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Taypo wrote:

Abraham wrote:Taypo,

I don't understand your post.

Please, for those who're old and slow like me, explain...

I was under the impression they were anti gun as well as anti gay, but I may have been mistaken.

The BSA is not anti-gay. Gay boys are not prohibited from joining or participating. Discussion of sexuality is, and should be, off the table anyway.

BSA is anti-gay adult leaders. I'm hugely critical of the organization for what they do wrong these days, but I refuse to pile on to misconceptions about when they get it right.

http://www.scouting.org/MembershipStand ... ution.aspx

WHEREAS, the current adult leadership standard of the Boy Scouts of America states:

• The applicant must possess the moral, educational, and emotional qualities that the Boy Scouts of America deems necessary to afford positive leadership to youth. The applicant must also be the correct age, subscribe to the precepts of the Declaration of Religious Principle (duty to God), and abide by the Scout Oath and the Scout Law.
• While the BSA does not proactively inquire about sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA.

Youth membership in the Boy Scouts of America is open to all youth who meet the specific membership requirements to join the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Sea Scout, and Venturing programs. Membership in any program of the Boy Scouts of America requires the youth member to (a) subscribe to and abide by the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law, (b) subscribe to and abide by the precepts of the Declaration of Religious Principle (duty to God), and (c) demonstrate behavior that exemplifies the highest level of good conduct and respect for others and is consistent at all times with the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.

Mods, I put this in the political forum because it is more closely related to this than to others. Please move if necessary to a different forum. (Perhaps some forum on "Fighting Hoplophobia" is in order?)

BSA Bans Water Gun Fights

Once again, I am further disappointed in the organization that I loved so much in my youth.

I agree that teaching gun safety is important, and that teaching never to play with guns as toys...but a water gun is a water gun! How can we teach how dangerous a real gun can be if we lump everything into the same category?!?

As an Eagle Scout myself, I always knew that if I had a son, I'd want to experience Scouting with him, and hopefully generate a second-generation Eagle. But that was a dream of my youth. Now that I'm older, I'd never put a son in the BSA.

For that reason, I'm glad I have a daughter: I don't have to continually second-guess the decision I would have made to keep my kid out of the program, and I don't have any emotional ties to the Girl Scouts, so it's easy enough to never entertain that idea either.

Just remember, BSA...I didn't leave you. You left me.