AHG Mom

Why, thank you, Trevorum for your decorum. It has become apparent that this forum is a great venue of entertainment for some. I shall remember that and watch my "p"s and "q"s in the future. Since you all are "scouts at heart," I can take the "heat" of the postings and put it into context, "yes?"

Dear Nikitee, It's great that you and your GSUSA troop have had such a wonderful experience and are indeed a model troop for others to follow. Troop success has a lot to do w/the leaders and how they connect w/the girls so you must have a great leadership team. My issue w/GSUSA is more on a national level. I see nothing that concerns me in the GS troop in my neighborhood. Great girls. Great leaders. It's just that overrall, I simply do not agree w/the direction in which GSUSA (national) is headed. Organizational direction eventually trickles down to regional councils, etc.

Very good question. Freedoms are at the very core of a democratic society so of course I support "freedom of choice." But that doesn't mean that I am pro abortion or support same sex marriages. Do I agree with the choices some people make regarding family planning, abortion, marriage partners? Absolutely not. My opinions on these topics are Christian, morally and personally based so you can probably figure out my position. My beliefs are why I am glad there was another CHOICE for my daughter other than Girl Scouts. And that was the point of my last posting. I certainly did not in

I think the bigger issue to all of this is choice. We all have choice. The BSA has made its choices. People who don't like the BSA's choices will make their choices. If people don't like the traditional path of the BSA, they have a choice to do something else. Patti Garibay did. She's the founder of a 10-year-old scouting organization called American Heritage Girls. She was a former Girl Scout leader who became dissatisfied with the direction in which GSUSA was moving. So she started her own scouting organization, which is now in about 35 states (maybe more). I just joined

Yes, you are correct in your statement that AHG is a Christian organization. Just as important, however, is the fact that it is a faith-based organization as evidenced in the first line of the AHG Oath, "I promise to love God." However, AHG is NOT restrictive in MEMBERSHIP as you stated. It is open to all girl members of all faiths, ethnic backgrounds, etc. and does not descriminate in any shape or form regarding its girl members. You may have confused this restriction w/AHG's requirement that adult leaders, adult volunteers and the chartering/sponsoring church, school, etc. subscrib

I just read 5 pages of comments on Studio2B and am so glad that I chose a different scouting organization for my daughter! She is having so much fun and is camping and earning badges just like her brother, who is in Boy Scouts of America. She is an American Heritage Girl (this is not to be confused w/the American Girl dolls, etc). The American Heritage Girls (AHG) scouting organization was begun 10 years ago by a former (and very involved) GSA mom. I think she was even active in her council, maybe on a board or something -- definitely of a level to influence policy, programming, etc.