What do you think of the Boy Scouts (for kids)? (girls, son)

[citigirl]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I had no idea that boy scouts received federal funding. That's wrong. The government should be held accountable for that.

$350,000 of federal funds will go to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Inc.’s Combating the Use of Crystal Methamphetamine Nationally Program to launch a multi-tiered anti-crystal methamphetamine campaign to help fight the increasing rate of HIV transmission. The use of crystal methamphetamine has reached epidemic proportions, contributing to a dramatic influx in the number of new HIV cases among certain populations of gay men. The campaign will focus on reducing the use of crystal methamphetamine, thereby reducing its impact on the transmission of HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections.

If federal funds can go towards something like this, the Boy Scouts should be eligible for funds.

[emjbulls]

Originally Posted by ARC

Your point is taken. And sorry, I didn't realize you are a woman.

I'm right there with you on not wanting the religious right to influence laws/rights for everyone else. Since the Boy Scouts is a private organization, though, they can get away with deciding who becomes a leader or a scout and who does not based on their beliefs.

I have never understood, though, how the Boy Scouts can get federal funding when they are considered a "private organization" and they can exclude certain people from their ranks. It always kind of bothered me that the Boy Scouts got federal $$ while the Girl Scouts got nothing.

You're right, we can't decide who becomes a leader or a scout, but as a parent, I don't want my kids to learn that it's ok to exclude people. We can teach them the environmental things, find other peer groups for them, etc. where it's ok to accept people for who they are. Morality isn't about who someone loves, it's about allowing those people the same opportunities and legal rights to do so.

[jimj]

I think I would support scouts more if they didn't allow bullies (at least in our chapter) to harrass and physically along with mentally abuse some of the other boys to the point of runing them off. I also have a real problem with the national board selling off things that have been donated by local people to the local scouts so they have more money to spend, sometimes having to buy the same stuff (real estate,IE: islands) back at higher prices.

[emjbulls]

Originally Posted by citigirl

$350,000 of federal funds will go to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Inc.’s Combating the Use of Crystal Methamphetamine Nationally Program to launch a multi-tiered anti-crystal methamphetamine campaign to help fight the increasing rate of HIV transmission. The use of crystal methamphetamine has reached epidemic proportions, contributing to a dramatic influx in the number of new HIV cases among certain populations of gay men. The campaign will focus on reducing the use of crystal methamphetamine, thereby reducing its impact on the transmission of HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections.

If federal funds can go towards something like this, the Boy Scouts should be eligible for funds.

You're right. Heaven forbid money goes to stop people from dying. But let me guess, you probably believe they deserve it.

[citigirl]

I believe if you are engaged in activities that put you at risk you should have to pay for it out of your own pocket, like the above activities and things like acholism.

The Boy Scouts are an asset to society and should be funded.

[ARC]

I don't think my 12 year old son even KNOWS that gays are excluded from Boy Scouts. He's in scouts because HE wanted to join and it provides leadership opportunities along with so much more (including camping trips with his friends). The benefits definitely outweigh any negatives. I think in a perfect world, in which we do not live nor we will ever live, we can pick and choose. But in the real world there are no other clubs, organizations, and such that offer a program on the same par as the scouts.

Originally Posted by emjbulls

You're right, we can't decide who becomes a leader or a scout, but as a parent, I don't want my kids to learn that it's ok to exclude people. We can teach them the environmental things, find other peer groups for them, etc. where it's ok to accept people for who they are. Morality isn't about who someone loves, it's about allowing those people the same opportunities and legal rights to do so.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by ARC

I don't think my 12 year old son even KNOWS that gays are excluded from Boy Scouts.

I know my 15-year-old doesn't know. Heck, I didn't know either!

[doc1]

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Boy scouts, alone, cannot guarantee success.

Neither does literacy, or regular church attendence, or two loving parents.

But common sense dictates that one should put the odds in one's favor and active participation is Scouts does that.

.

[doc1]

I often wonder how it would be if there were more Scout troops in the inner cities. They're not exactly overflowing with a surplus of good male role models.

[adam tomcho]

there is a conflict of wheather boyscouts should accept all people. i belive everyone should be accepted into boyscouts and dont take this the wrong way. my only consern is of that person is there to make the troop better or just that to take from it