SiouxRanger

I am just one simple player of tens of thousands headed to the sunset. And in which hearts will Tradition lie? And can "Tradition" go extinct when all the hearts which hold the Tradition die?

In high school, so many moons ago, like 56 years ago, a brilliant math teacher in presenting a proof on the chalk board, when it did not quite work out, would say: "The best laid plans of mice and men oft times go astray." I think National will likely taste the bitter edge of this aphorism. The "pre-loaded" plan failed. The vote failed (as most seem to think). Many of the tangential big players have not gotten "on board" (Catholics, some insurance companies, Methodists (it appears, more or less), Mormons abandoned ship, parents and their kids seem to be looking for som

Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee. We are all loyal passengers on a train ill-driven.

If an SE does anything, I'd be surprised.

Then the SM should have intervened. There is NO excuse in Scouting for unkind behavior. A Scout is Kind. No matter what. AND, the words and actions of ADULTS are magnified in their importance many times just because they are adults. Some time ago parents of a scout, and the scout, appeared at a troop meeting to "interview" our troop. The dad had all sorts of negative comments about our adult leaders and even scouts in our Troop. (Seriously? You come asking for a place of refuge and criticize a successful, going concern?) I made plain that nothing in the troop would cha

Does it matter?

Find another troop. Your son's friends can follow along. The Scoutmaster's (maybe plural?) behavior is abhorrent and inexcusable. Praise in public; criticize in private (though 2 deep leadership). There is NO REASON your son or you should have to put up with this. "Punishment" has NO place in Scouting.

They have little place in Scouting. I wear brightly colored shirts in the backcountry. Easier for rescue helicopter folks to find me. Be Prepared.

Re Ingersoll Scout Reservation, SW 100+- acres sold, along with the Easterly 187 acres a few minutes ago, leaving about 650 acres. WD Boyce Council.

Well, I just don't know. It is a puzzle. National has a Federal Charter, and only a couple of organizations are chartered Federally. I think that means that it need not incorporate in some state and then qualify to do business in the other 49 states annually. I don't know if it is a Federally chartered not-for-profit, but I suspect so.. And I also don't know if there is a Federal Not-For-Profit statute which regulates its operations. States have not-for-profit corporation statutes. Normally, when the Federal Government enacts a law within its Constitutional authority, it

And cannot that be done with separate male-female patrols?

I agree. Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it.“ — Mark Twain Well...no. Truth should be spread far and wide. All who care to listen, understand, and learn should be welcome to the classroom. Scouting is the classroom. Fun is the teacher. Wisdom is the lesson. I come from a family of very smart women. Much brighter than me. I was at Philmont when the first women Rangers were hired. Top class individuals. I make no apologies that I take lessons and knowledge from whatever source I can. I learn by listening, not talking. Talking is rathe

So...we have an organization in dire financial straits...that is prohibited from accepting donations? 'The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." --Anatole France "My cup runneth over with love-of-the-law." --Me Common sense may not yet be dead, but it is in a coma and on life support. I met with the family yesterday, Truth, Decency, and Reason, and expressed my concern. They are hopeful, but also resigned. (Part of this paragraph sort of a paraphrase from an article I found on the w

We have a prospect that a Kiwanis group will charter our units, pack and troop. Catholic Diocese is done chartering all units. 8 months of worry. No help from National, nor from Council, though a new DE found the prospect. Never a second's worth of acknowledgment by Council staff that prospective chartering organizations' reluctance is due to concern over future liability for abuse claims. Totally tone deaf. Hello-heard about the 3 billion bankruptcy that has put the existence of the organization at risk? And alienated virtually every element of your business model? We think w

Just Yes. Precisely! Has anyone got a copy of the Churchill Report?

(Just trashed my prior work as I got it all wrong. Got to proof-read and check sources-this is important work.) Depending on the source ESSE QUAM VIDERE translates: "to be rather than to seem." Or "to be, rather than to seem." (Not sure what the comma adds.) I have not seen this quote before, and I just love quotes. They espouse important principles. And in my opinion the world would be better off if folks knew some principles and adhered to them. So, "to be rather than to seem" is attributed to an essay by Cicero, widely acclaimed as Rome's greatest orator. Wikipedia: Es

Well from my experience, and all I have read, will BSA answer the phone?

As a long student of the art and science of journalism (and its ethics), starting with Edward R. Murrow's life pre-journalism, my library of books by journalists is second in number only to my library of books by Winston S. Churchill (British-not the American Winston S. Churchill), there was a time that all broadcasts from Europe by "Murrow Boys" broadcasting on the "European Evening Roundup" (which included at least one female), HAD TO MADE LIVE so as not to permit the introduction of edited material which would be possible were the broadcast recorded, edited, and re-broadcast. Some deca

Having met with many thousands of folks, many situations being stressful, I have come to the conclusion that most folks "just want to get through the day unscathed and a bit better off for their effort." Most folks care not a whit for "sides." It seems to be the dynamic of human interactions that everyone gets pressured to take a side. "Tom and Mary are getting divorced...which side are you on?" And those that don't are considered traitors by BOTH sides. In truth, just about every situation is incredibly complicated, and no answer is clear or likely ever to be clear. All when the most

I have ruthlessly strict standards for licensed professionals (adults) in the performance of their professional duties. But for children, finding their way in life? Finding their personality, their sense of who they are? No. I have seen many young scouts mature over their years in Scouting. They changed dramatically. And that is what the movement is all about. There is a concept in politics that a buffoon, once elected to office will "step up" and realize the significance and responsibilities of their elected position and serve as an enlightened individual. Considering a

I think your SPL has done an excellent job. Just what rule has your pack violated? Only "at times?" I find it easier to tally the times the rules gave clear guidance. They never do. I have not been able to find a definitive answer to my questions. "When the police break the law, there is no law." -Billy Jack. Translated to BSA-speak: "When the rule writers can't (won't) write comprehensible rules, there are no rules." So, as is apparent from the comments, units are "just finding their way." I have just now come to the opinion that the BSA rules are intentional

I have not been following this thread. But as a Troop Leader for over 20 years, I have heretical opinions, so I am told, on the election of scouts to the OA. Time and again, the elections have been held at our Troop when senior scouts were then engaged in athletic activities, newbie scouts were the only electors, and the senior scouts were not elected. Without exception those senior scouts earned Eagle Rank. But never elected to the OA. So, to you OA oriented folks, I humbly suggest that Scoutmasters be allowed to ADD names of worthy scouts to the list of "elected" scouts.

I am not active in the OA, but I recognize "Wimachtendienk." There were 3 words, all beginning with "W."

Looks like a camp in Illinois has listed for sale a chunk or two of its camp. Lightly used and not part of the main camp. Ingersoll Scout Reservation.

My law school application: "Are you an idiot?" I checked "Yes!" Got accepted. (My professors probably gave the same answer-just kidding-most were pretty smart. Some even human.) Well, nonetheless, I draw a huge distinction between the Movement and those who deign themselves the high priests of the Movement. They have long ago brought it to its knees and it now lingers at the threshold of oblivion. Somewhere, I have an audible of a Churchill speech, spoken by Churchill, where he manages to get about 11 syllables out of the word "lamentable." Long and drawn o