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HelpfulTracks

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Everything posted by HelpfulTracks

  1. Please provide some reference for that. Other than admitting gays to Scouting, that statement just isn't true. SO you can skip that one. BSA never had a policy against minority unit or desegregated units. The transgender change happened almost overnight. The policy changed within days of a youth going public that their unit would not admit them. Social justice groups didn't even have time to mobilize a campaign against BSA. As for admitting girls to troops, the general public was opposed to that change, and other than one girls social media campaign there was not much more
  2. I don't think that conclusion can be reached based on polling. Over the last decade BSA has mostly had a favorable rating between 65-75%, twice falling into the mid/upper 50s 59% when BSA admitted gay your but banned gay adults. 56% in latest polls, attributed to bankruptcy/abuse Generally, those that believe Scouting is good for youth have hovered around 80%, latest poll having that number at 69% One could debate the reasoning for disparity, but those numbers do not reflect the general publics favorability rating of the social issues we have discussed here.
  3. You really do need to read some history. But you are correct there was no law that said black and white children cannot be in the same boy scout troop, specifically. It was all good as long as they don't drink from the same fountain, eat in the same place, meet in the same place, swim in the same place, pray together. Oh, and you need to be okay with some crazy klan guy attacking you and maybe even trying to kill you. Beyond that, knock yourself out.
  4. I'll add some more of BP's own words. "When asked where religion came into Scouting and Guiding, Baden-Powell replied, It does not come in at all. It is already there. It is a fundamental factor underlying Scouting and Guiding." (Religion and the Boy Scout and Girl Guides Movement-- an address, 1926). "In other words, we aim for the practice of Christianity in their everyday life and dealings, and not merely the profession of its theology on Sundays."
  5. Race: BSA has never had a policy of segregation. There have been black units and desegregated units since the 1910's. Were there segregated units in the South? Yes, and sadly it was the law. Crossing that line would have destroyed Scouting in the South, including the black units that already existed, and likely gotten a lot of you people hurt or killed. The law suit you site was the NAACP was an attempt to get the LDS church to change its doctrine, it was not because BSA had any policy of segregation. Gender: Boy Scout units started just like Scouting the UK, for boys only. It was not l
  6. I think you are seeing push back, at least from me, is because there are some on this site that see BSA as 100% bad 100% of the time. I personally know that not to be the base. Maybe it is just trolling for a personal agenda. Most people have had a favorable opinion of Boy Scouts through its history. I has certainly decreased in recent years, but a majority of people still do. I agree that BSA has lagged on social issues, and I have said so. But, not to the degree that you are making it out. BSA has never had a policy of segregation. Did they lead the charge in desegregat
  7. I'm not sure how you council runs ScoutReach, but we do have traditional units, at Cubs but particularly at Scouts BSA and Venturing level. Yes, there are different modes of getting the younger ones into Scouting activities, units that met at non-traditional locations and times from more traditional cub units. But we also had traditional cub units. However, it was a significant challenge to get adult leaders to start that many traditional units. Sometime we could grow a ScoutReach unit into a traditional unit and sometimes cubs would move to more traditional units once they "got the
  8. The BSA has often lagged behind in terms of cultural change. Segregation isn't really one of them. From 1911 there have been black troops. In some areas BSA predated the military in desegregation. Yes, the South was a tough nut to crack but there were black Troops there as early as 1911. BSA kept forging forward even though segregation was the law in many states in the South. The last article there, is a lawsuit from NAACP to get Boy Scouts of America to force the LDS Church to change its doctrine on who could become priest. I think that lawsuit was dismissed, but I may be wr
  9. No, it was not held in common by all. But, enough good people opposed segregation that BSA was pushing for desegregation as early as the 1910's. Fortunately, good people persisted and eventually, segregation was overcome. Hate, Hate, Hate was defeated. But it is clear we still have work to do.
