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If the BSA wasn't so desperate to bolster their membership so they could remain a solvent organization, financially and otherwise, they never would have allowed girls into the program to the extent that they are now. When my brothers were youth Scouts (my oldest brother joined a Scout troop in 1978 and at the same time my dad became an ASM for that same troop, a position he still holds to this day), this concept wasn't anywhere near the table, much less on it.
The GSA, if you've been paying attention, has been very vocal that they will not be allowing boys to join, even though they are in pretty much the same boat as the BSA is in.
So the Boy Scouts are looking to girls to save their organization. Given some of the posts in this thread, that is too precious for words. I'm guessing a lot of posters here would rather see the BSA go down completely than to sully their organization with the inclusion of girls.
Haha it's okay I knew what you meant, I just had to pause for a second. Man...I'm an Eagle Scout myself and I gotta say I don't know much about all that stuff. I don't even remember what the Order of the Arrow is. You know your Scouts!
I had 3 Vigil members in my house when I was growing up. My dad was one of the people who ran the Ordeal weekends for years, and he still goes to NOAC (he went to the last one, but he's been pulling back on his BSA participation of late, due to pushing 80 years of age). My oldest brother was on the dance team, and was Lodge chief as well. Every Wednesday night during summer camp when I was a kid they were doing tap-out ceremonies, and I went to a number of them while they were open for family of campers to attend.
Yeah, growing up in a Scouting household, you pick up on things whether you really want to or not. I was still a teenager when our home Council became a "district" in Twin Rivers Council, so the point the BSA has come to has been coming on for a very long time, since the early 1990's.
Ok then why change the name if this has been going on for close to half a century?
Do the powers that be really believe a simple name change by removing a gender will make a big difference in membership?
Boy Scouts of America did not change its name. Its name is still Boy Scouts of America.
Boy Scouts of America changed the name of ONE of its programs. That ONE program was called "Boy Scouts". that is not the organization and it is not the only program in BSA.
What BSA is doing is creating a path for girls to earn the Eagle Rank. There is no change for the boys in the program. They will not go to a meeting and find out there are girls in their troop. that is not happening.
So the Boy Scouts are looking to girls to save their organization. Given some of the posts in this thread, that is too precious for words. I'm guessing a lot of posters here would rather see the BSA go down completely than to sully their organization with the inclusion of girls.
none of the people making the argument you point to are involved in BSA. those of us that are involved, are fine with the change.... because we know its not what they say....
So the Boy Scouts are looking to girls to save their organization.
Basically. It is an activity the whole family can participate in; I was the only member of my family who wasn't a member of BSA back in the late 1970's and early 1980's, because girls weren't allowed to be youth members, and I was too young to be in an Explorer Post (something my brothers also got into). My brothers were Scouts, dad was their ASM, and my mom was a den leader and also did some administrative work for the Council.
Only time I wore a Scout uniform to a BSA official function I wore my Junior Girl Scout uniform to my brother's Eagle Court of Honor in 1985. My Scouting years were nothing like my brothers' unfortunately. Not even close.
Then work to change the Girl Scouts to be more dynamic. Don't destroy the Boy Scouts for some moronic Social Justice Crusade.
how many times do I have to tell you this isn't a Social Justice Crusade?
Boy Scouts isn't being destroyed. Nothing about the program itself is changing. BSA is just letting girls participate in a single gender environment just like boys currently (and in the future) are doing.
Nothing about that is related to any form or social justice.
further, There is no connection between Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Their methods and goals are different. BSA is not changing its methods or goals.
how many times do I have to tell you this isn't a Social Justice Crusade?
Boy Scouts isn't being destroyed. Nothing about the program itself is changing. BSA is just letting girls participate in a single gender environment just like boys currently (and in the future) are doing.
Nothing about that is related to any form or social justice.
BS.
Also, the bolded part makes no sense whatsoever. Rewrite.
none of the people making the argument you point to are involved in BSA. those of us that are involved, are fine with the change.... because we know its not what they say....
Who are "those of us that are involved"? You're speaking for all those involved in Boy Scouts?
Basically. It is an activity the whole family can participate in; I was the only member of my family who wasn't a member of BSA back in the late 1970's and early 1980's, because girls weren't allowed to be youth members, and I was too young to be in an Explorer Post (something my brothers also got into). My brothers were Scouts, dad was their ASM, and my mom was a den leader and also did some administrative work for the Council.
Only time I wore a Scout uniform to a BSA official function I wore my Junior Girl Scout uniform to my brother's Eagle Court of Honor in 1985. My Scouting years were nothing like my brothers' unfortunately. Not even close.
Yes, my family experience is similar to yours. I was a den mother for my son's Cub Scout den for four years, and a committee member for 12. My ex-husband was the assistant Scout Master for eight years. My son went to Philmont in the last year of his scouting life, and had numerous wonderful experiences camping out once a month, going to Owasippe every summer and attending Jamborees. My daughter had access to nothing like that in the Girl Scouts.
I think this is a wonderful idea, a way to avail girls of these kinds of experiences as well. I am an avid tent camper and hiker and would have loved this kind of opportunity when I was a girl. I'm sure there are many girls out there today for whom this is true as well.
The fact that the troops will remain all boys or all girls means the boys actually lose nothing in this change except the chance to keep the BSA alive. It makes you wonder what, exactly, the problem many posters have with this, since it is a way to keep the organization solvent. It seems they'd rather see the whole thing go down rather than let girls in.
What BSA is doing is creating a path for girls to earn the Eagle Rank. There is no change for the boys in the program. They will not go to a meeting and find out there are girls in their troop. that is not happening.
And when they first let openly gay scoutmasters serve, there were no girls allowed in Boy Scouts. There was no change. But now there is. This is all incrementalism. In short time the troops will be co-ed. There is no long-term future where the BSA will seek to defend gender segregation once girls are in.
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