berkshirescouter

I cut it twice and its still to short

They had a massive hardware failure.

Some parts are up at different addresses but I am at work and don't have them.

The last I heard, it will be several weeks before it is back up.

National Engineers week is next week. Here is some good info from another group I work with.

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Member Ralph Russell is scouting around for the next generation of

electrical engineers and he's finding them through his work with the Boy

Scouts of America. For the past 20 years, he's led a partnership between

the IEEE and the Boy Scouts to promote the technological literacy of

young people. Find out more at

http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/russell6h/05689260

Hi

Just found this on CNN.Com

Cub Scout Sells 10 Tons of Popcorn

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/10/popcorn.record.ap/index.html

I agree with Ed.

The ACLU does have an axe to grind.

Trevorum if what you say were true there would be ACLU suits supporting freedom of speach claims for the Polital Correct comments that have gotten people fired. This has not happened. But BSA hands out a leaflet and you would think world has ended.

Just my two cents.

Paul

Happy New Year from not so snowy (this year so far) Berkshire County Ma. USA.

"In the US, the point is precisely that members of a minority religions should NOT have to view government sponsored religious displays of the majority religion and "deal with it." Schools and courthouses serve ALL Americans, not just the members of the religious majority. Therefore ALL citizens must feel equally welcome. "

Sometimes this is taken to the point of being silly see the news artical below.

A New Hampshire junior high school student who tried to go to a school dance in a Santa suit was told he was not welcome because the dance was a holiday dance and not a Christmas dance, reports the Hampton Union.http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/hampton/12212004/news/55149.htm

Bryan Lafond was told by Principal Fred Muscara that he was not welcome at the Hampton Academy Junior High School dance because of concerns about the religious undertones of his costume.

"It was a holiday party," Muscara said. "It was not a Christmas party. There is a separation of church and state. We have a lot of students that go to Hampton Academy Junior High that have different religions. We have to be sensitive to that."

Merry Christmas

Happy New Year

Bah Humbug to all

Trevorum

"For this reason (I surmise), the policy-wonks in Irving have wisely refrained from trying to define "God", recognizing that America contains a diversity of religions which weave together theology, moral code, and ritual in different tapestries"

From this can I logically deduce that only 2 of 3 criteria would make a philosophy a religion?

If an atheist with a moral code went about ritually denouncing theists would he be practicing a religion?

"...leaving the definition of "God" up to the Scout and his family."

So this being said and subsituting 'Moral Code' for God, does this make anyone with a belief in any moral code an acceptable BSA member?

The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God. Does this mean what it says? Since Buddhism does not have an obligation to God and is recognized by BSA, are we (BSA), talking about a higher moral philosophy? If this is true and if secular humanism has a moral code, would it be considered Theistic for this definition? I am not advocating this just asking the question?

Here is my take on this. Hold your fire I will duck first.

A charter partner can be as active or not as they choose. In many cases they may own the unit in name only. The unit committee runs the unit in most cases.

The issue is that a gov. entity cannot run specific kinds of groups. In that, Merlyn, I understand your point.

A possible compromise would be a gov. charter partner would be:

1. Last resort. No other group is available.

2. Exercise no power over the unit thus not run and own the unit. They just supply the meeting place. The fee is $25 and could be paid by the unit itself. No gov. funds. Would this work? If not why not.

The only time I post a Scouts full name is for his Eagle court of Honor. Its in the newspaper anyway. Also the past two Eagles have been 17.

It sounds like ISO 9001 for Scout Troops.

It could be a good idea but I think one of Scouts draw is that every troop is a little different.

Maybe the parents want the first clas BOR to be tough. You can't do that with a special needs troop though.

Other questions, how often or when do you recertify?

It might work but it will require a lot of planning.

Just my 2 cents.

Here is a relevent news article

http://www4.army.mil/news/article.php?story=6576

ACLU settlement allows DoD to continue Boy Scout support

November 18, 2004

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 18, 2004) -- The partial settlement Nov. 15 of an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit against DoD allows the military to continue supporting the Boy Scouts of America, as long as commands dont officially sponsor Scout units.

The ACLU lawsuit, filed in 1999, alleges that the Boy Scouts religiously discriminate because the Scout Oath requires youth swear to do their duty to God and country.

The partial settlement requires Pentagon leadership to issue a letter reminding commands of its policy: DoD and its personnel cant sponsor non-federal organizations while in their official capacity.

