Mike Beckom for May 13, 2024

So help me you know, you know the thing.

They are changing their name to Scouting America. Wait! That’s not inclusive to persons outside of America.

What about the Girl Scouts, are they changing their name? I wanna buy some Scouting America cookies.

Spot on, Mr. Beckom!

What is the point of this cartoon? Ah, that’s right. Conservatives hate change.

Several reports have surfaced over the years regarding incidents of sexual abuse within the BSA to include incidents of repeat offenders. There have also been several high-profile court cases involving such incidents that resulted in convictions and settlements. Why would anyone let their child be a Boy Scout?

Oh, good grief – they started letting in girls years ago so they could actually keep going. Ain’t it typical how the right wing now screams about “woke” but was, of course, oblivious to the abuse over many years that led to the Boy Scouts NEEDING to make changes like this to remain relevant and survive as an organization. .

A rose by any other name…..

I guess Beckom supported the sex offenders that permeated the Boy Scouts and taught them how to “be a Man”.

Many, many young people have spent years participating in Scouting without any of this happening to them. Going forward they WILL have to implement safeguards to prevent further abuse. As far as admitting girls, activities for young men probably are good for young women as well; and if you look at middle and high school, PE classes are often co-ed these days too. Scouting has always struck me as pretty conservative; I suspect none of the changes will make them “woke” (whatever that actually means anyway).

What is that scares you so, mikey? Is it inclusion? Diversity?

The decline of the Boy Scouts saddens me as it was a large part of my life, my son’s life, and his sons.. 5 years a scout and 7 years as an adult leader. I never heard even rumors of sexual abuse, but that was likely ignorance. At one time Catholic and Mormon churches were the major sponsors of scout dens and troops. They had their problems with pedophiles so it is not surprising that extended to the scouts. Today the organization is maybe one tenth of what it was in the 50’s to the 90’s. Nevertheless I am proud of my Eagle Scout badge and the good times my membership provided.

Ah. We’re back with the WOKE! Something the right hates, but can’t define (other than we don’t like it).

Everything was just fine in the past. Nothing should ever change. This was the litany of the ancien régime, the old ways that Americans rejected. But now, our conservatives are just like those prissy Old World aristocrats.

No qualifications are needed to be a scout leader. My boys were in scouts for a few years, through our church, and had fun and did different activities, but mishaps happened on account of the leaders having no experience( camping, hiking, etc)

Another great American institution destroyed by the LGBT+ community.

For all the whining about pedos, you’d think Mikey would be upset about real ones…

It matter why boy girl its the same

“woke”, much like ‘politically correct’, is simply showing consideration for your fellow American. conservatives try to demonize those terms. Do conservatives oppose showing consideration, or just oppose Americans?

Refusing to accept, wearing blinders and forcing others into a closet out of site is what brought about the abuses in Scouting and in churches as well, bringing their downfall. Not dealing with issues only makes them worse.

As for girls now in the Boy Scouts renamed Scouting America I’m reminded of one of my favorite Tom Lehrer ditties:

“ . . . . . If you’re looking for adventure of a new and different kind

And you come across a Girl Scout who is similarly inclined

Don’t be nervous, don’t be flustered, don’t be scared

Be prepared!”

I wonder if Beckom was ever a Boy Scout.

I wonder if his kids were, or are, Scouts.

I wonder if he went to a meeting before he wrote this. Or spoke with anyone in the organization.

I wonder if Beckom even bothered to go to the Scouting dot Org site and read, in their own words, WHY they have made this decision.

Maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t.

But you should check out the site. Maybe even quietly and respectfully observe a meeting. Once you’ve done that, THEN you can make the decision about the state of Scouting in America.

From the webpage:

“Scouting America builds on the organization’s 114 years of helping America’s youth. Its ongoing goal is to provide young people with a safe environment where they can learn meaningful life skills and have fun, educational experiences, fostering their growth and future outcomes as leaders, and be prepared for life. At the same time, values instilled by the Scout Oath and Law help prepare young people for lives of purpose and impact.”

I was a Boy Scout. Both my sons were. One made it to Eagle. I was an adult leader for years when they were involved. I am just as proud of the organization as I was then.

How is it wrong to give young girls the same opportunity given boys? And why is it wrong that the name reflects the commitment to include them?

“Morally flexible”—coming from a Republican. These were the people who ran on family values and thought character was so important that Bill Clinton was unfit for office because he’d had a number of extramarital affairs, but who think that Trump’s many affairs make him God’s anointed. The party I once believed in is unrecognizable.

I would laugh if this wasn’t so sad!

This one sucks bigtime. I’m an eagle scout am proud of what it for. The values and skills I learned have lasted a lifetime. I’d much rather

I’d rather be an eagle scout than a future prison girlfriend.

Did the adult Boy Scouts of America leaders take any vows of honesty or honor before (or after, or even DURING) their sexual abuse of minors?

Somw women are willing to do anything to be with someone with power and money.

piper_gilbert,…. didn’t know Biden was a boy scout troop leader! i guess sniffing the hair of adolescents is a hard habit to break.