one could self-identify as gay, but to act on those impulses should result in termination from the BSA. That seems to be the issue here: Can and should the gay scout be

The adult leader application is one of the few carbon-based non-life forms used today.

At party-supply stores, but I don't think dollar stores cut their prices even after holidays.

If you have an Eagle Court planned for your son or someone in your troop in the next year, stop by your local dollar store this week - you can pick up patriotic-themed decorations very inexpensively in the week before Independence Day. I spent $20 and got lots of flag-themed bunting, hangings, and table decorations. We put all our decorations, unused plates, napkins, blank invitations and programs, etc. in a big rubbermaid after a CoH and pass them on to the next family planning a CoH.

Lord Baden-Powell had a vision of Scouts stepping in to help after natural disasters, wars, etc. Nice to see this is going on in Derna, Libya, after the departure of the ISIS forces: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/derna-boy-scouts-step-in-to-help-run-city-after-isis-is-driven-out-of-libyan-stronghold-10344233.html

No one really knows who said it originally. Twain attributed it to Disraeli, but it's not in any of his writings. It was apparently a common expression long before Twain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lies,_damned_lies,_and_statistics

For the same reason that a Episcopalian sponsored CO would not be able to demand that the BSA divest from any investments in the state of Israel (assuming it had any). The Episcopalian church recently changed its doctrine to allow for the ordination of homosexual men, just as it is likely to accommodate the interests of anti-Semites and call for the boycott and sanction Israel at its conference this summer (as the Presbyterian church already has). The BSA had a policy that was based on long-standing beliefs that were shared (until recently) by all the major religions. Those views sprang from

Perhaps you should declare yourself a troop that refuses to discriminate against black-powder firearms enthusiasts, or against handgun proponents. Surely discrimination of any kind is a bad thing (as we are now informed by the zeitgeist), so HQ should be willing to knuckle under and cease their support of discrimination. Likewise, the discrimination against alcohol imbibers, chainsaw users, convicted felons, and so forth. End all discrimination now.

If people want to put their sexual activity front and center as a significant marker of their identity, why should it be considered distasteful or rude to describe it? Even over rubber chicken?

Per NPR, a decision is going to be made by National by October. I think that's what I heard.

I would respond to you, but apparently we have been de-emphasized by the Powers That Be.

I have the strangest sensation that, like a dust bunny, those who disagree with what seems to be the new position of BSA headquarters are beginning to be swept under the rug...

Yep. If memory serves, the BSA did make a compromise two years ago. Wait, you mean that wasn't enough for the LGBT community?

As an example of what someone will face who has the effrontery of trying to preserve their CO's ability to decide whether to allow homosexual leadership, consider what happened to Esau Jardon up in Toronto. Leaving aside the differing degrees of religious freedom between the U.S. and Canada, it's an illustrative example of what social pressures can be brought to bear now on someone who did not even refuse to provide services to a gay wedding, but simply expressed the wrong opinions within his business. He did provide rings to a lesbian couple, who were happy with the rings he created for