From “woke” to broke, the BSA

[Rooster]

Ok, I can’t take credit for the title of this thread since it was a lede which pointed me in the direction of this Wall Street Journal article, but it sounds like a death knell for the Boy Scouts. Here is the article:

The Boy Scouts of America is considering filing for bankruptcy protection as it faces dwindling membership and escalating legal costs related to lawsuits over how it handled allegations of sex abuse.

Leaders of the Boy Scouts, one of the country’s largest youth organizations, have hired law firm Sidley Austin LLP for assistance with a possible chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, according to people familiar with the matter.

Founded in 1910, the Boy Scouts group says that more than 110 million people have participated in its educational programs, which promote outdoors skills, character-building and leadership.

The Boy Scouts have been at the center of sexual-abuse scandals in the past, and the organization is facing a number of lawsuits that allege inappropriate conduct by employees or volunteers in incidents dating back as far as the 1960s. Filing for bankruptcy would stop the litigation and would give the nonprofit a chance to negotiate with those who have sued.

Other organizations facing similar legal pressure have also turned to bankruptcy protection in recent years. More than 20 Catholic dioceses and religious orders have filed for chapter 11 protection to negotiate payouts to thousands of victims. And last week USA Gymnastics, the governing body for the sport, filed for bankruptcy as it faces lawsuits from decadeslong sexual abuse by the national team’s former doctor Larry Nassar.

The Boy Scouts released a letter to its employees Wednesday that said it plans to “explore all options available to ensure that the local and national programming of the Boy Scouts of America continues uninterrupted.”


Participation in the organization’s programs has fallen in recent years, though the group opened some of its programs to girls and transgender boys. The Boy Scouts currently have more than 2.3 million youth members. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, formerly one of the group’s largest sponsors, has said it will withdraw from Boy Scout programs. The church said it would develop its own program for young men.

The Boy Scouts group has drawn scrutiny over its slow pace to become more inclusive, including by lifting a ban in 2015 on gay men and lesbians serving in leadership roles.

The group has also dealt with fallout from its decision last year to expand its recruitment of girls, putting it in competition with the Girl Scouts of the USA, a separate group that offers similar programming and has also seen membership fall.

In November, the Girl Scouts filed a trademark lawsuit against the organization, saying its push for girls to join caused confusion and led to instances in which parents mistakenly signed their children up for Boy Scouts programs.

A Boy Scouts spokeswoman said the group is reviewing the lawsuit and that the expansion came “after years of requests from families who wanted” to participate in its programs.

In recent years, the Boy Scouts group’s legal bills for work done by some outside law firms have grown. In 2017, the organization paid $7.6 million to labor and employment law firm Ogletree Deakins, according to public filings. It paid Ogletree $3.5 million in 2016 and $859,347 in 2015, the filings show.

In the group’s latest annual report, Boy Scout officials said its future financial situation will partly depend on the outcome of sex-abuse-related litigation and future damages awarded. One lawsuit unfolding in Idaho over alleged abuse by several former leaders is set for a jury trial in May.

The organization has said that it has never knowingly allowed a sexual predator to work with youth members and has put rules in place to strengthen protections.

In the annual report, officials said they were “aware of threatened and expanding litigation of a similar nature.” They added that the group’s financial health will also depend on how much of the litigation costs will be covered by insurance.

The organization has sued its insurers at least twice since 2013, accusing them of failing to cover costs related to previous sex-abuse lawsuits. In its annual report, organization leaders said the latest lawsuits could force the group “to pay damages out of its own funds to the extent the claims are not covered by insurance or if the insurance carriers are unable or unwilling to honor the claims.”

[smackaholic]

As much as I'd like to blame out of control lawyers and the diversity police (and they all do play a role) I think the main culprit here is the X box.

[Wolfman]

Sad commentary on our times. Scouting was an integral part of my youth. After college I worked a couple summers at a camp, once as Maintenance Director, another as Rifle Instructor. Yes, we had guns and no one was killed.

[Screw_Michigan]

As much as I'd like to blame out of control lawyers and the diversity police (and they all do play a role) I think the main culprit here is the X box.

The "X-box," aka video game consoles, have been around since 1984.

