Felt kinda bad, but then really didn't.......

Jo_Bird

Sorry, didn't mean to offend you. I wasn't agreeing with the scouts. I found it to seem dicrimminating on one belief that didn't agree with yours. I may not like a lot of things but it's their belief and a free country comes with plus and minuses. My brother was a boyscout and we didn't grow up with religion. And, that's just weird to me that they would ask your sexual orientation when your a child. I don't think they asked my brother if he were gay or straight either. That's just strange isn't it that it would even be put in the rules for kids? There's something wrong with the people that even would put that in there for children. I'm trying to keep my kids - "kids" as long as possible and I don't want them focused on sexual anything, especially in scouts - dislike.

tigersword

Boy Scouts continues long through the teen years. How do you think a 16 year old Eagle Scout would feel knowing he has to hide the fact he's gay or be thrown out?

ninerbuff

Sorry, didn't mean to offend you. I wasn't agreeing with the scouts. I found it to seem dicrimminating on one belief that didn't agree with yours. I may not like a lot of things but it's their belief and a free country comes with plus and minuses. My brother was a boyscout and we didn't grow up with religion. And, that's just weird to me that they would ask your sexual orientation when your a child. I don't think they asked my brother if he were gay or straight either. That's just strange isn't it that it would even be put in the rules for kids? There's something wrong with the people that even would put that in there for children. I'm trying to keep my kids - "kids" as long as possible and I don't want them focused on sexual anything, especially in scouts - dislike.

I wasn't offended. I just didn't see how I was contradicting myself. My belief is that organizations that discriminate against others because of sexual orientation or preference shouldn't be organizations I support because regardless of how "good" they may seem, it's still wrong.

jetscreaminagain

Niner is exactly right. So is tigersword but I would also add that gay adults are not allowed to volunteer or have anything to do with the explorer program. There have been instances where this resulted in cool stuff on the local level not being allowed. Plus their explorer scout program is essentially a career program, letting the young people learn about vocations, and that is not allowed for an out gay kid. So it isn't just being n eagle scout but also some career stuff they refuse to a huge segment of the population.

And they've kicked out 4th graders who are atheist and refuse the god part of the boy scout pledge. Nnot pledging that seems more honorable than lying about it.

lloydrt

I was a former Cub scout and Boy Scout and really have great memories of the guys I was in troop with , as well as my Scout Master.......we had great times , did the camping out, fishing, camp fires, looking for SNIPES, lol


yeah, I went SNIPE HUNTING with my flashlight and could never find one............hmm, you wonder

I buy girl scout cookies and give em back, they need the money..... Im not going to personally go after some 8 year old Girl Scout about my beliefs, they re just so sweet and cute............aww

I DONT NOT support any organization that discriminates, whether the kids are gay, straight, bisexual, transgendered, black, white, green, atheist ,Muslim, Jewish., etc, etc

were all human............. Good for you for standing behind your beliefs, youre a good person..........Lloyd

Liquid741

nothing wrong with sticking to your principles...there are a lot of organizations and companies that i do not support.

Ben & Jerry's - avid support of OWS
Citgo - Chavez
Best Buy - horrible customer service
PETA - great points, but terrible PR service...People first imo.
New England Patriots - Colts fan...cant stand them. LOL

when i have issues with organizations, i email them and voice it.

Iamfit4life

Nothing to feel bad about at all. It's shameful discrimination like that still exists.

Qarol

*sigh* My nephew is in cub scouts. His father and my husband both work at the same company, so husband is usually hit up to buy the popcorn. It's NASTY! And the troop doesn't get ALL the proceeds. I told husband next time, just give him money. Do not come home with popcorn. But it bugs me to do this. If you knew my in-laws, you'd know trying to explain anything of that nature would not go over well. Husband knows how hot I get about it...and has asked me to keep the family peace. I swear...my husband was adopted.

lloydrt

Quarol, yep, thats family..............sad thing ,the holidays are around the corner and thats a stressful time for me. Half I get along with great, the other half are certifiable.......no kidding, .......drama central

One thing Im concentrating on is not to go back to my old emotional eating habits. Its better to avoid the drama and have em make comments about you for not showing up, as opposed to being miserable and making like youre having a nice time


well not this year, theres going to be a change for once............Hang in there with your in laws, ..........Lloyd

casi_ann

I wasn't agreeing with the scouts. I found it to seem dicrimminating on one belief that didn't agree with yours. I may not like a lot of things but it's their belief and a free country comes with plus and minuses.

