Trevorum

(sigh) Another council pays the piper.

Actually, I have a confession to make. I routinely violate LNT. For 40 years, I have been leaving a Lincoln cent in each and evey one of my campfires. It's been a small investment, but the date will be gleefully appreciated by future archeologists!

Ah, backpacking in the Rockies. Truly, God's Country. I do miss it. I don't deny the ugliness left by thoughtless, self centered campers. As an LNT trainer myself, I stress low impact interactions with the outdoors. However, I also teach that there IS a time an a place for campfire rings. Not on every outing certainly. Woodsmoke may not be an essential ingredient of every campout, but I do believe it is an essential ingredient in the magic of Scouting.

IMHO, I can think of nothing that a person with an XY genotype (male) can bring to child raising that an XX genotype (female) can not. On the other hand, I can think of several rather important things that a XY person can NOT do. I am reminded of the bumper sticker: "A Woman needs a Man like a Fish needs a Bicycle"

Kudu- OK, so you disagree. I don't buy your points #2 or #3, but #1 is interesting. I think a comparable useage may be "Lord" which takes an article and is clearly a title. But what then is "Jehovah", a surname? And your thought experiment about an Islamic majority in the US leads me to wonder if Arabic has other words for "supreme deity" and also whether Allah has other names, as does Jehovah. I'll have to investigate that.

Kudu, I've tried to make this point before, but you have not responded. Maybe you never saw the post. Anyway, the word "God" is not a name. It is a title. True, some monotheists do not see a difference, but "God" (capitalized) is equivalent to "King", or even "President". Those titles refer to an office, which can be held by various persons. The various names of the western supreme deity include Adonai, Jehovah, and Allah, all of whom are "God".

Oh I don't know. I don't think it's the Muslims who are the religious minority we should be discriminating against here in America, land of the free. Most of them are OK folks - after all they believe in the same God as Americans, just a different name for Him, eh? Me, I think it's those dang ACLU'ers we should throw out of the country. Oh, wait - that's not a religion? Then never mind.

The best place to ask is on Patch-L. Good folks. see http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=patch-l

Ed, I agree. That is one twisted view of "honor".

Barry, I disagree. I chose my words carefully and with deliberation. I accurately described the opinion expressed as "righteous", not the individual. Moreover, I explicitly acknowledged the right to hold that opinion, as repugnant as I find it.

"There is no honor in raising a child with only one parent. " wow. I rather suspect that millions of single parents would beg to differ with you. However, you are certainly welcome to hold that rather harsh and unforgiving righteous opinion.

Ah Gern me buddy, you are so practical. Have ye no romance? Have ye no soul? Seriously, I love the smell of woodsmoke on my clothes. I love the sense of anticipation as you wait and see if you can do it with one match. I love the soft flickering, the elusive aura of mystery. I love the comradeship that arises, unbidden, from the depths of our souls as we gaze into the dying embers. I love the visceral connection with countless generations of my forebears.

Yep, Scoutmasters do the darnest things! On a campout several years ago, I was reviewing the rules of safe hiking with the new guy patrol. They were pretty sharp and picked up on the whole notion pretty quickly, so we set out on an impromptu hike. Of course we notified the SPL where we were going and when we'd be back and we took plenty of water, and a map, and several compasses, and a first aid kit, and we all wore hats, good socks and good boots. But did I remind anyone to take a poncho? Did I think to take a poncho myself?? Well - you already know the rest of the story... We were a sorry bunch of bedraggled puppies when we squished back into camp several hours later. The older guys hooted to see us straggle in and they didn't let me forget about it for a long time!

If Fred posted this previously, I didn't see it... http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060826/food.asp A study in Wilderness and Environmental Medicine compares ten common approaches to dishwashing among backpackers and other campers. I was surprised to learn that the way I was taught is wrong!

Gern, I agree that not every outing needs a campfire. We should assiduously teach backcountry ethics and LNT to our scouts for use as may be appropriate. Perhaps my notion of "ceremony" is broader than yours, so I stand by my statement: "Campfires are an essential part of Scouting."

I certainly agree with Ed. Last Saturday evening my two sons and I were bored watching TV so we had an impromptu campfire. We just sat and talked. My oldest son remarked that there is something special about firelight, something mellow and comforting about the flickering yellow glow that encourages people to share stories and allows them to bond. Campfires are an essential part of Scouting.

This is called "Bring No Trace".

This issue is a prime example of the disconnect between official BSA policy and conflicting statements in BSA literature. On the one hand (as scoutldr has reminded us, and as Ed has pointed out on many occasions) wearing or even owning a uniform is not a requirement for membership or advancement. On the other hand, we have the Uniforming Method, which seeks to promote unit identity and reinforce the Advancement and Leadership Development Methods. There may be some units which rigidly enforce a 100% uniform policy, but I believe the vast majority of units reach their own equilibrium. What is acceptable in one unit will not be tolerated in another. It may not be consistent (nor pretty), but it works. Some would call this "local option"

I don't think a persons marital status is any business but their own. Married, previously married, planning to get married, never planning to get married - that's a private matter and should not concern a BSA unit. Practically speaking, the matter will arise of course (eg., while compiling contact lists) but should not be a decision point for any leadership role. IMHO

Don't be silly. That's an Ewok. Scouting on Endor!

I thought y'all might be interested in this. A hotel in California has replaced traditional Gideon bibles with copies of "An Inconvenient Truth". http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=afIESX3LdgnQ&refer=us

Must have been Rooster.

I'm trying to remember here - Brent, aren't you the fellow who believes that all species were created in their modern form?

Beav, You are sounding like one of them there Gravitationalists - those radical folks who accept the "Theory of Gravity" as a FACT when we know it's just a THEORY! There are other explanations for falling apples, including Intelligent Falling (IF), but the scientists won't listen.

Hello Terry. Welcome. I'm sure you and your son will have an excellent experience in Scouting. There are always a few bozos we have to deal with in life, but you'll find that most Scouters are more than willing to go the extra mile for Scouts with disabilities. We have a young fellow with Aspergers in our troop. He has now completed his Eagle project, has served as ASPL, has trekked Philmont, and has completed the high ropes elements of COPE. He's still a bit awkward socially, but all of us are different in one way or another. Scouting has provided him with some terrific adventures in a safe setting. Also, I know that having him be part of us has been good for the other fellows as well. Good luck!