BSA Bans Water Gun Fights

[Vol Texan]

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.

[C-dub]

I heard this on the news this morning. It is utterly ridiculous. Only point a water gun at a target and not another person? And water balloons too? This really is going too far.

[Taypo]

Over the last few years, they've pretty much turned into a recruiting tool for future Chic Fil A employees.

[Abraham]

Taypo,

I don't understand your post.

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

[VMI77]

That's not the only recent news that is cause for disappointment. They're also raising money for STEM programs that will include girls. I don't see the Girl Scouts including boys in their STEM program. Why don't organizations like this understand that capitulating to the cultural Marxists and gender feminists NEVER results in acceptance? The groups they're attempting to mollify hate their core values so the only thing that is ever going to satisfy the SJWs is ceasing to exist.

[philip964]

From my memory of my son's Cub Scout days, the water gun "wars" at Camp Strake near Houston were legendary.

A real shame they are being ended.

By the time the boy's became Boy Scouts, they had out grown that and went on to shotgun shooting at clay targets. I suspect that will be banned next.

I have a friend who does not allow her children to play with toy guns, or watch any television or movies that have guns in them. Fortunately for her boys Starwars does not have guns, only blasters and light sabres. So they were allowed to watch Starwars and each got a light sabre.

Her kids are turning out ok, so did all the cub scouts who had wars at Camp Strake.

[ShootDontTalk]

Not to throw gasoline on the fire, but if water gun wars teach bad things, then when will they ban first person shooter video games? Those seem to teach that pulling the trigger creates blood, gore, and violent death in living color. A water gun fight just seems to teach....well I don't think it's apples to apples. Just PC stupidity run amuck.

[Taypo]

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.

[Vol Texan]

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.

[Taypo]

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.

So, young men who are gay are completely fine to join the organization but the gay men who may be able to serve as a role model for those same youth are prohibited from joining.

You don't find that at all hypocritical?

[C-dub]

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.

Also, Chick-Fil-A is not anti gay. Supporting or being in favor of traditional marriage between one man and one woman does not necessarily mean that one is anti gay. I am unaware of anything Chick-Fil=A has done to discriminate against anyone due to their sexual orientation.

[mojo84]

What's the deal with everything coming down to race or sexual preference? Why not debate the water gun issue without going off into left field on an unrelated issue?

[The Annoyed Man]

Someone has drunk the coolaid, somewhere.

[WildBill]

What's the deal with everything coming down to race or sexual preference? Why not debate the water gun issue without going off into left field on an unrelated issue?

[oohrah]

Sounds like more PC, like suspending kids for making a gun with their fingers. Totally disgusting capitulation to PC.

And I shot my first firearm, a 22 rifle, at Camp Wisdom when I was 11. I don't think BSA has handled change very well.