  10. I disagree, I have lobbied for a smaller national presence. But I would not want to try to carry out our mission and program without my local professionals. I rely on them frequently. Their primary value is not sitting in an office (though there are important things done there), it is their boots on the ground assistance, recruiting scouts and volunteers, assisting with programs, and yes fundraising.
  11. Simple, I tell the truth to the best of my knowledge. If I don't know, I will tell then I will try to find out and follow up, then I do so. But I rarely get questions from parents or scouts. By the time they are in units I have been involved with, they have been in Scouting for sometime and are aware of the current events of the time. Most of the questions I have received come from people not involved in Scouting, and again, I tell them the truth to the best of my knowledge.
  12. I have been a Scout and Scouter for a very long time. I think the common perception is that the organization is made up mostly or right leaning individuals. But I have known many many very left leaning individuals, and it has been a fairly even split. What we held in common, both left and right, was a belief in and adherence to the Scout Oath and Law. I think we are seeing more and more people, both left and right, who are more ready to cast aside the Oath and Law, if it benefits them or they see fit.
  13. That was a poorly written article, difficult to follow. Had these been my scouts I would have recommended they not wear their uniform since they were taking a stance on an issue in a public forum. I also, would have had a discussion with them about two points of the Scout Law in particular, a Scout is Courteous and a Scout is Reverent. I don't think, they met any requirement for one of the merit badges they were working on, its is questionable on 2 more, and may have gotten the requirement or two on the fourth. Also, having the meeting on video tape is not a requirement as one of t
  14. You are free to your opinion. You are free to disagree with me. But please do not assume you know what I have and have not studied.
  15. It was not clear, but now I see. Have seen what my council has done (sold off a camp and used a significant sum of free cash), I am not sure that Chapter 11 would have much more effect, beyond legal fees. If we are talking Chapter 7, then certainly they would be better off, but I am not convinced that would be the path.
  16. Well, I am not BSA, and I am not trying to absolve the organization of anything. But since you want to use a balance sheet of exchange rates, there is plenty of good that has positively effected lives. I was headed down a bad path with the people I was hanging out with in the neighborhood. After getting into trouble my dad put me in Scouting, it took a while but it helped straighten me out. I lost both parents as a teen, my mom early in my Scouting career. The better part of a year is just blank, I remember almost nothing from that time. I quit everything, sports, clubs, even
  17. I do not disagree. Which is why when the concept of what is fair was brought up, I asked what that is. Based on SOME of the responses, the settlement that reaches the level of "fair" either includes BSA going away, or it requires a level of financial restitution that is not achievable because that level of assets does not exist. Some have made recommendations that seem achievable. And I would assume the lawyers that represent the victims have negotiated (and are negotiating) to get to that place. I am not sure what the reasoning behind the question is, so I cannot expound o
  18. I disagree. BSA's mistakes, in-action, and deliberate actions, absolutely have responsibility in this predicament, but are the actual abuser not responsible for some of the predicament?
  19. No it is not. But the current scouts are absolutely part of the equation in terms of how the final settlements are made. For me that is absolutely part of the equation.
  20. First, I don't know enough about "Toggle Plan" is without doing a lot more research than I have time for now. Second, what is in the interest of current and future scouts is included in my concept of fair. This was not a problem they created. Third, something that can be achieved. Some number I have seen could not be reached if every single asset and restricted fund the BSA has liquidated. Forth, I am no lawyer, so my opinion relies on a laymen understanding. @johnsch322 I am not sure how that would be fair for anyone unless the primary, and maybe only, goal would be to k
  21. Perhaps it was discussed and I missed it, but this thread keeps referring to adult leaders and ASM's (age 18-20). What is missing is Adult Participants, the 18-20 year old Venturing, Sea Scout and OA participants. They are also required to follow YP. YPT does not specifically state (in official material) family exceptions. What about cousins? What about half-siblings or step-siblings, especially if they live in separate homes. Even then I have been informed that there was at least one case of a parent molesting their own youth, even prior to entering Scouting. When teach
  22. Then what is fair in your mind? What should BSA pursue?
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