Scouting`s merits from the L.A. Times

[packsaddle 753]

Wow, thanks for those two links, guys. They were pretty much along the lines of what I saw with maybe a little meanness mixed in here and there. But I didn't know about the uniform thing. I had assumed that the black scouts just couldn't afford uniforms. Bad. Not the first time I've been clueless...nor the last.

[pinkflame 11]

When my brother went to Boy Scout camp in the 60's he came home with a song form the campfire called "Darkie Sunday School" which included the line "plese leave your chewing gum and razors at teh door and we'll hear some Bible stories that we've never ehard before". At the time, as a white child in north Dallas, I had no idea how insulting and racist that was. now, as the mother of a 16 year old African American Life Scout, I am apalled at my ignorance. The problem is, although not so blatant, those attitudes persist.

[FScouter 24]

"Young folks, old folks, everybody come

Joint the Boy Scout Sunday School and have a lot of fun."

 

My dad learned that song when he was a Scout in the 30's. It's one of the all time best camp songs ever. Change one word, "darky" to something else and there's nothing racist left.