Dedicated Dad

How about a Social Etiquette merit badge in general, from proper attire, hygiene, to manners in general, especially correct conduct and interaction around women? Social graces and cultural traditions are part of what I perceive is scouting; its preparing a young man for manhood. But before we get into a debate about whether the real and present movement for the feminization of men approaches the definition of stereotyping, my point was to avoid such nomenclature as not to deter the interest of badge. Interior Decorating, Quilting and Barbie Doll Maintenance merit badges may be of interest to some boys but they would, in my opinion, have a feminizing effect on the program. BTW, what is the proper way to tie a cumberband, Im embarrassed to say Ive never seen a cummerbund that ties.

And if you really like an idea, this is the process to get the badge approved: http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/mb/proposals.html If this thread gets some good ideas, we can reply with a hyperlink of this entire thread.

A side note, does anyone remember or know whether the old design of the Shotgun Shooting merit badge had an actual shotgun embroidery as opposed to the current powder magazine and shell casing? I seem to recall this was the old design.

Animal Science, Bird Study, Dog Care, Horsemanship. Insect Study, Mammal Study, Pets, Reptile and Amphibian Study, Veterinary Medicine. Athletics, Cycling, Golf, Personal Fitness, Skating, Snow Sports, Sports, Water Skiing, and I know there use to be a snow skiing merit badge, I have it. And there are many other similar groupings. For the record, I would like to see a tailoring or sewing aspect to the merit badge system, perhaps as an expansion to the textile badge. I would, however, call it garment manufacturing or something similar so not to stigmatize it with any more of a feminizing appearance than necessary. I wouldnt be in favor of an interior decorating merit badge for similar reasons, I think the feminization of men/boys is counterproductive to the program. Further, and in contradiction to my own opinion of consolidation, I am not in favor of making any of the requirements more difficult or time consuming than they already are.

I would seem that we need to consolidate some of our current badges before we expand to more. This message brought to you by the Redundancy Office of the Department of Redundancy.

We do have a lot of merit badges! American Business, American Culture, American Heritage, American Labor, Animal Science, Archaeology, Archery, Architecture, Art, Astronomy, Athletics, Atomic Energy, Auto Mechanics, and Aviation. Backpacking, Basketry, Bird Study, and Bugling. Camping, Canoeing, Chemistry, Cinematography, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Climbing, Coin Collecting, Collections, Communications, Computers, Cooking, Crime Prevention, and Cycling. Dentistry, Disabilities Awareness, Dog Care, and Drafting. Electricity, Electronics, Emergency Preparedness, Energy, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Environmental Science. Family Life, Farm Mechanics, Fingerprinting, Fire Safety, First Aid, Fish and Wildlife Management, Fishing, and Forestry. Gardening, Genealogy, Geology, Golf, and Graphic Arts. Hiking, Home Repairs, and Horsemanship. Indian Lore, and Insect Study. Journalism. Landscape Architecture, Law, Leatherwork, and Lifesaving. Mammal Study, Medicine, Metalwork, Model Design and Building, Motorboating, and Music. Nature. Oceanography, and Orienteering. Painting, Personal Fitness, Personal Management, Pets, Photography, Pioneering, Plant Science, Plumbing, Pottery, Public Health, Public Speaking, and Pulp and Paper. Radio, Railroading, Reading, Reptile and Amphibian Study, Rifle Shooting, and Rowing. Safety, Salesmanship, Scholarship, Sculpture, Shotgun Shooting, Skating, Small-Boat Sailing, Snow Sports, Soil and Water Conservation, Space Exploration, Sports, Stamp Collecting, Surveying, and Swimming. Textile, Theater, Traffic Safety, and Truck Transportation. Veterinary Medicine. Water Skiing, Weather, Whitewater, Wilderness Survival, Wood Carving, and Woodwork.

Oops, I was so into myself, I didnt address the subject at hand. Yes, the Scout, not the rank, should be responsible for all of their own sewing; its part of the gig. For patches, I recommend using a whipstitch sewn not too taught with the needle insertions under the edge of the surging around the patch. For removal, use a razor blade and a pair of reading glasses found at every drug store, whether you need them or not and a higher strength if you do, and take care not to nick the surged edge of the patch.

Dare I suggest there be a 1st Class requirement to "sew a button, patch, or seam"? I would suggest the requirement be for the rank of Scout. Another would be a tailor merit badgeI concur, in fact I actually checked several months ago to see if one existed and was disappointed to find that there is only a textiles badge. Coincidentally, this happens to be a subject I can lend some expertise to, I recently retired actually sold my interest in an apparel and professional uniform company that mainly supplied national airlines with their pilot uniforms as well as a being a fine mens (high end) retailer. Our tailor shop sewed a lot of emblems and badges as well as any needed alterations to the coats and slacks. UPS, Southwest Airlines, Continental Airlines and many others were some of our accounts. As a side note, I know many have complained about our uniforms and their suitability for hiking, camping and other active activities (via camo thread) and I would agree they are not ideal for these uses. The reason being is that our uniforms are made from woven fabric rather than knits which IMHO are the perfect fabrics for out door activities. I will say, however, our dress shirt fabric is grade A for durability, washability and permanent press (somebody was on the ball when they made the contract for these piece goods), too bad they have to have such a high amount of synthetic. As to the fit of our shorts, I believe the problem lies in the rise and seat measurement; those that have crotch creep need a longer rise and a smaller seat circumference, which is impossible to alter for lack of seam outlet. Anyway, thats my opinion and Im sticking to it.

Note to self. new means knew as in having prior knowledge there of

adult complicity? You mean adult leaders new you were out of camp alone till dawn?

