BSA24

The Cubmaster job asks a lot of a man. It asks that he being all sorts of different people: * Leader of the adults - encourage them and inspire them to deliver a great program * Program manager - review plans and the scouting program across the unit ensuring it is appropriate and fun * Leader of pack meetings - Master of Ceremonies, singer of songs, victim of skits and run-ons, designer of awards presentations, crosser-over of webelos scouts * Liaison to Boy Scout troops * Encourager of boys to connect with their faith through the youth religious emblem program * Outdoorsman, ca

If you go to an army navy depot, you will find shoulder cords for various purposes for sale. Take a look at one. You will see how to tie some cord in that fashion. Get some paracord, and make your own. Making home-made gizmos for the uniform such as little leather dangles or claw necklaces and such is a time-honored tradition.

There are gays allowed as teachers in public schools. So our kids are around gay kids in school all day. They have an openly gay teacher. Then they come home, and we put them in a uniform and send them to scouts where there will hopefully be no gay people to influence them? Does that even make any sense? Heck, even their bus driver could be gay. What we need our youth to learn is how to interact with these people successfully and without fear or paranoia, how to get along and be a brother and a friend to anyone without judging them, and how to build a team of people who are not

johnponz, You're really hard on yourself. That doesn't sound like fun. And I don't see what doing it that way will get me in the way of superior results.

acco40, I agree. I have conducted "uniform inspections" with units before. I still recommend them. I try to make them fun, encouraging, positive, and educational. I have never told an Eagle dad not to wear an eagle dad pin on his pocket flap, though. Nor have I ever made note that someone was wearing a leather necklace of beads from some cub event or round table. I ignored things like an unauthorized, home-designed knot designed by some unit for some special award they do internally. Advice is a funny thing. The tone of it and how it is expressed can change everything about it.

There is no way that any of us can predict the outcome. It all depends on the people who run the checks and what they think. The district employees will probably be asked to talk to the chartering org rep for the group that sponsors your unit. That guy will be asked to endorse you by signing off on the application. If he is like packsaddle and has a legitimate beef against a DUI person (my best friend was killed by a DUI driver still walking around free and healthy today), then you're toast. If he's a drinking man who sometimes weaves home from a bar, he'll probably sign it straight off

When you find yourself looking in the insignia guide in reference to anyone's uniform other than your own, you've lost perspective.

This is a drastic solution and sometimes has poor results, but there is always the option of just stepping down entirely and seeing if everyone else steps up to fill the gap. Sometimes no one fills the gap because you are filling it all the time, and as long as you will pick up anything that's dropped, there is no need for them to do it. Sometimes calling into the committee meeting and saying, "I can't be there" is good for the other folks to stretch their wings. I've also seen Cubmasters just up and resign at a parent's meeting and say "Someone has to take my place. I'm done." I've

> What one person thinks of another does not > really stregthen an argument. Indeed it does not. West's opinion about people who wore their uniforms incorrectly is also not a strong argument. What is a strong argument is this: * Uniforms and awards exist for a reason - to achieve an objective * The objective is not justice in the world * The objective is not to make all of the tin soldiers line up neatly * The objective is not to do thing "the right way" * The objective is not to follow the rules The objective is for everyone to have fun and to learn someth

Seattle Pioneer wrote: > Those who don't favor government power in > controlling and defining marriage should > oppose gay marriage, because right now government > doesn't control that. Actually, yes it does control that. * Government issues marriage licenses * Government charges a tax for marriage licenses * Government makes laws about who can and cannot adopt based on marital status * Government offers tax breaks and penalties based on marital status * Government controls divorce * Government probates all wills between family members * Governm

>I think it's evidence of someone who can't > separate what's important from what's not. ^ This. Earnest Seton, the founding Chief Scout, hated James West. He claimed that he invented Scouting, that Baden Powell boomed it, and that West killed it. He thought West was the antithesis of Scouting. If Seton were alive today, and he found out there was an award called the James West award that you could buy for yourself, he'd probably say, "Figures." (This message has been edited by BSA24)

> My problem with giving out a thousand > knots is that soon a scouter has a fleet > of knots on his uniform... I begin to > question how involved they are with the youth > and that is the point of the program. The point of the program is fun with a purpose - for everyone - leaders and the youth. The program is not supposed to be not-fun for adults and fun for youth. The uniform is a tool to encourage good behavior, brotherhood, and it also eliminates differences between us so we come together and enjoy ourselves more. It's also for fun. Fun with a pur

Every BOR should begin with a required reading from a list of "don'ts" to prevent commonly practiced inappropriate behavior by members of the board. Every time I sit in on a BOR, invariably some joker will try to turn the experience into an oral defense on the part of the scout of their behavior and beliefs and probe them for weakness. Some stupid things I have heard asked in BOR's: * Do you believe in God? * Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior? * Which is better - socialism or capitalism? * Who are you planning to vote for? * How often do you go to

I have one. PM me your snail mail address and I will send it to you.