[Mikey]

As much as I'd like to blame out of control lawyers and the diversity police (and they all do play a role) I think the main culprit here is the X box.

The "X-box," aka video game consoles, have been around since 1984.

True. But back then it was only the kids that were using them.

[smackaholic]

As much as I'd like to blame out of control lawyers and the diversity police (and they all do play a role) I think the main culprit here is the X box.

The "X-box," aka video game consoles, have been around since 1984.

And your point is.....?

The X box of 1984 was just a slight bit more primitive. No where near the numbers of kids played it. And after a while, they said "this is lame. I think I'll go ride my bike".

Today is different. Young men have lost interest in cars and all sorts of other things. These things have been replaced by that magic box which allows you to kill people the world over. Trust me, I know. I have one of these at home. Ironically enough, he is an Eagle Scout. But that is because he had the right influences around him to steer him towards staying with scouting. There are countless other kids growing up today who don't have these influences and never give scouting a thought.

[Screw_Michigan]

When you're six years old, even the most primitive NES is amazing. I blame helicopter parenting and the criminalization of free range parenting to be the blame for what you are describing.

[Kierland]

Sad commentary on our times.

That too many leaders diddled too many kids and very little was done about it? That is a sad commentary.

[Carson]

I blame helicopter parenting and the criminalization of free range parenting to be the blame for what you are describing.

Holy shit.

Merry Christmas, Screw.

[Derron]

Today is different. Young men have lost interest in cars and all sorts of other things. These things have been replaced by that magic box which allows you to kill people the world over.

One of my sons is a training officer in a Central Oregon fire department. For their incoming interns and rookies, male and female, usually around 20 -24 years old, he had to add a class to their courses on Basic Tool Identification BEFORE the other classes. Where you had to learn what hammers, pliers, screwdrivers, socket sets looked like and how to use them. They had to run all 2 cycle gas in all their engines because the rookies did not understand what color codes for the fuels meant. Most had no ladder usage experience at all. Starting, running and using small engines had to be taught to them. They had to be taught how to find an engine oil dipstick and why is was required to check the oil in the engines at shift change. My son has to watch and check up on them constantly to make sure the shit got done right.

He also had to add a basic map reading section. The rookies shit when the Ipads did not work somewhere. They had to be taught what a map was, what a map book was, how to find it in the engine, and how to find where they were and where they needed to go. They had to spec all automatics on every new engine because the rooks could not shift manuals, even in cars.

The 20 somethings and younger are some of the dumbest people on the face of the earth.

[Derron]

I blame helicopter parenting and the criminalization of free range parenting to be the blame for what you are describing.

Stop judging. There has to be some kind of government program for this right ??

[Rooster]

Today is different. Young men have lost interest in cars and all sorts of other things. These things have been replaced by that magic box which allows you to kill people the world over.

One of my sons is a training officer in a Central Oregon fire department. For their incoming interns and rookies, male and female, usually around 20 -24 years old, he had to add a class to their courses on Basic Tool Identification BEFORE the other classes. Where you had to learn what hammers, pliers, screwdrivers, socket sets looked like and how to use them. They had to run all 2 cycle gas in all their engines because the rookies did not understand what color codes for the fuels meant. Most had no ladder usage experience at all. Starting, running and using small engines had to be taught to them. They had to be taught how to find an engine oil dipstick and why is was required to check the oil in the engines at shift change. My son has to watch and check up on them constantly to make sure the shit got done right.

He also had to add a basic map reading section. The rookies shit when the Ipads did not work somewhere. They had to be taught what a map was, what a map book was, how to find it in the engine, and how to find where they were and where they needed to go. They had to spec all automatics on every new engine because the rooks could not shift manuals, even in cars.

The 20 somethings and younger are some of the dumbest people on the face of the earth.

When the EMP device goes off overhead the United States some day in the future, there'll be a shit ton of dead Millenials a week or two later, all casualties of a lack of interwebs and what used to be basic institutional knowledge amongst young people.

When you're six years old, even the most primitive NES is amazing. I blame helicopter parenting and the criminalization of free range parenting to be the blame for what you are describing.

That earns a RACK. I'd throw in a snarky comment about blind pigs and acorns, but that was a spot-on comment despite the use of our culture's terrible tie-in of the word "helicopters" and bad parenting.

