Sydney Ireland on the Name Change of Scouting America

[skeptic]

Sydney Ireland, now a graduate of Amyhurst,  writes an interesting and challenging perspective of Scouting America going forward.  This is surely likely to tweak some noses, and while it may be a little too soon, or maybe not, it seems to me important for this period in our evolution as leader in citizenship and world awareness.  Take a look, and please remember we are all in theory still Scouters and live by the tenets.  https://www.advocate.com/voices/scouting-america

[SSScout]

? Amyhurst? 

[mrjohns2]

Interesting. Not a bad article. One interesting part is she seems to imply that she was the one who broke the barrier to girls being members. I wonder how much effect she had on the decision. I assume 0%, or it was one of a thousands societal changes that nudged it. 

[skeptic]

3 hours ago, SSScout said:

? Amyhurst? 

Amhert; old eyes and carelessness.

 

[Eagle1993]

3 hours ago, mrjohns2 said:

Interesting. Not a bad article. One interesting part is she seems to imply that she was the one who broke the barrier to girls being members. I wonder how much effect she had on the decision. I assume 0%, or it was one of a thousands societal changes that nudged it. 

Looking back in time, BSA knew they were losing the Church of Latter Day Saints and likely felt adding girls would be the best bet to cushion that blow (and the LDS objections would hold no weight).

I doubt her pressure did much, that said, it is impressive when youth push for a cause, so I wouldn't take anything away from her.  

[skeptic]

I think the real factor is that she did not let up, and that she continues to push for changes.  She absorbed a huge amount of negativity early on which in my view was totally un called for, especially from many Scouters.  But, sadly, we continue to see that today.  The tenets seem to lose their meaning too often when something annoys us, and it is harder to remember them.  That is especially annoying to me every year when many pols come out praising Scouting America, or in the past, bragging about their connections and support, even as they ignore the whole meaning of Scout Spirit.  And they are in a position to display the concept if they take it seriously.  

[SSScout]

3 hours ago, skeptic said:

Amhert; old eyes and carelessness.

 

Yes, I amhert too sometimes after hiking, especially my pheet....

[SSScout]

53 minutes ago, skeptic said:

I think the real factor is that she did not let up, and that she continues to push for changes.  She absorbed a huge amount of negativity early on which in my view was totally un called for, especially from many Scouters.  But, sadly, we continue to see that today.  The tenets seem to lose their meaning too often when something annoys us, and it is harder to remember them.  That is especially annoying to me every year when many pols come out praising Scouting America, or in the past, bragging about their connections and support, even as they ignore the whole meaning of Scout Spirit.  And they are in a position to display the concept if they take it seriously.  

Yes.  Oh, if only our political leaders (if not all)  could lead and live their lives by the standards of the Scout Promise and Law.... 

[skeptic]

2 hours ago, SSScout said:

Yes, I amhert too sometimes after hiking, especially my pheet....

Three is a charm, even at 81, I think.  Amherst.

[SSScout]

Oui, ze leetle grey cells, zey try to be the challenge, n'est ce pas?  

You precede me, friend, I claim 77....😉

[skeptic]

1 hour ago, SSScout said:

Oui, ze leetle grey cells, zey try to be the challenge, n'est ce pas?  

You precede me, friend, I claim 77....😉

If I had known and understood more than a dozen or so words of French, I might have had a Parisian adventure with some "attractive girls" that tried to speak to me one evening as I walked back to my hotel.  Guess I was fortunate, looking back and hopefully being a bit brighter..

 

[qwazse]

Back to her point … SA does poorly at recruiting board members from minority communities. However, many leaders in minority communities could lose support from those communities if they side with progressive causes (which SA is now seen to have become) or if they side with causes that attract mainly white makes (which SA factually does).

It’s a tougher sell than most academics appreciate.

[Tron]

Neutral on the article; a bleeding together of BSA modernizing and Trump derangement syndrome. The sort of article that makes the vastly neutral and large middle ground of America turn away from anything progressive. 

The minority leadership thing is simply not a big issue. The reality of America when you dig into the real census numbers is that America is roughly 65% white (mostly protestant but increasingly becoming Catholic), 20% white/mixed, and the rest not white. The population is 51% female. The organization roughly represents America quite well considering that female Eagle Scouts are a relatively new thing. In 40 years I expect more females but not now. 

[BinTharDunThat]

I do wish folks would be accurate regarding the name. 

The Boy Scouts of America did not change its name.  The Boy Scouts of America adopted an assumed name, a DBA, of Scouting America.  The entity is, and will absent an act of Congress signed by the President, remain - legally - the Boy Scouts of America.  Its a federally-chartered corporation.  If such a law passes, so be it.  I'm happy to use the non-abbreviated Scouting America for so long as BSA wants, but let's at least be as accurate as Scouts who take Law Merit Badge and address the IP element for discussion of trademarks.

(Even Carrot-Top knows this as shown in its flag sales - https://www.carrot-top.com/custom-cub-scout-pack-fringed-flag-3-x-5-nylon - "Scouting America®, the Universal Emblem, Cub Scouts®, Exploring®, Sea Scouting®, and Venturing® are trademarks of Boy Scouts of America d/b/a Scouting America in the United States and/or other countries. Manufactured under license from the Boy Scouts of America d/b/a Scouting America. All rights reserved.")

More power to her on the balance.