Eagle Scout and adult leader for both my kids. I’m very concerned about BSA and scouting’s future. With LDS pulling out that was a lot of kids and money. Allowing girls in was an effort to stave that off. Obviously going BK is to save the ship and protect themselves but it’s still not good.

I was an Eagle Scout, and had a great time in my Scouting years. When it came time for my kids to join, I was less than thrilled at what BSA had become, and instead joined them for many wonderful years in YMCA Indian Guides (and Indian Princesses)
It's very sad to see what a shit show BSA has become, especially the inclusion of girls.

I was a boy scout back in the 50's. Great organization. But today??? Piss on on them. Thats what going liberal does to everything , destroys it.

I was a scout for a few years but our small town didn’t have enough kids to support the program. Leaders were limited. My dad worked evening shift and couldn’t take the role himself. I enjoyed my time in the scouts. The troop ultimately shutdown when there were only two of us and no one was available to be scoutmaster.
In regards to loyalty, given the change in direction of the organization I would say the scouts didn’t leave BSA, the BSA left the scouts.

I hope Philmont is saved.

My dad was Scoutmaster for many years in a small town. He gave up his yearly vacations to take us camping. I am sorry for all that has happened to scouting. I buried my Eagle badge with him, I figure he earned it.

This topic interests me because of its relevance to the question of how involvement in groups like the Scouts BSA seems to be changing in recent times, and why that is. Most people here who were scouts themselves seem to blame dropping membership on changes in the organization, but in reading the Wiki history of the BSA it’s obvious that it has undergone many significant changes in emphasis and direction over the years. How many local troops are affected directly by permitting girls or homosexuals to be members?

Are internal changes really the cause, or is it because fewer boys these days are motivated by the same things as they were at one time?

As for the changes that supposedly resulted in loss of sponsors for the organization, it seems to me that individuals and groups that object to recent membership changes would—or should—be more concerned about the strong evidence of sexual predation that goes back much longer than the recent controversies. Has that had nothing to do with the organization’s current lack of support?

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
This topic interests me because of its relevance to the question of how involvement in groups like the Scouts BSA seems to be changing in recent times, and why that is. Most people here who were scouts themselves seem to blame dropping membership on changes in the organization, but in reading the Wiki history of the BSA it’s obvious that it has undergone many significant changes in emphasis and direction over the years. How many local troops are affected directly by permitting girls or homosexuals to be members?

Are internal changes really the cause, or is it because fewer boys these days are motivated by the same things as they were at one time?

As for the changes that supposedly resulted in loss of sponsors for the organization, it seems to me that individuals and groups that object to recent membership changes would—or should—be more concerned about the strong evidence of sexual predation that goes back much longer than the recent controversies. Has that had nothing to do with the organization’s current lack of support?

I can only tell you what I know of those in my orbit. The two concerns are not mutually exclusive. The departure from the BSA would have happened if sexual abuse were not addressed and rectified once exposed. The departure would also have occurred had there been proper correction of abuse and the other changes made too.

The potential for moral decay (from a religious perspective) is introducing with a nod homosexuality and females into the culture of the scouting program. Religious groups comprised a considerable portion of the scouting population. Religious organizations are also very sensitive to the recent cultural moral shift and how that shift occurred. It has been through progressive baby steps that seem innocuous, but linked together lead to a place religious orgs reject. Those orgs watched the BSA move in the same way in the same direction.

What surprises me is that the BSA chose to abandon religious orgs for political correctness. I think the Left marked the BSA for destruction. I am disappointed that the BSA couldn't see that and go down with its first principles intact. If they had remained moral and fought the Left, I suspect religious orgs would have rallied and helped; cementing the relationship with scouting. Instead the BSA will go out with a whimper and be reduced to a puny PC Potemkin village.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
Instead the BSA will go out with a whimper and be reduced to a puny PC Potemkin village.

Thanks for that analysis.
I was actually thinking of a possible answer to my own question about support as I drafted it, but decided to post it because as I tell people all the time, we shouldn’t make assumptions and answer our own questions.