Okay, this is ridiculous. Folks, come on. I get livid when people complain about the Boy Scout’s moral policies because the Boy Scouts were founded as a religious organization and they have a right, as do churches, to set moral standards for their members. The fact that they are the “only act in town” doesn’t matter. If someone doesn’t like their policies, they can go out and start their own group. The Boy Scouts have a right to set moral policies. We have separation of church and state in this country. And private religious organizations have always had a right to be respected in their policies even when people disagree with them.
So do the Girl Scouts. Only the Girl Scouts were not founded on religious principles. They were founded to give girls the same options boys had through Boy Scouts. The Girl Scouts are a fine organization and were one of the first to include disabled girls in all activities at a time when no one did that. They have always been inclusive. And they have a right to continue to be. So they have transgender members? So they support Planned Parenthood? I abhor Planned Parenthood’s support of abortion but Girl Scouts are in a country with protection for their freedoms and they have a right to make their policies too.
I spent years in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. I cannot recall a single word of discrimination uttered against anyone and I was in small town Kansas. I didn’t know any gay people at the time but the scouts were open to all races. I never heard a single defamatory statement that I can recall during that time. I did learn a lot about respecting others, service to the community, working as a team, respecting people with differences, and how to be a better person. A whole lot. None of which I consider bad things.
My sister had positive experiences with Girl Scouts and she never brought home such issues to debate either. I think she was in Brownies and never in Girl Scouts. I never got far beyond Cub Scouts myself but I had lots of close friends who did. I don’t think either organization is indoctrinating people the way the accusers like to insist they are. I think both strive hard, despite any policies and any controversy, to serve their members and communities well and be positive influences. And these days that should be saluted, not disdained.
So people, if you don’t like the Girl Scouts because of their policies, don’t enroll your girls, but boycotting them and acting like asses over it is really uncalled for. Organizations like the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts send kids out to learn community service, working with others, and character. What kind of character will they learn from idiots protesting their cookie sales? That adults are stupid and they shouldn’t want to grow up? Do them a favor, let them wait a little longer to learn that sad reality.
For what it’s worth…