Sentinel947

Merlyn: I do not need a wiki link to a child. I was so recently one myself. FAR more recently than you. So when Skeptic makes a post, and you reply, "THINK of the CHILDREN!!!!!eleven!!!" and since we have a lack of face to face communication, I do not understand what the purpose of your statement was. Hence I asked for clarification. Respectfully yours, Sentinel947(This message has been edited by Sentinel947)

Merlyn: what does your think of the children comment mean?

Are you a Troop volunteer Was61? Your comment "Also, if you play sports for recreation, you can jump in an out as you wish. Scouting isn't rec....you don't see kids bounce in and out....it's club ball." Our Boys in our troop rountinely pick up Scouting and then put it back down for Sports or the like. Kids are "bouncing" in and out all the time, and we welcome that.

Alright, I think I will write a short comment. Thanks, Sentinel947.

So Merlyn are you saying you should fight a bad policy of discrimination against children by attacking children? When you fight fire with fire, everyone gets burned. Your boycott is not an attack on children. You misunderstand me. Your blogger saying: "Because as they are working to build up one part of the community, they are simultaneously working to destroy a sense of community acceptance for others." That is what I am whining about. And that is an attack on the integrity of the children in the program. Since the word "They" applies to those doing the community service in the previous line, your bloggers statement could read; "The young men of the BSA are working to build up one part of the community, they are simultaneously working to destroy a sense of community acceptance for others." This is simply untrue. Our boys do great community service work for local churches, schools, the elderly and the poor. They have no control or comprehension of the gay ban. Everyone has the right to decide where they donate their hard earned money or scarce time, there's nothing wrong with deciding the BSA isn't worth either because of it's policy. I welcome the pushback against the BSA's misguided policy. More or less you and I are on the same side here Merlyn. The BSA's demonization of gay/atheist children is wrong. Your bloggers demonization of children in Scouts as destroyers of part of the community is equally as wrong. Respectfully yours, Sentinel947. (edited for clarity)(This message has been edited by Sentinel947)

Funny you said that WAS. When I got hired at Lowes, my HR person (an older Black Woman) hired me because she knew Eagle Scouts could be counted on.

Glad to see they are all ok.

Ah. Thanks OGE. I'm still pretty new here and I don't know everybody's backgrounds. And JBlake I do think growing up in the digital age has some sort of factor in kids development, but I'm not sure how accurately it goes with kids not doing Scouting.

I agree with W61 on this one. I don't think Boy's Life is worth it's cost. I think my Sister read it more than I did.

WAS: this is the second thread I've seen you reply to where you have been hating on the Eagle Scout award. Why?

I'll ignore them if I please. They were in Scouts. Glad to hear that. I hope they had a good time and it made them good citizens. They no longer support the BSA, sorry to hear that, glad they have strong convictions, something we want our Scouts and former Scouts to have. Them sitting outside of the organization sniping it with their cute little "boycott" on money that isn't affecting National is as hilarious as it is useless. It's like a bunch of Chihuahua's yapping at a Bear. Noble, and completely useless. I'm sure the 30 or so of you guys on that blog will make great strides against BSA National and lead a groundswell of people to boycotting the local troop and their hate filled Christmas trees. Before you say I'm whining about people pulling their donations, I'm not, I'm merely remarking at the conviction your blogger seems to have that stopping small local donations is going to do anything to BSA National. Furthermore your blogger villifying little children as gay bashers and haters didn't sit well with me. "Because as they are working to build up one part of the community, they are simultaneously working to destroy a sense of community acceptance for others." Perhaps he meant "They" to be the BSA, but since the Boys do Community service, not an organization, I can't help but see it as an attack on children. I'm sure this is the part where you will insult my reading comprehension skills. He can go after National, he can go after the "vehement" Adult Scouters like myself, he should not be attacking children who do not set the policy and don't know what the issue is. Now the Corporate Donors, they might actually make some progress with National. When the CEO of AT&T gets in, I'm hoping for some progress on the issue. Out of sheer curiosity Merlyn, my friend, (I think I can use that term perhaps?) why do you post links like this? Do you expect everyone here to suddenly adopt your viewpoints, or do you merely enjoy arguing with us or getting rises out of SeattlePioneer and some of our more conservative members? Respectfully yours, Sentinel947 (edited for visual clarity)(This message has been edited by Sentinel947)

Considering they regularly contribute to an Atheist Secularist blog, I highly doubt they were really supporting the BSA to begin with.

I think Scouting is unique, it's an activity one can pick up, and put down, and do at your own leisure, barring a important Position of Responsibility. One cannot say the same for Sports. I emphasize this to many Scouts who are considering quitting, that they can go do Football, or Band and come back in the offseason, It's not a big deal, and it doesn't necessarily mean Scouts is a Tier Two activity. My troop is full of Marching Band kids and swim team members. We lose them during their seasons, but when they return they are always active, and participate. Guess it's a local area thing? I dunno. Maybe something to do with the above average income most people in the Burbs have. Yours in Scouting, Sentinel947

I dunno Basement, I was diagnosed with ADD, never took medication, was Senior Patrol Leader, Section Leader in the Marching Band, played Soccer in High School and earned my Eagle. I think it depends on the severity. Every case is different.

