Boy Scout: To be or not to be?

So the latest information about the boy scouts in Atlanta with regards to their exaggeration of black members in urban areas just makes me reject them and their ilk even more. It's ridiculous even. Sure there is pressure to recruit, recruit, recruit, but if you aren't getting the numbers via honest means, shouldn't that be telling them something?

Of course, if you read to the bottom of the article, Alabama might be doing the same thing. Interesting how they are both southern states that originally had large populations of black people since we decided to drag them all from Africa hundreds of years ago.

As many of you may know, the Boy Scouts exclude people pretty regularly. If you don't think, act or look like them, you don't belong with them. If you don't believe in god, are female or are openly gay, you aren't included in their click. Peanut wants to be a scout because his dad has gotten it in him that this is a cool thing to be. Peanut's dad grew up in the Philippines 'til he was 15 when he moved here with his stepdad and mom. What the hell does he know about being a boy scout? (Of course, this is also the man that doesn't understand why I won't even consider Regent University for grad school.)

Yes, I want my kid to learn discrimination and bigotry from a supposed christian organization. And his dad doesn't see anything wrong with it as he thinks Peanut should be taught that all this stuff is bad for society. Agh! Does he not see himself as a minority at all?

But that is another rant for another day. Let's get back to the boy scouts shall we?

Let us not forget the story that broke not too many moons ago about the scout leader who was found guilty of possessing child pornography. Does that make him gay? Shouldn't this now challenge their "No Gays Allowed" stance since pedophilia is not a disease inflicted on gay people? One can only hope.

Personally, and I do mean this literally, I love this part:

As has been expected for some time, the Department of Defense has formally agreed, as part of a settlement in the Winkler case, that they would notify military bases around the the world not to sponsor BSA units. The reason the DOD has to drop these units is because BSA has decided that it is a private religious organization. DOD said that it "has long had a rule against sponsorship of non-federal organizations" and BSA's new definition of itself, and its religious test, makes its illegal for DOD to charter some 1,200+ BSA units. If BSA did not require a religious test and adopted a more inclusive religious policy of other WOSM Scouting Associations, then DOD would probably still charter BSA units.

The case is still ongoing, as DOD spends millions of taxpayer's money on maintaining and running the quadrennial national jamboree. That question, as well as the units chartered by public schools across the country, are next.

The quadrennial jamboree is in my backyard almost. It would take me less than 5 min to drive to Fort A.P. Hill where it is held every time. They did gussy up downtown before they descended upon us the last time it came through, adding new signs that announced to all who cared "Welcome to Bowling Green: Home of the Boy Scout Jamboree" and repaving the roads. It will be interesting to see what transpires since that would mean our town stands to lose a lot of money and the boy scouts would lose a rather large financial backer.

But it does mean less traffic and less noise! I can deal with that, couldn't you?

Heh, I like this tag line from About.com:

News, information, and court cases dealing with the Boy Scouts of America and their insistence on discriminating against gays and atheists without having to pay any social price for their positions.

It makes me wonder if these cherished boy scouts pay any attention to the media attention they are getting, both good and bad (mostly the bad because I can be rather sadistic at times). I remember that brief moment when a court somewhere in the U.S. told the boy scouts to allow openly gay men into their ranks. But I also remember that was a decision that was quickly appealed and then rescinded.

damn boys and their penises.