> If there were a right to marry, > you could marry as many people > as you wished > define the terms of the marriage > and how to dissolve it. Why is this not OK? Exactly what happens that is a negative consequence of allowing people the same freedom of choice with regard to their relationships as they have in their business arrangements? I don't understand why there are any laws around marriage except for an age restriction to protect the innocent youth. Why can consenting adults not all be allowed to enter into whatever arrangements they like voluntaril

The Dalai Lama only represents a sect of Tibetan Buddhism - not all Buddhism. He is not the pope of Buddhists everywhere. Buddhism is also practiced across India, China, and Japan and has no such proscriptions. In fact, it is in the very nature of Buddhism to not proscribe any behaviors at all. During my many travels to Asia, I have never seen any evidence that they despise or discriminate against homosexuals in any way. Your example of Shinto is countered by modern accusations against Priests in the Catholic Church. There's a great example to cite of Christian decency, right? Thos

Given the way young people today believe that homosexuality is not a big deal and is an inborn trait, the change is inevitable. This is just like the racism of the past. 80 year olds are firm in their resistance. 20 year olds are laughing at them and are asking for things to change. It is a generational prejudice. It will die with us. And we are in charge of a youth movement. How can we be this out of touch with the vast, vast majority of our nation's youth and still reach them on topics that matter?

Beavah, Cite these historical declines please? Because that's just a oft-repeated myth. There are no declines associated with the introduction of acceptance of homosexuality. It was accepted in Ancient Rome before Rome took power, during all of its reign of terror, and after. It was accepted in Ancient Greece - before it rose to power and after. It is not considered "wrong" by Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism, or Confucianism. China and Japan seem to have done fine for thousands of years while "accepting" it.

I too have observed this. As a CM, my son was a total PITA. He would behave worse during a pack meeting than any other situation he was in - mostly because I was on stage and couldn't really get to him. I tried to make this better for his DL. I would attend den meetings, and I would stomp him out like a campfire when he burned too hot. I also authorized all leaders very clearly to do what was needed to keep him from ruining it for other kids. I took other steps too, that I recommend to all CM's and DL's: He went last always. I never gave him his awards first. I never let him be the

JMHawkins, you have my vote for King of the BSA.

There was a time when black people were believed to not have souls or to be the evil children of Cannan marked by God with dark skin. People heard this at Church, and they believed it was true. They used it to justify treating them unequally for a long time. Anybody here want to say they believe that way? Used to be that when a black kid came to apply for membership at a white troop, he was turned away. Anyone still do that? It was surely going to be the end of the world for us if we let "them" in our troops. They don't have souls, you know. That's what they said. I heard an adult

It doesn't matter, does it? Count it whatever way you feel is appropriate to achieve the pack's objectives of providing fun scouting activities for the boys. The Pack Summertime Award exists to encourage you to hold fun activities during the Summer instead of throwing your hands up and saying, "Scouts is over till September!" That's all it's for. Use it for that. If you are holding pack activities during the Summer (pack activity being any activity that is for the whole pack), and you have three of them, then WAY TO GO! BTW, I suggest you have the boys who attended three events during the

I have some great leaders in my pack that do an awesome job. We lost only 2% of the cub scouts this year. There is no way you could ever have pulled that off, Scoutfish, because my leaders are pretty sophisticated and never would have put up with your approach or your communication style. I get results. Been getting them for years. I'll stick to my methods, and ignore the uniform nazis. Oh look. An "ignore this user" function. Click. To the OP: No, the council doesn't really care who wears cub scout leader training awards. If they did, you couldn't just buy them at

I've never had one of those ugly purple things on my uniform. When I was a kid, it was earned. I haven't earned it. Now everyone gets one, and it's ugly as sin. My uniform is mine for my fun. I put badges in the right places, but I don't always wear all of the badges I am supposed to. I don't like lodge flaps, trained patches, service stars, OA sashes, temporary patches or knots, either. My uniform is a council strip, uniform number, and a position patch. That's it. I wish it didn't have a flag on it. The old ones a long time ago didn't. I think the flag is tacky and looks like a security guar

The standard for requirements is "do your best." It is not "meet the requirements exactly as written perfectly." That has always been the standard in scouts. The purpose of the adult awards is to create incentive to continue training and to perform well on the job. The purpose is to provide the youth with a great, motivated leader who knows what they are doing. I recommend you base your decision on what to do next on those two key points. In my area, district roundtable is a horrendous joke. It is one hour of leaders standing up making announcements. Most who attend are die-ha