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Do you agree 100% with BSA policies?


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Let me see if I can clarify for some folks why I am a Scouter, despite the fact that I do not agree with 100% of BSA policies.

 

 

My book club is a fine group. I dont agree with all of their choices, but I do what I can to influence them.

 

Our community youth softball league is a fine group. There are a couple of policies I think are bone-headed but I put up with them because the kids learn a lot and really enjoy the fun.

 

The company I work for is a fine firm. I dont agree with everything but I stay because the many positives far outweigh the few negatives.

 

My political party is a fine organization. I disagree with a few of their positions but in general, our values overlap significantly.

 

The church with which I affiliate is a fine group. Some of the people are on the fringe but most are pretty reasonable.

 

 

 

BSA is a fine organization. I dont agree with all of their choices, but I do what I can to influence them. There are a couple of policies I think are bone-headed but I put up with them because the kids learn a lot and really enjoy the fun. I dont agree with everything but I stay because the many positives far outweigh the few negatives. I disagree with a few of their positions but in general, our values overlap significantly. Some of the people are on the fringe but most are pretty reasonable.

 

:)

 

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No I do not agree 100% with BSA policies.

 

If the requirement to belong to an organization is 100% agreement, there is no organization on earth I could belong to. Heck, I couldnt even be married!

 

The question is to what degree do I disagree, how significant is the issue and to what extent can I effect change within versuse outside-of the organization.

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No, I'm particularly repulsed by the prohibition on Laser Tag and have considered forming my own youth group that would allow Laser Tag. I may start an organization called Laser Tag for All and try and subvert the movement from within. However overall I consider the pros of the program outweigh the cons of not being allowed to have an "official scout outing" of Laser Tag.

 

SA

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Ah, but what if I started the GreyEagle Paintball & Laser Rangers? Anyone interested? All laser tag indoors, all paintball outdoors.

 

No organization is perfect, in fact if I found one that didnt have somethings I disagreed with, I would check to be sure I wasnt in a trance in a cult somewhere mixing grape kool aid

 

But, just because I disagree with a BSA policy does not mean I dont follow it

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I think it was someone in this forum who pointed out a while back that, when you have an organization where volunteers are expected to enforce the rules, people tend to not enforce rules if they don't like them and can't change them. That's not specific to the BSA, that's how people act. That's what jury nullification is, for example. Some juries will react to draconian laws by refusing to render a guilty verdict, even if the evidence is overwhelming, because they disagree so strongly with the law as written. So you end up with some people enforcing the rules, some ignoring them, and some leaving. What nobody should be is surprised.

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It would be a question of evaluating what exactly I don't agree with and make up my mind if this is a major issue which would prohibit me from joining (or continuing my membership) or a minor issue I could live with.

Nothing in life is perfect, there's always something we don't like or don't agree with.

 

best regards,

Volker

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