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Chapter 11 bankruptcy doesn’t mean that the Boy Scouts are broke and will be gone. It just means that they need time to turn some of their assets into cash so they can pay the debts they owe. BSA isn’t going anywhere
They also mortgaged Philmont, their national camp several months ago.
The Boy Scouts is dying, and has already killed off a significant portion of itself. The child sex abuse was one thing. Then they fell victim to the PC movement and had to let openly gay leaders in (even if they did not have any relatives in the program such as nephews). Following this they continued dumbing themselves down in the PC movement and decided to let girls join.
As the Boy Scouts became decidedly "un-cool" across much of America, these PC moves forced the Mormons to create their own program and pull all of their members from the Boy Scouts. This was a significant blow.
With several thousand pending lawsuits of sex abuse, and already some very significant payouts (precedent), expect the Boy Scouts to either entirely fold or restructure in a way that has little to nothing in common with their original purpose and intent.
I had a great time in boy scouts. There wasn't really much else to do where we lived and I got into it right after we moved up there when I was 6. We only had 4 or 5 in our age group and it was a cool bond over the years. Luckily everyone running it was super mellow. It was structured enough but pretty open, they just let us have fun. Some cool winter camping trips, going shooting on some of the leaders or friends dads properties. At camp we were kind of shit heads. Some of the troops seemed super shot. By the book, super lame and nerdy. Ours they let us get away with some shit, and new we'd push the boundaries. We had some pretty epic fires, torched a bees nest without getting fucked up, and learned some shit along the way.
Like anything else a big part of the experience was where you were at and who you were doing it with. I never cared much about the badges. We would do them, but it was more about just having a good time and learning some stuff. I dipped out before eagle scout. Could have easily gotten it, but I had started going to high school and hour away, had less time, more/new friends, and really didn't need it.
Def glad I did it, probably can't tie most of the knots anymore, but it was a great experience. Actually one of the ladies that was involved "Aunt" Donna, I still talk to once in a while. She's always trying to get me to come up to Alaska and stop by. I probably will at some point.
As far as the abuse, I think and hope it was pretty isolated. From anything I saw or heard, it didn't seem like something that was prevalent. Not that you'd expect it to be open, but people talk, and I never heard anything about it. That said even a small minority is too many for any organisation. Even though it wasn't a piece of the organisation itself like the church etc, if it provided people with the opportunity that's shitty.
The PC and allowing girls in seemed pretty dumb. I think as kids having programs for girls and boys makes sense. I mean hell, there's schools that are split like that. More in other countries but still.
I really don't care too much what happens to the scouts, I'm not going to have any kids, and Idk if I'd put them in if I did. Would be like anything, if it's big in the area, everyone's into it and a part of the community, why not. Otherwise wouldn't be too concerned.
I'm more surprised that people didn't get seriously injured doing all the stupid shit we did/saw. Decent times
Boy scouts is awesome when you're new to it and young (11-13 years old). I'm 16 now, and I'm almost done with eagle, and my parents are letting me quit after I get the rank. It was overall a good experience, but I won't put my future kids in scouts if it's still around. At this point it's taking up time I could be using on biking and skiing and school and that's hella lame
clindblomskierBoy scouts is awesome when you're new to it and young (11-13 years old). I'm 16 now, and I'm almost done with eagle, and my parents are letting me quit after I get the rank. It was overall a good experience, but I won't put my future kids in scouts if it's still around. At this point it's taking up time I could be using on biking and skiing and school and that's hella lame
I just got my eagle scout like a few months ago and now I don't even have talk to girls. I basically can just show them my eagle scout card and their hearts are won
iFlipAs the Boy Scouts became decidedly "un-cool" across much of America, these PC moves forced the Mormons to create their own program and pull all of their members from the Boy Scouts. This was a significant blow.
Everything else you said was dumb, but I didn't even think about this and it sounds totally legit... that's gotta be a major percentage of their numbers
Who TF else would buy their expensive green scout pants?