[Kierland]

One of my sons is a training officer in a Central Oregon fire department.

Do ANY people in your family NOT suck the government tit you stupid tiny fuck?

[Screw_Michigan]

One of my sons is a training officer in a Central Oregon fire department.

Do ANY people in your family NOT suck the government tit you stupid tiny fuck?

You've noticed this, too?

[Derron]

One of my sons is a training officer in a Central Oregon fire department.

Do ANY people in your family NOT suck the government tit you stupid tiny fuck?

You are on a fucking tear with the Board Bitch campaign today. Your attempts at the turn around smack are pathetic. Your spread sheet work is horrible . I see no need to wait any more time before casting my ballot for you. You on the other hand are a complete fucking idiot who is an ankle biting little bitch and deserving of a repeat title.

There are people in this world who have to do the jobs that people like you are too fucking stupid and physically incapable of doing in taking care of your own needs.

[Derron]

One of my sons is a training officer in a Central Oregon fire department.

Do ANY people in your family NOT suck the government tit you stupid tiny fuck?

You've noticed this, too?

Well look..the fag twins are propping each other up this morning....you guys should be clawing each others eyes out for the Board Bitch title.

[Dinsdale]

The "X-box," aka video game consoles, have been around since 1984.

Try 1977, tard.

[Kierland]

Try 1972, Tard.

[Dinsdale]

If you call non-expandable games "consoles," then sure. The first expandable was the 2600, in 1977.

[Kierland]

So you were wrong, again.

[Kierland]

My kids love backpacking and swimming and archery and whatnot. They are forever asking to go backpacking without a tent or without a fire starter except a flint and steel. It’s good for them, so I drag my ass out into the woods as much as possible.

[Vixen]

My kids love backpacking and swimming and archery and whatnot. They are forever asking to go backpacking without a tent or without a fire starter except a flint and steel. It’s good for them, so I drag my ass out into the woods as much as possible.

Is that where you rape your son? On these "camping" trips? You fucking sicken me...and I've seen elf orgies.

[Vixen]

Please stop raping your son.

[Mikey]

I never went past Cub Scouts but my son got his Eagle ranking about 10 years ago. The experience in scouting depends a lot on the participation and focus of the parents and adult leadership. Our troop was completely focused on developing camping, hiking, emergency and leadership skills, and promoting the kids to their Eagle ranking.

Our Scoutmaster was an arson investigator at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. One of the fathers was firefighter and EMT with LAFD. Another was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reconnaissance and Special Ops. He was pretty good at setting up orienteering courses. In other words there was a good set of core skills among the adult leadership to pass down. For some reason our relatively small troop (never more than 20 kids) always won the campsite competitions at the area jamborees. A very positive experience for me as well as my kid.

[Smackie Chan]

When the EMP device goes off overhead the United States some day in the future, there'll be a shit ton of dead Millenials a week or two later, all casualties of a lack of interwebs and what used to be basic institutional knowledge amongst young people.

Believe it or not, there was "basic institutional knowledge" our parents' and grandparents' generations had that ours and subsequent ones don't, because it's no longer practical to have it. Progress and technology have rendered them nearly obsolete, which is what we wanted! Didn't you ever hear your older relatives say they wanted a better (read: easier) life for their children and grandchildren? They didn't want us to have to endure some of the hardships and, yes, even minor inconveniences that they had. Of course, there were unintended consequences, but for the most part, we've gone a long way toward achieving what they, and we, wanted. Now we're bitching about it.

Not saying that some of our bitching isn't justified, but much of it is simply nostalgic. The millenials won't be the only ones who are screwed if/when the EMP device detonates. We reap what we sow. The generations that follow ours will be just fine. Until they aren't.

[Derron]

My kids love backpacking and swimming and archery and whatnot. They are forever asking to go backpacking without a tent or without a fire starter except a flint and steel. It’s good for them, so I drag my ass out into the woods as much as possible.

2nd on the rack. Parents need to do this. I get everybody does not have that skill set, but there are resources out there. Too much of society depends on others to do things for them. Institutional knowledge is hard to replace.