The ACLU also points out the Pentagon donates approximately $2 million to the Boy Scouts for their quadrennial national Jamboree, which will be held this year July 25 through Aug. 3 at Fort A.P. Hill.

The Boy Scout Jamboree will still go on as scheduled at Fort A.P. Hill, said Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Joe Richard. We are still fully supporting the Boy Scouts. But, we are reminding base commanders and post officials they cant sponsor non-federal organizations in their official capacity. Its not a new policy, but we are reminding people.

A Pentagon news release states: The settlement does not prohibit the Defense Department from supporting the Boy Scouts of America. Boy Scout units are permitted to meet on military bases and military personnel are allowed to remain active in Boy Scout programs. Under the very limited settlement, applying the existing policy, the Defense Department may not officially sponsor Boy Scout units and personnel may not sponsor Boy Scout units in an official capacity. [This policy] prohibits official sponsorship to all private organizations, not just the Boy Scouts.

The ACLU said the Boy Scouts policy violates the religious freedoms of those who dont wish to swear to a religious oath. And, the governments relationship with the Boy Scouts directly links it with the Boy Scouts discrimination.

Bob Bork, a Boy Scouts of America spokesman, said the Boy Scouts is a multi-religious organization, not a Christian-only group. He said they recognize just about every religion. But, he acknowledged, the Boy Scouts require a belief in a god, so atheists are not allowed to join.

The settlement does not prohibit off-duty government employees from sponsoring Boy Scout troops on their own time, officials said. They said the Boy Scouts will still also have access to any military facilities currently available to other non-governmental organizations.

Aside from this weeks agreement, the full lawsuit is still pending and is in the hands of U.S. District Court Judge Blanche Manning. In the lawsuit, the American Civil Liberties Union claims the Pentagon and the Housing and Urban Development Department violated the First Amendments establishment clause by spending appropriated funds to support the Boy Scouts.

The national Boy Scout Jamboree takes place every four years at Fort A. P. Hills 76,000-acre installation, which has served as the site since1981. The Boy Scouts use approximately 3,000 acres of land house the some 40,000 scouts and leaders who attend the event.

Engineers construct support facilities, Signal Soldiers establish communication nodes most support of the jamboree is training that helps Soldiers when they deploy to combat zones, an Army spokesman said.

(An story written by by Chris Walz for the Pentagram newspaper was the foundation of this article.)

Lets try this again with the full quote. This is what I am asking. If the 'a' is added how does the law change. Will it be better or worse.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of 'a' religion.

Comments?

I have a question. If the 1st Amendment was amended to "...establish 'a' religion". What would the result be? Would it make things better or worse?

NJ is right.

You can give to BSA through UW even if no money is directly given to BSA by UW. But it may depend on how the local UA does it.

I heard about this a year or so ago; A BSA council was cut off of UA funding but allowed pass through. The amount sent this way was so high that UW asked for some of the money for its own programs. I think the council said no. Can anyone verify this?

My 17 yr old life scout saw this and his comment was, "Scouting teaches you to work toward your goals". I was real happy to hear this. There is hope out there

Here is another article on the subject from a Canadian paper.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040811/CAMPS11/TPNational/Canada

Dog gone it havn't we have milked this thread enough already

But is it heated

nor are they going to be dressing in drag,

nor are they going to be doing anything else

to "flaunt" their sexuality. (If they do, they

would be kicked out for other reasons.)

I'm playing what if with the above. Lets say BSA at some point allows Gays as leaders. The next item on the GAY agenda is Transgender, wouldn't the outcome shown above put BSA right back in the same issue? I am not taking a side here just asking the question.

My problem with the ACLU is sometimes they ask questions of the court that when answered makes for bad law and or bad public policy in other cases. Jason I agree with what you are trying to say but I also agree with NJ. You may not always agree with the ACLU but you don't want them gone, the same can be said of BSA.

I have been Round Table Commissioner for the past year. It has not been easy. Only the new show up. I asked first meeting what do you want, did that, no one came. The biggest turnout was when I did Internet and scouting. Next year I am planning a night on how to deal with scouts with learning and or development disorders. I spoke with a school Physiologist who will give a presentation and followed by a what works discussion. The council has a Yahoo group, when I brought up this idea I got a lot of interest. Well see what happens.

I do believe that President Bush is an honorable man. He has been miss-served by some of his advisers. It is obvious that post combat phase of the Iraq war was not thought through. The scout motto was not followed.