And, part of our rights is not to give to a cause that discriminates against another persons human rights. I just told my husband the other day not to buy something from the boy scouts for that exact reason. I don't honor any group that discriminates against another persons rights. This is the only way we can speak out, financially, and i'm going to do it. As for the kids, if the parents want them in such a program they have a right to pay for it themselves.

SkateboardFi

eh. i feel the noble cause you were trying to fight for, but it isn't the little boys' fault lol

cobracars

I applaud the kids being able to 'work' for a common goal, for something they need or the troop needs. Some kids are kind of shy and it can be very tough for them to approach an adult and ask for a sale or ask for a donation.

I wouldn't send a check to the organization, but I might reward the individual kid for them stepping up and at least asking. Buy the popcorn and donate it to a food bank, or better yet, ask how you can support the individual troop without funding the organization.

If they are asking for $30 for popcorn, explain to the kid you appreciate their efforts but you don't enjoy the popcorn or that you don't have $30 to spend on it, and ask if you can support them directly with a cash donation.

You're rejecting the organization, but the kid feels it like personal rejection.

AshjMusik

Mixed feelings..
-Kudos to you for standing up for ur beliefs.
-I worked hard to earn my Gold Award (Eagle Scout) & learned invaluable lessons on dedication, compassion & a solid work ethic. Always felt this was unfairly reinforced with the boys, but still had a lot of fun & am very thankful to have had that kind of exposure young.
-I have a vivid memory of selling cookies & this one lady yelling at me about how I was trying to make her kids fat & give her diabetes with 'that junk' & slammed the door in my face. Obviously less tactful than ur approach OP, but still a bit traumatizing to a child. I'm sure she proudly told her friends & family how she stood up for her health & beliefs, & our troop didn't get to go on our road trip to help at the shelter for women & children.
-Discrimination sucks & affects EVERYONE!! Is it really fair to all these kids to miss out on positive & productive life experiences b/c you (ppl in general) are turned off by a handful of jerks?

ninerbuff

I wasn't agreeing with the scouts. I found it to seem dicrimminating on one belief that didn't agree with yours. I may not like a lot of things but it's their belief and a free country comes with plus and minuses.

And, part of our rights is not to give to a cause that discriminates against another persons human rights. I just told my husband the other day not to buy something from the boy scouts for that exact reason. I don't honor any group that discriminates against another persons rights. This is the only way we can speak out, financially, and i'm going to do it. As for the kids, if the parents want them in such a program they have a right to pay for it themselves.

The big problem for me is that the Boy Scouts of America get to use public property at no cost, yet can still discriminate. How can that be? That would mean they would have to be a public entity not a private one for free use of public services. Public entities CANNOT discriminate, private ones can. But a private entity cannot have use of public services for free, it must PAY for them. Somehow the Boys Scouts have found a loop hole through this. So if they want to remain private, that's fine, but to use public property at the expense of the taxpayer yet be able to discriminate is wrong.

foremant86

nothing wrong with sticking to your principles...there are a lot of organizations and companies that i do not support.

Ben & Jerry's - avid support of OWS
Citgo - Chavez
Best Buy - horrible customer service
PETA - great points, but terrible PR service...People first imo.
New England Patriots - Colts fan...cant stand them. LOL

when i have issues with organizations, i email them and voice it.

i'll have to remember to buy even more ben & jerry's

Sobe1970

"Boy Scouts of America leaders knew for years about incidents involving a Canadian pedophile who preyed on boys in the U.S. but failed to stop him as he moved back to Canada, where he continued his abuse.

The organization sometimes even helped him go undetected by authorities, an investigation by CBC-TV's The Fifth Estate and the Los Angeles Times has found.

Scouts Canada learned of his inappropriate behaviour in the 1980s and kicked him out, but nearly a decade passed before police charged him with crimes."

