Scouter99

You could tell him that BSA didn't start actively removing gay youth until the 1990s. As far as I can tell, before that, gay youth were only liable to removal if they engaged in sex acts during scouting activities. I base that on this quote from the 1972 Scoutmaster Handbook (the oldest one I have access to): "Sex Curiosity ...You may discover or hear about incidents of sexual experimentation among troop members. How should you handle such matters? ...Incidents of sexual experimentation that may occur in the troop could run from the innocent to the scandalous. They call for a private

What, are you planning on telling them they're not allowed to date? Common sense: No PDA, put their tents far apart. Extra mile: Flour on the ground around their tents

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Well, it all depends on how much it matters to you and how much you want to push it, but when I want to be I'm the kind of guy that it wouldn't go away as easy as ignoring me. Would they try to require an Orthodox Jew to *un*cover his head? King DD: I think to be a modern druid you just earn the Astronomy, Sustainability, Bird Study, Fish and Wildlife Management, Soil and Water Conservation, Mammal Study, Reptile Study, and Beekeeping MBs, plus the Leave no Trace Achievement Award, Paul Bunyan Woodsman award, and Hornaday Award.

"Basement Bob," I presume? Quite the battle you're putting on. Definitely a lot of dumb going on in the comments for that blog. After he decided to turn his scouting manual into a full-blown program for boys, Baden-Powell's program had no advancement, and it didn't float. When he incorporated Seton's Woodcraft Indians advancement concept, he had what he needed: motivation. Young men can camp, fish, set fires, play Frisbee, build a robot, toast marshmallows, and fool with rope anywhere. They get the ceremony, recognition, belonging/bonding, etc. in Scouts.

"...13-17 is still abuse" Simply put: no. Laws establish only what is legal or not legal. Consensual relationships do not constitute abuse, but they may be illegal. We see the argument that illegality establishes abuse evaporate when we consider that a 20-yr-old can legally engage in sex acts with a 18-yr-old; however, make that 20-yr-old a teacher, and the 18-yr-old a student, and now the same behavior is illegal (even if the 18-yr-old is not a student of the 20-yr-old). Free consent (not made under duress, manipulation, etc) establishes whether abuse has occurred. As a society, we ha

In point of fact, consensual sex acts between males after age 13 is not "pedophilia" it is homosexuality. Pedophilia ends where puberty begins, and in increasing numbers that is as young as 10. Gay adult-teen sex is a cornerstone of gay culture from Plato to Wilde to "Queer as Folk" and only idealists have the capacity for the blissful ignorance or willful blindness necessary to paper over this simple fact. You can read all about it in the gay history "Toward Stonewall", Chapters 12 and 13. Keep your barfbag handy.

We stopped giving out service stars because no one put them on their shirts, so it was money down the drain. I buy my own. We buy 1 name tag once the person has been in the unit for a year, after that it's out of their pocket.

It's my experience that the boy solves the problem for you when he quits because either (a) he hates mama and daddy henpecking him over advancement or (b) he agrees with mommy and daddy.

There's a SM from another troop who comes to RT every-once-in-a-while who has a stack 2-inches deep of activity patches hanging off his right pocket button; it takes every ounce of my self control not to cut the button off. Square knots don't bother me, if they earned it there's no reason they shouldn't wear it. BSA has adult awards to motivate and recognize volunteers, and in many cases to ensure adherence to policy; people that sneer at them have a problem. That said, BSA recommends no more than 9 in 3 rows; pick your favorites if you have more. (I only have 2 myself, AoL and Leaders Tr

Nobody likes camp food. If I get sent out of camp on an errand, yeah, I do it at lunch or dinner time and stop at McDonald's (which is ironic, but I digress). But I would never walk into camp with my own special food in front of everyone else who is suffering through it; it's rude. What I would suggest, since this all stems really from the food avoidance rather than any desire to leave expressly to get a drink, is that you talk to the boys and adults about maybe cooking your own suppers in your site, like summer camps used to do and the way they do at jamboree. You can all certainly co

Hah. Definitely came off as more of a troll than I intended, not used to forums where I can't edit

Nobody likes camp food. If I get sent out of camp on an errand, yeah, I do it at lunch or dinner time and stop at McDonald's (which is ironic, but I digress). But I would never walk into camp with my own special food in front of everyone else who is suffering through it; it's rude. What I would suggest, since this all stems really from the food avoidance rather than any desire to leave expressly to get a drink, is that you talk to the boys and adults about maybe cooking your own suppers in your site, like summer camps used to do and the way they do at jamboree. You can all certainly co

As it happens, 63% of Americans are obese, and as such I believe that we should remove "physical strong" from the oath, and make Personal Fitness, Cycling, Hiking, and Swimming merit badges optional rather than Eagle-required.

The first year that my dad went to camp with me, about Wednesday he grabbed me and we stole into town for supper. He never drank except a beer at a baseball game or maybe with pizza (I'm talking 5 beers in 20 years) but if he'd had one with dinner I don't think it would've been a big deal, nor would I have a problem with another adult doing so now that I'm an adult. The problem would be if they had more than one and/or came back still buzzed and/or smelling, or talking it up. The problem with people that drink with any regularity is that they can't keep their mouths shut about it--protip: N

I don't have any intrinsic problem with the James West, I'd love to earn one one day myself, I did think it looks odd on the kid in that photo.

Let us know how many more of your Scouts start smoking pot on your trips after you hand this boy his reward for doing the same.

Rate of growth doesn't say anything either. BPSA will have a higher rate of growth for decades (if they're not sued out of business) until they saturate, at which point, just like BSA, they will stay even or drop off.

False. http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2012/03/08/can-packs-troops-teams-or-crews-participate-in-political-rallies/ They may wear the uniform to perform a flag ceremony, but they must immediately leave, or change out of uniform.

Prediction? I won't be surprised either way, really. If you put a gun against my head I'd say they'll allow gay kids. Plans? If no, I plan to get angry at every loudmouth that sounds off for the next 2 weeks until some Senator farts and distracts the 24-hour news cycle. If yes, meh. I knew of a few gay kids in our troop when I was a scout myself, and I've been aware of a couple as an adult. The difference now is that kids are pushed to come out as soon as, if not before, they've got their first pube, so it's a different dynamic: It's one thing to have a "funny" kid in the troop, it

Well said.