Is it common that most Scouts find it uncool to be in Scouts? I myself was always trying to keep it on the down-low when I was in Elementary School, and really started having some pride in it when I was a Freshman or Sophomore. I know a few Scouts in the unit who have similar feelings about it. Figured it was an interesting enough thing to see how common it is.

I liked what I was reading towards the beginning and became less and less inclined towards his argument as he went through it. His personal story filled me with a feeling of empathy for him and his Scoutmaster, that is the experience we want our boys to go through in Scouts, having fun and having excellent role models. Towards the end of the piece he slid into more of an attack on the BSA policies, and I feel like he fails to separate local units from the policies set by National. Those troops selling Christmas trees is money that goes to their local units, it doesn't go to the people setting the policy in Irving. I disliked some of his terms like "Vehemently", but I guess that depends on what side of the fence you are on. I'm clearly on the pro BSA side. He points to the Scouts, "Actively working to destroy part of the community." I vehemently disagree. Neither I, any of the Adult volunteers or Scouts in my units are out to destroy the gay and lesbian community. Our dear blogger has jumped off the cliff. He is perfectly justified in taking his donations of time or volunteering to other organizations. He is not justified to denigrate 11 year old children. I don't frequent those types of blogs, being a Roman Catholic myself. I applaud him for having strong convictions. I agree with the pro gay/athiest in Scouts groups on the end result, ending the ban, but not on the methods to get there. Yours in Scouting, Sentinel947.

I knew of it, but then again, I work at Lowes. so yea...

Eagledad: Hopefully I'll remember that advice when I become a parent.

I've made a concerted effort to not post in the Issues and Politics section anymore, my responses mostly get ignored anyways. BSA24, your generation is not as great as your act like it was. Those things like gangs and crime you mentioned still happened, they just weren't reported as much. Your generation has done plenty of great things, and mine (I'm 19) will have our weaknesses, will fix some problems, and will create plenty of others. That's is how the world works. Take off the rose colored glasses. Again I'm 19, when I was little my parents spanked me and washed my mouth out with soap if I cursed. No teacher at school ever laid a hand on me, and I went to a district that was very Politically correct. I don't feel like either of things made me a better person. I think parental decisions for their children is a private matter. I personally don't intend to spank mine after about the age of 4-5, simply because as a poster above me mentioned, taking away priviledges works better in my personal opinion. In regards to the pimp question, I would personally report it. But I respect that other people do different mental calculus when confronted with the problem. This thread has made the issue black and white, and spelled out straw man arguments for their opponents positions. Dean, I respect you but I want some clarification on this post of yours. "Until the cops start helping me do MY job free of charge - I'm not inclined to do much of their work for them pro-bono anymore. Dean " Does this statement apply to your medical practice or everywhere in general? If you witnessed a crime would you give a witness statement, or is it not your job to help the police in that scenario? Not trying to create a strawman position for you. With all due respect, Sentinel947

Your comparisons are all deeply flawed, and watching ya'll try to score points on such absurd connections is well... absurd.

The weather was cold but clear. Fantastic Weekend for camping. Had 22 Youth and 6 Adult leaders. Went orienteering. It was an excellent time. Thank you all for the tips.

Scoutingagain, I'm rather proud of my time in the BSA, and if that counts against me in hiring, so be it. Dean. I am unsure about what BSA's nationals position is on members disagreeing with the policy. I too think it's a great organization, but I don't see a way to force National's hand except for the ravages of time. I think as the National Board goes on, more liberal people will come on, and it will change it's policy. I fear at that point the damage may be done. I think even if the BSA about faces on the issue, I don't forsee a groundswell of support for the BSA coming from all the people who are currently opposed to it.

Horizon: To me, it's a dead horse TOPIC. The issue itself is NOT a dead horse. It's a dead horse topic because no matter our feelings on the subject, We can discuss it all we like, but it won't change National's policy. I think about 90-95% of us in this forum would agree the policy is bad. Opening topic after topic every time something new develops on the subject doesn't get us an inch closer to changing BSA Policy. Dean I think your questions on what will Eagle mean to society is valid. I fear when people find out that I'm an Eagle, it changes their opinion of me. It's a very valid question in a college environment.

Chris Matthews isn't any better than the right wing talking heads like Rush Limbaugh. All bluster, rhetoric, and not a original thought in their heads. Hacks both of them. To try to validate Matthews by saying that right wing talking heads screw up isn't a great validation for him.

Dean, it's a dead horse because it's another thread about the BSA's gay policy, a policy which it appears National has no intentions of changing despite the rapid fleeing of it's Corporate Donors.