I will NEVER support the Scouts after reading this.

poisongirl6485

Sorry, didn't mean to offend you. I wasn't agreeing with the scouts. I found it to seem dicrimminating on one belief that didn't agree with yours. I may not like a lot of things but it's their belief and a free country comes with plus and minuses. My brother was a boyscout and we didn't grow up with religion. And, that's just weird to me that they would ask your sexual orientation when your a child. I don't think they asked my brother if he were gay or straight either. That's just strange isn't it that it would even be put in the rules for kids? There's something wrong with the people that even would put that in there for children. I'm trying to keep my kids - "kids" as long as possible and I don't want them focused on sexual anything, especially in scouts - dislike.

He's not discriminating against them, he's simply choosing not to support them financially. BIG big difference.

And OP, kudos to you. I would have done the same thing.

poisongirl6485

Mixed feelings..
-Kudos to you for standing up for ur beliefs.
-I worked hard to earn my Gold Award (Eagle Scout) & learned invaluable lessons on dedication, compassion & a solid work ethic. Always felt this was unfairly reinforced with the boys, but still had a lot of fun & am very thankful to have had that kind of exposure young.
-I have a vivid memory of selling cookies & this one lady yelling at me about how I was trying to make her kids fat & give her diabetes with 'that junk' & slammed the door in my face. Obviously less tactful than ur approach OP, but still a bit traumatizing to a child. I'm sure she proudly told her friends & family how she stood up for her health & beliefs, & our troop didn't get to go on our road trip to help at the shelter for women & children.
-Discrimination sucks & affects EVERYONE!! Is it really fair to all these kids to miss out on positive & productive life experiences b/c you (ppl in general) are turned off by a handful of jerks?

Would it be different if he simply said that their product was overpriced and he couldn't afford to buy it anymore?

Geezus, you act like him not buying their stuff is going to be the sole downfall of the troop. Gimme a break.

TluvK

I am an avid supporter of gay rights in every form. My sister-in-law is a lesbian, although even if she wasn't, I would still advocate for the entire LGBYT community whenever possible.

But, from another perspective - my 7 year old daughter just joined Brownies. She really struggles socially and has tremendous trouble fitting in. Soccer, Tee Ball, etc. just didn't work for her. We've tried group playdates, which also didn't do much for her. There are no other organizations out there (at least where we live) that could possibly help her feel a part of something and give her confidence. She's going to have to sell her cookies next year and her magazine subscriptions and I really hope that experience helps her and I hope that the community is accepting of it. I can tell you that so far, she has really grown since becoming a part of this group. She feels involved and enjoys the group activities.

These kids don't join Boy and Girl Scouts in order to discriminate and obviously have no idea that just their being a part of it, makes them immediately judged by others - it's very unfortunate that the ignorant leaders do so, but for now, that's just something I have to accept in order to help out my kid.

maygans

Mixed feelings..
-Kudos to you for standing up for ur beliefs.
-I worked hard to earn my Gold Award (Eagle Scout) & learned invaluable lessons on dedication, compassion & a solid work ethic. Always felt this was unfairly reinforced with the boys, but still had a lot of fun & am very thankful to have had that kind of exposure young.
-I have a vivid memory of selling cookies & this one lady yelling at me about how I was trying to make her kids fat & give her diabetes with 'that junk' & slammed the door in my face. Obviously less tactful than ur approach OP, but still a bit traumatizing to a child. I'm sure she proudly told her friends & family how she stood up for her health & beliefs, & our troop didn't get to go on our road trip to help at the shelter for women & children.
-Discrimination sucks & affects EVERYONE!! Is it really fair to all these kids to miss out on positive & productive life experiences b/c you (ppl in general) are turned off by a handful of jerks?

Would it be different if he simply said that their product was overpriced and he couldn't afford to buy it anymore?

Geezus, you act like him not buying their stuff is going to be the sole downfall of the troop. Gimme a break.

Yeah that part made me laugh. I highly doubt that the $1 your troop would have gotten from that box of cookies would have tipped you over the edge to go on your trip. I was in Girl Scouts for many years (at the insistence of my mother, who was the leader) and the troop itself doesn't get that much back from each box sold. We made a lot more money when we had bake sales (or craft sales or whatever type of personal level sales) because we kept most if not all of the profits, rather than having to pay out a portion to a manufacturing company and the Girl Scout Counsel. Anything we didn't make came from each girls parents (or in some cases we would have supplemental sales in order to allow girls from lower income families to go along on big trips). We never had a girl that couldn't go on a trip, and we had some pretty big (expensive) trips including Hershey, PA and Savannah, GA (25 hours on a train, oh my!).