I love Bill OReilly, is that a shock to anyone? There is a point where political correctness becomes an acid that erodes freedom. We have reached that point with these assaults on Christmas. This is so right on both counts. Political Correctness is specious and deleterious; it festers in the rationalization of emotion trough indoctrination and propaganda. With noble intent to right the wrongs of our society, it takes away the good with the bad leaving a sterile environment for the basest existence. Oops, sorry, I dont mean to be so grim. Merry Christmas to all. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

So now me trying to fit in was wrong? With all due respect OGE and no dig intended but; yes of course, and Im glad they didnt offer you drugs. If you were my kid and you gave me that excuse you just got grounded for a week with no TV (with the usual reprieve on Friday after school) and additionally you would have had the if your friends jumped off a bridge lecture At some point, and I believe you definitely crossed that line staying out all night, the Scout needs to take responsibility for his own actions.

The success of a tall tale depends in part on the gullibility of the listener. Sooner or later the listener catches on. Are tall tales to be construed as hazing? Nope, it doesnt quite meet the standard now does it? At what point does gullibility become irresponsibility, if my kid stayed out alone till dawn, because of a tall tale or not, I think Id be equally as cross with him as with the boys who let him go out of camp past 11pm.

I personally think that our society and country are better because of the gains made during the previous 40 years. We live in the present and not the past. I too think some good things have happened in the past 40 years, but forced diversity will never be good for our society when applied as solution for wrong conduct. But again, this subject belongs in the P&I forum.

Hey, lets not confuse labels with reality and invectives with the truth, its just more emotion-based indictment and it only strengthens my argument. Ones feelings shouldnt dictate a standard of decorum in debate because the facts and logic are quickly lost in the perception of reality.

Push-ups = harm? I fail to see the comparison. I would agree that the arbitrary use of discipline is inconsistent with good management as one can equally misuse time-outs in similar conditions.

For the record, I too think this tread should be moved to the politics and issues forum. And also for the record, I promised myself I would stay out of this one because I dont want to have to always come down on the opposite side of OGE. But this thread has taken a nasty left turn down the road of liberalism and towards the Cult of Political Correctness. Diversity for its own sake is subversive, lets not forget the lessons of forced bussing, social promotion and affirmative action. Any possible negative behavior from one party to another is "victim defined." Do we really want to teach our boys the insidiousness of social conditioning like the politics of victimization? This is just such utter nonsense I want to spit. Are we going convey to the boys that any unpleasant state of tension creates a victim? Tangible logic and facts have left this debate and replaced with the perception of feelings and emotion. How foolish are we to think that our boys BSA experience is going to be free of any kind disagreeable events and that were willing to micromanage every behavior that could possibly hurt someones feelings? Words like hazing, humiliation, debasement, degradation and moron are factually and logically inconsistent with a snipe hunt and Im willing to argue each and every analogy as it would apply to the cognitive dissonance of the event. However, this would require jumping off my self-imposed seat on the fence and this is not my intention for commenting. It is the inconsistency of liberalism which puts emotion over substance that raises the hairs on the back of my neck. Trying to create utopia within an organization that stands for self reliance and fortitude is not only detrimental to that goal, it creates false sense of security and a worldview that is inconsistent with reality.

Then that leaves one more by my count, Ill let you know if I hear anything on my assumption.

Oh great and exalted ExperiencedHoaryRaptor, lets not enumerate our domestic fowl ahead of their incubation cycle. By my count, uncoolscout101 has at least two other usernames, a point I made in a reply to you know who. Hopefully she can check the trolls ISP user id against the other suspected disrupters and block their access as well. Regardless, I too would like to thank the owners/operators/administrators of scouter.com for the privilege and honor it is to have this forum.

Inset a compass, add an in-line sight, use 12 to 25' of nylon woven cord for ornamentation and extra rope, under the cord goes fish line, fish hooks, piano wire, a couple of cravats/triangular bandages, chain saw, waterproof matches, tin foil, safety pins. A hollow aluminum one can take a pocketknife, mini flashlight, some bouillon cubes, and a whistle. Might even be able to fit a small flare. Can also attach cords as ornamentation with useful items tied to the ends. I especially liked these ideas, it gives new meaning to Be Prepared.

http://www.isd.net/stobin/document/sc_staff.html

But I also do not think that a gay person can become straight.You may want to check out www.exodusnorthamerica.org if you want to be sure.

Now imagine this a 17 year old scout is 2 months away from receiving his eagle and in a moment of distress he confines in you that he is gay If he would in a moment of distress confide in you that he takes drugs, has an incestual relationship or worships satan and is remorseless of such things, is he equally as worthy of remaining a member in good standing? Does the BSA ban on homosexuals extend to scouts or to just leaders? I dont know the official position on that but, why would the BSA have more than one standard for Morally Straight? being morally straight doesn't necessarily mean that one is free from all immoral actions/thoughtsI believe it does iff the leader/scout is unrepentant of the behavior. I would seriously question whether a 17-year-old boy has the maturity to decide that he is homosexual. Thats an interesting thought but it kinda blows the theory that they born that way. If that 17-yld chooses not to be morally straight and has no intention of changing his behavior, he absolutely does not belong in an organization that stands for quite the opposite.

shemgren Dont waste your time engaging dysfunctionalscout101, by my count he has two other user names and is here for one reason, to disrupt and troll. Email the administrator admin@scouter.com with your thoughts.

I have seen this before, actually our troop normally reads this or soemthing like it before it awards the Scout rank at a Court of HonorThis is a great idea, it well lays out ones journey forward as well as highlights the benefits of scouting. I hope we can adopt this at the COH for the Scout rank presentations, its going in the suggestion box.