The Boy Scouts Fail to Modernize

I grew up around scouting. My father enrolled my brother and I in Cub Scouts in a suburb of Portland, Maine, and we moved on to Boy Scouts a few years later.  I went on to eventually earn my Eagle Scout rank when I was 16.

Many of the issues and things that I care about as an adult had their seeds planted during my scouting years. My appreciation for the outdoors, conservation, camping, astronomy, and dedication to hard work were all either born in or encouraged through scouting. Friendships forged half a lifetime ago have turned into lifelong relationships. I appreciate all that scouting has done for me. Yet as I stand on the cusp of marriage, I very much doubt I will encourage my future children or the children of my closest friends to participate in Boy Scouts.

The Scout Laws are...

Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.


I question the bravery of Boy Scout Leaders to act on what should be a slam dunk of a decision to include openly gay members. Postponing a decision until May not only places the organization on the wrong side of history for another 3 months, but extends this messy PR nightmare. While a few members of society have concluded that the inclusion of homosexual leaders and members would lead to more pedophilia within the ranks, the Boy Scouts in many cases have proved incapable of protecting youth from sexual abuse as their rules exist. It is sad to see an organization that has many good lessons to teach young men, struggle to join the 21st century breaking many of the groups own "laws" along the way.