I have the best memories from boy scout, 50 milers, canoe 50 milers, free rides to the mountains, frickin scout master would go thru our packs once we got to were we were going and "confiscate" all our liquor and the dads would drink it all. Fuckers. So we would stash it before we got there and get it after they'd go thru our packs.
Some pics from my trip to philmont 4 years ago, one of the best and worst experiences of my life. 152 total miles hiked hitting each peak while dusting all the other out of shape groups.
Also a shame that philmont suffered a bunch of forest fires that really screwed up the landscape.
**This post was edited on Feb 19th 2020 at 8:48:45pm
iFlipThey also mortgaged Philmont, their national camp several months ago.
The Boy Scouts is dying, and has already killed off a significant portion of itself. The child sex abuse was one thing. Then they fell victim to the PC movement and had to let openly gay leaders in (even if they did not have any relatives in the program such as nephews). Following this they continued dumbing themselves down in the PC movement and decided to let girls join.
As the Boy Scouts became decidedly "un-cool" across much of America, these PC moves forced the Mormons to create their own program and pull all of their members from the Boy Scouts. This was a significant blow.
With several thousand pending lawsuits of sex abuse, and already some very significant payouts (precedent), expect the Boy Scouts to either entirely fold or restructure in a way that has little to nothing in common with their original purpose and intent.
It may take time, but the organization can adapt and start attracting a new audience that is less bigotted, not necessarily a bad thing.
If anything, it was the right long term move, an organization claiming to teach kids values cannot have a ban on gay people and be expected to be taken seriously imo.
The BSA at the National level have been going downhill fast for a while, but building that super camp in West Virginia didn't help. At a local council level I think the boy scouts will probably continue indefinitely.
Also the boy scouts is one of those organizations that could get a fat donation from some whoptagaliftee billionaire.
As long as they don't shut Philmont or sell it to ranchers; I could care less about what happens to them.
Jems
Some pics from philmont 4 years ago, one of the best and worst experiences I’d my life. 152 total miles hiked hitting each peak while dusting all the other out of shape groups.
Also a shame that philmont suffered a bunch of forest fires that really screwed up the landscape.
Philmont is what Boy Scouts is supposed to be. No PC-safety bull shit, no mothers, just shit head teens being shit head teens while hiking hundreds of miles in the middle of nowhere.
armchair_skierPhilmont is what Boy Scouts is supposed to be. No PC-safety bull shit, no mothers, just shit head teens being shit head teens while hiking hundreds of miles in the middle of nowhere.
I'm 90% sure my friends Mom went with him to Philmont. Whats wrong with Moms?
CLQI'm 90% sure my friends Mom went with him to Philmont. Whats wrong with Moms?
When I went to Philmont I texted my mother a picture of me standing on a cliff and she sent me a paragraph about how dangerous it was and asked if there was a safety net under it.
Monsieur_PatateIt may take time, but the organization can adapt and start attracting a new audience that is less bigotted, not necessarily a bad thing.
If anything, it was the right long term move, an organization claiming to teach kids values cannot have a ban on gay people and be expected to be taken seriously imo.
It didn't have a ban on gay people, my dad has a gay kid in his troop back in the 80s. It just had a ban on girls hence the name boy scouts. Similar to how girl scouts didn't allow boys because it's for girls. That's not bigoted, not everything needs to be coed.
MomAgainst4tniteIt didn't have a ban on gay people, my dad has a gay kid in his troop back in the 80s. It just had a ban on girls hence the name boy scouts. Similar to how girl scouts didn't allow boys because it's for girls. That's not bigoted, not everything needs to be coed.
Nah, you're wrong. They lifted the ban on gay youth in the program in 2014. So your Dad may have had a gay kid in the 80's, but it was definitely against the organization's official stand. Prior to this, the Boy Scouts of America's official position was to "not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals". They then also lifted the ban on gay adults in 2015.
Monsieur_PatateNah, you're wrong. They lifted the ban on gay youth in the program in 2014. So your Dad may have had a gay kid in the 80's, but it was definitely against the organization's official stand. Prior to this, the Boy Scouts of America's official position was to "not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals". They then also lifted the ban on gay adults in 2015.
