[Vision2020] Fw: [Spam 5.86] BE OUTSIDE!

[Darrell Keim]

You can add me to the list  that dislikes the uniform.  As to the
merit badges and rank advancement-we disagree there.  As an adult I
like being able to see the experiences a young man has had by looking
at his patches.  And, as a youth, I enjoyed the recognition I got for
earning the badges.  As a former professional I'll add that, while I
think it is often over emphasized, the rank advancement system gives
Scouting volunteers a good framework around which to build the program
they want their youth to have.  The merit badge activities themselves
can be great or poor, depending on instructor.  Scouting secularity-I
can see some folks having an issue with a requirement of belief in
God.  Beyond that-they are non-secular.  They don't care which god you
worship.  In real life how religous each troop is varies widely.  Here
in the M-P area we have some groups that pray during every meeting,
and others that don't deal with religion at all-preferring to let
families deal with that topic.

As you said-YMMV!!!

2009/1/29 Chasuk <chasuk at gmail.com>:
> On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 12:52, Darrell Keim <keim153 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I really like what the CiNN network is all about-getting kids into
>> nature.  But, speaking as a former professional Scout coordinator, it
>> seems a bit redundant.  We've had Girl and Boy Scouts for almost 100
>> years doing just this.  The program is in place, the support network
>> has already been built, 100s of thousands of kids are participating
>> with the assistance of numerous volunteers, and many great camps
>> exist.  Why not support and grow what we already have?
>
> When I was a kid, my parents tried to involve me in Scouts many times,
> but I hated it.  I disliked then, and I dislike now, anything
> resembling merit badges.  If something is worth doing, it is worth
> doing for itself, and the ribbons and medals are condescending.
> Further, most of the merit-badge-earning activities I found pointless
> and tedious.
>
> I dislike that the Boy Scouts are not entirely secular, although the
> Girl Scouts gets this right.  I also think that the uniforms should
> go.  I know a couple of Boy Scouts, and they all look embarrassed by
> the uniforms.
>
> Anyway, those are my objections to Scouting.  Your mileage may vary
> (and probably will).
>