Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Be Prepared*

For some people, the words of Anne Frank say it best: "I am a bundle of contradictions".  On the surface, that may appear to be true of a lot of people. In my case, people may say that regarding a whole host of opinions that I've given over the years.  I prefer to think of the immortal Ralph Waldo Emerson and "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds" when thinking politically.  I don't subscribe to everything in the GOP Talking Points Manual** but for many in the liberal camp, to believe one conservative point is to believe them all (and I KNOW it works both ways, especially on the pro-life issue.  Don't call it pro-choice--the baby doesn't GET a choice). And the Libertarians wonder why they don't make any headway.

So I think I talked previously about my work with my son's Boy Scout troop (We call it Boy Scouts here in the United States.  The USA is the only country where Scouting isn't co-ed). On Monday, www.scouting.org had a statement regarding an issue that has been hotly contentious for many years.  In it they acknowledged that the national organization is considering local options on whether gay Scouts and leaders may be active members.  It would be up to the chartering organizations to determine standards for membership/leadership.

UPDATE:  It's Wednesday and National is meeting this morning on this very issue.  It'll be interesting to see how this goes.  There are more than a few who are steadfastly clinging to the way things were and are, but I think in the end that it will be left up to the local chartering organizations, which will lead to the organization admitting anyone with a pulse after hundreds of lawsuits are filed.  Personally, I think that the organization is missing the boat.  There are thousands of worthy men out there who could help boys in myriad ways whose only offense is not being straight.  Gonna make for one heck of a parent meeting.

UPDATE 2:  It's Tuesday the 12th and the BSA decided to table their decision pending a national board meeting in May.  Hope people can wait that long--or can be civil enough to allow Scouting to hash this out.

*--Tom Lehrer, Songs by Tom Lehrer, 1953.
**--published by Pagliacci Press, 4/1/2012 (note the date)

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