They very much had a ban on gay people my dude.
Hm that's interesting. Maybe my dad's troop just had leaders that let it fly. I'm surprised it took them until 2013 to decide to change that.
I think most troops were less religious and more chill. I'm sure it depended on the area. I don't think our troop would have banned any gays from joining but it never really came up. Also going farther back there were less people out at a younger age so I guess it wasn't as big of an issue, at least on the surface.
Just to chime in on the whole gay thing....my local troop or whatever you call it had multiple gay kids in it. I never really realised they had a ban on that because of this. I think it was one of those things where nobody actually listened to the rule and just let it ride at the local level.
iFlipFollowing this they continued dumbing themselves down in the PC movement and decided to let girls join.
If Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts were the same and did the same thing that would be fine. They aren't though, Girl Scouts seems to be primarily about selling cookies. They never get to go on any camping trips, learn how to sail a boat, be a blacksmith, etc. They sit in a class room making beaded bracelets and sell cookies.
Eagle Scout here. Boy Scouts was a great time for me, glad to see other dudes in this thread supporting it. Philmont was the time of my life and overall I had a really good experience. As for the sexual abuse incidents, it's really sad to hear about, but as far as I can conclude, most boys in the program were never affected by it.
I don't have any problem with them allowing girls in because the girls are in separate troops, which removes the possibility of horny adolescent boys getting distracted by girls when they should be focusing on merit badges, camping activities, etc. Honestly I think they did a good thing because Girl Scouts doesn't provide the outdoor experiences that Boy Scouts does, and I think girls deserve the opportunity to have those experiences.
Pretty sad to see this happen, I hope that Scouts BSA can turn its trajectory around, but who knows.
armchair_skierThe BSA at the National level have been going downhill fast for a while, but building that super camp in West Virginia didn't help. At a local council level I think the boy scouts will probably continue indefinitely.
Also the boy scouts is one of those organizations that could get a fat donation from some whoptagaliftee billionaire.
As long as they don't shut Philmont or sell it to ranchers; I could care less about what happens to them.
I attended the 2017 national jamboree and that thing was the best experience of my life imo.
also scouting got me into skiing. And I’ve met many people through it. The problem is the shitty leaders and the shitty troops making it seem lame
What the Boy scouts should have done: combined with the girl scouts and just called it scouts. That would have helped avoid soooo much conflict and made them seem less pc and would make them seem like they arnt just throwing away all their values.
What the Boy scouts should have done: combined with the girl scouts and just called it scouts. That would have helped avoid soooo much conflict and made them seem less pc and would make them seem like they arnt just throwing away all their values.
Highly unlikely the girlscouts would agree to this
Jems
Some pics from my trip to philmont 4 years ago, one of the best and worst experiences of my life. 152 total miles hiked hitting each peak while dusting all the other out of shape groups.
Also a shame that philmont suffered a bunch of forest fires that really screwed up the landscape.
**This post was edited on Feb 19th 2020 at 8:48:45pm
I spent most of my childhood summers and winters playing/skiing in the area around Philmont. I couldn't imagine it being sold or what would happen to Cimarron if it was.
I worked at camp oljato last summer as waterfront staff in the eastern sierras and they could barely afford a food supplier for the camp really sad seeing where the organization is going
Honestly, I'd be kind of sad if BSA died cuz of this. I worked at philmont last summer and I just got my first job out of college solely because I was an eagle scout when I really shouldn't have been considered because of my shit gpa. Oh well I guess
People don’t realize that the BSA has soooo many physical assets and land that’s either under their possession or gifted to them for the sole intent of being used for scouting- they’ll probably never truly go bankrupt.
the camp I worked at for 4 summers literally sat on millions of dollars of just lake shoreline alone before you added up the rest of the land. Philmont scout ranch was gifted to the BSA by a generational ranch family and is literally millions in just farm land before you factor in the rest. They might have to downsize, restructure and make some changes (as they should with all these mf lawsuits) but I truly doubt they would ever completely evaporate
