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sherminator505

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Everything posted by sherminator505

  1. I agree that a closer adherance to the ceremonies and customs might help boost the OA lodge's stature in the council and generate interest. But isn't that more relevant to the traditional meaning of the Order, rather than the current rebranding?
  2. And right on cue, someone who has nothing at all to say, says it anyway.
  3. Ok, I'll concede that the epaulets have a useful function. They also hold up an OA sash really well. But I still see the colored loops as superfluous.
  4. BadenP- I get your disagreement with my rebranding comment, but do you also disagree with my broader point about the language obscuring the point of the exercise?
  5. What Mazzuca and the current leadership are doing is rebranding. And what this rebranding does is search for something that they think will resonate with the masses with little regard to what we are supposedly here to do. This whole "Honor Society of Scouting" thing is one example. Consider also the (relatively) new mission statement: "The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetime by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." Yes, it sounds good, but something is missing. Consider the following from
  6. Some folks tend to wander a bit, dont they...
  7. Echoing Eagle92: Aquatic Activities = Bring Dry Clothes. As for deviating from the plan: This is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing happening on a Scout outing! Ever! I'm shocked!
  8. Get rid of 'em all!!! We don't need no stinkin' loops!(This message has been edited by sherminator505)
  9. Pray, tell. What are these life experiences that have led you to these broad-brush conclusions? You appear to be breathlessly racing through one absolute after another.
  10. "Is it no longer considered an honor to be an OA member among scouts?" Possibly for some, and I think the new slogan has a lot to do with it, as it transfers the "honor" from the camper to the group, and has more prospective candidates saying "So what?!"(This message has been edited by sherminator505)
  11. Scouting is not coed in this country because the GSUSA has never had a close relationship with the BSA and will not merge with it, and the BSA lacks the will to put forth a fully-coed program of its own. Nothing will change unless one of these factors goes away.
  12. grmaerika- Given your premise, how do you explain children fron heterosexual households who grow up to become homosexual? And why do you believe that the opposite won't occur just as often?
  13. The habitual shirker is not showing Scout Spirit. As such, that requirement shouldn't be signed off. I think your quota of habitual shirkers would fall off noticeably if that were the case.
  14. Interesting turn. It seems that some of us are questioning the Order's relevance. That's a fair question. As an Eagle Scout, I have often questioned the relevance of NESA. To my mind, this has been part of the marketing of the "Trail to Eagle" that does not seem to benefit or strengthen Scouting as a whole. The difference with the Order, I think, is that it has the potential to have a real, positive effect in every Scout council, and it does so in many. In many councils one can point to camp improvements and Scouting events where the Order has taken the lead and say, "This is what the Ord
  15. Let's take Mr. Boyce's argument at face value. He seems to be against homosexuality because it's a psychological disorder. Where does that lead? Shall we boot a Scouter for having adult ADD? Should an adolescent under treatment for autism be prohibited from Scout activities. Should heterosexual adults be prevented from marrying because one or both are bipolar? I think this is an aspect of the discussion that merits closer examination.(This message has been edited by sherminator505)
  16. I wonder, what 15-16 yo BOY would necessarily want to hang out with the 12-13 boys under similar circumstances? For that matter, why is that even an issue under the typical conditions of the Ordeal? (Please PM if necessary.) Also, what percentage of candidates would be 12-13 yo. Scouts anyway? From my Scouting experience, your whole premise is a non-starter at best.(This message has been edited by sherminator505)
  17. "Must have earned the BSA rank of First Class (or higher - a redundancy that isn't neccessary)." At one time, it was necessary. An Explorer who had earned either the Outdoor rating or Bronze Award was eligible to earn Star, Life and Eagle (ref. Explorer Manual, 1955, pg. 119). The same could be applied to Venturing youth today as a criterion for election to OA (read Outdoor Bronze), but this is not done presumably to keep out the girls. Either that, or the BSA is interested in seeing Venturing go the way of Explorers, to wither and die and to be replaced. Personally, I see the o
  18. That's great, Brent. I'm happy for you. I'd give you a pat on the back and an "Attaboy!", but you're so high in the saddle that I can't reach your back, and I doubt you'd hear me anyhow...
  19. "I see no reason not to allow Venturing back in to the fold, just as Exploring used to be." There is a perceived reason, actually, and you hit on it. Girls. And to keep them out, we keep all Venturing youth out. A male in Venturing who has earned the Silver Award, has completed the Order's camping requirement, and exemplifies the true spirit of the Order cannot be elected to the Order. Go figure. But that really isn't the point of my question. As an organization, the BSA continues to pursue marketing efforts that end up doing the organization real harm. Billing the Order as "Scouting
  20. Sorry, guys. Reposting to preserve the sequence... You might think I'm reading too much into it, but what I believe is happening here is a corruption of the language. Consider the old description - "society of honor campers." Now, there was an apt description of what the Order was and is. The honor wasn't in the society, it was in the camper. And even though the word "honor" was used, it was used with a dignity and humility befitting of the Order. Compare that with what we have today - "Scouting's National Honor Society." Now, that's lofty and majestic. It suggests that the Or
  21. What do we refer to when we say "Scouting?"(This message has been edited by sherminator505)
  22. Ok, I'll bite. Since the OA is clearly a "Boy-Scout-only" program and Venturing youth need to find a similar organization for themselves, why then change from the "society of honor campers" to the higher-sounding "Scouting's National Honor Society" when we clearly don't mean it? Isn't that just hollow slogan-eering?(This message has been edited by sherminator505)
  23. I have often heard people refer to the Order of the Arrow as "The Honor Society of Scouting," and I have seen the BSA market it that way. But I have a couple of questions: 1) What does that mean, exactly? 2) Does it really live up to that billing? If so, how?
  24. I don't think the problem is that the training program is developed by professionals for volunteers. I think that the professionals who develop the training are not contemplating how their bright ideas will actually be implemented in the field.(This message has been edited by sherminator505)
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