Scouts

“A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” -Scout Law

Last year I heard something about the “Boy Scouts” would just become “The Scouts”. It was somewhere along when the “Girl Scouts” were selling cookies at the Tummy Temple. My dates and information get somewhat confused, but today it was confirmed.

The “Boy Scouts of America” will now be “Scouts BSA”.

“As of Friday, girls between the ages of 11 and 17 can become part of Scouts BSA.

Through Scouts BSA, more young people than ever before – young women and men – will get to experience the benefits of camaraderie, confidence, resilience, trustworthiness, courage and kindness through a time-tested program that has been proven to build character and leadership.

For many decades, the Boy Scouts of America has welcomed young women into its Venturing, Exploring, and Sea Scouts programs. And today, the BSA further expands that legacy by welcoming young women into Scouts BSA.”

— Boy Scouts - BSA (@boyscouts) February 1, 2019

In a statement released Friday, GSUSA said BSA’s decision “does not change the position of Girl Scouts of the USA or our mission to serve girls, and girls only, and to foster their amazing leadership potential. We remain steadfast in our knowledge that Girl Scouts is the world’s single best leadership development program for girls.”

OK, as you can tell from the ancient black and white photo….I was a Boy Scout. To be fully definitive, a Cub Scout in the only photo I could find.

The little kids wore blue uniforms and were Lions or Tigers or Bears then moved up to Webelos and Order of the Arrow before becoming a brown uniformed Boy Scout. Do you see the progression?

The ‘scouts’ were part Indian lore combined with patriotic military uniforms and discipline.  The Baptist Church sponsored my troop. How American is that?

Learned how to tie knots, start fires, find poison ivy and bear tracks. The Scout manual was a thick book that had all sorts of survival skills and everyone accomplished you got a patch to sew on a sash to show all the other kids your rank, just like in the army. The scouts even had it’s own salute and oath.

“On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty, to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law, to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.” -Scout Oath

My brother was the first scout in the family. He went all through to the Eagle and I followed behind. Boil water and get a merit badge. Light a matchbook with a magnifying glass and get a merit badge. Comb your hair and get a merit badge.

Weekly meetings and yearly jamborees but it was a club, an organization only boys could be part of.

Now with all the gender equality just make a single organization called “The Scouts”. Not one or the other but just a single club that accepts anyone without discrimination of gender, race, creed or religion. Boys can sell cookies too.

Unless the ‘Girl Scouts’ can’t handle boys joining their pack, then bring everyone together and teach them real life lesson. Boys can finally understand menstruation and girls can find out about boys erections. Jamborees will be much more informative.

If this is a sign of equality, then lets go for it.