[Derron]

I never went past Cub Scouts but my son got his Eagle ranking about 10 years ago. The experience in scouting depends a lot on the participation and focus of the parents and adult leadership. Our troop was completely focused on developing camping, hiking, emergency and leadership skills, and promoting the kids to their Eagle ranking.

Our Scoutmaster was an arson investigator at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. One of the fathers was firefighter and EMT with LAFD. Another was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reconnaissance and Special Ops. He was pretty good at setting up orienteering courses. In other words there was a good set of core skills among the adult leadership to pass down. For some reason our relatively small troop (never more than 20 kids) always won the campsite competitions at the area jamborees. A very positive experience for me as well as my kid.

Several of our CAP adult leaders / officers had similar skill sets. Most of them were pilots as well. The survival skills we learned were straight out of the Air Force manual. I was plotting air craft navigation at 14. There were times when the adults would take us out shooting, not under the official CAP program of course. We had squads set up with leaders co leaders, and switched off. There was a focus on military discipline as well, and you learned what a chain of command meant. No group discussions, no consensus building.

That helped me adapt well to the full time work force after college. One of my part time jobs during high school and college was for this berry farmer who was a retired Colonel in the Air Force. B 25 pilot in WWII. He was a no shit straight up tell you as it was guy. Made you work your ass off, and gave you leadership lessons in the process. He favorite saying was " You can't be a pussy and work here or survive in the world, so get with it" . I was friends with him until he died at 85.

Teaching structure, organization and leadership at a young age is very beneficial for youth.

[Rooster]

It’s that aspect of the BSA which will be most missed, Derron. Granted, camping and woodcraft is something urban youth could use, if only to let them see that there is more to this world than cell phones and asphalt. But those lessons which are largely imparted from adult male to male child is being lost for a number of reasons. Sadly, it does not look lIke there is an emerging organization to fill that void that outdoorsy Scouting clubs and the like used to exist in as a supplemental structure to teach traditional roles of men in society.

[BSmack]

I'm glad my son's Scout troop is very active. It was not the case when I was a scout. I did Cub Scouts and then a year of Boy Scouts. I quit when I realized that we would not be doing any outdoor activities as Boy Scouts.

It kind of sucks that they don't allow atheists in the scouts as leaders. Otherwise I would be more involved. But I've gone to a few of the Cub Scout camping activities. Can't wait to see my boy crossover this year.

[Kierland]

That is what I was thinking.

[BSmack]

It kind of sucks that they don't allow atheists in the scouts as leaders. Otherwise I would be more involved.

Sometimes all you have to do is just keep your mouth shut. No one ever bothered me in all the years I was involved.

I do what I can. But I won't pretend I am something I am not. Unfortunately the scouts around here are big into the religious stuff. Maybe it is because the pack/troop is run by the local Baptist church.

[Mikey]

Our Troop was sponsored by a Catholic parish. We were members of the parish but nobody ever asked and it wasn't a requirement to be Catholic or anything. The Scout Master wasn't Catholic and neither were most of the families. No praying, no worshiping of religious icons, no prostrating in front of Mary's image, and no priests chasing the boys around the parish hall. They just let us use the hall, and the kitchen when we asked.

[Slap]

My kids love backpacking and swimming and archery and whatnot. They are forever asking to go backpacking without a tent or without a fire starter except a flint and steel. It’s good for them, so I drag my ass out into the woods as much as possible.

Is that where you rape your son? On these "camping" trips? You fucking sicken me...and I've seen elf orgies.

Queerland wants to bed with other men in a tent.

[Mikey]

he has rooms full of participation awards

Impressive.

[Derron]

Between JAAF, travel baseball, BMX and MX racing my son never had time or desire to join the dork scouts. So he may not know how to tie a knot but he has rooms full of trophies and had a more fun childhood than any weblow

If he actually is your spawn and not some stray ejaculate from some buck your wife was fucking, then him not being able to tie a knot insures your genetic legacy will live on.

[Screw_Michigan]

If he actually is your spawn and not some stray ejaculate from some buck your wife was fucking, then him not being able to tie a knot insures your genetic legacy will live on.

[Derron]

If he actually is your spawn and not some stray ejaculate from some buck your wife was fucking, then him not being able to tie a knot insures your genetic legacy will live on.

You just wish you had come up with that.

[Kierland]

Third place is just the second loser.