Why r folks so afraid of healthy debate?

It is a fact that the Boy Scouts are homophobic.

A fact you say? What a broad brush to paint a 100 year organization.

We're a Boy Scout Family and very non-homophobic.

I didn't call your family homophobic. It is well documented that the ORGANIZATION of the Boy Scouts is.

except for the thin mints!!!

Might have something to do with your approach. When someone posted a "date my daughter application" as a joke you turned it into an attack on the boy scouts accusing them to be homophobic. That was meant to be a fun post not a debate. If other people are getting a laugh out of something that doesn't harm you, do you really need to be a party pooper and spoil that by creating a debate?

Time and place is everything.

Well 1st, be accurate. I was by far not the 1st to oppose the post. I was just the one people decided to focus on. And, I didn't turn it into anything. I shared information. It is a fact that the Boy Scouts are homophobic. And the fatal flaw of your argument is that "the post wasn't causing harm." I have studied for years about the ill effects that discrimination causes in our society and words and jokes perpetuate attitudes. Lastly, this post is not only referring to the date application post. This post is a response to several previous personal experience in these forums as well as the way I see people treat others.

My roommate is an Eagle Scout and he's been out of the closet since about 1994. It may be that there are members of the board of directors that have homohobic characteristics, maybe.... but "THE BOYSCOUTS' are not an organized group of homophobic individuals- and to say that - is so generalizing and pitted against logic... I mean seriously... how can a 7 year old boy be a homophobe unless he understands what they really even means?

It is also extremely dangerous to cultivate the idea that you have 'the right to not be offended' as that has NOTHING to do with being American at all.

I have also studied the effects of what happens when people decide to give too much power to sticks and stones and not enough emphasis on emotional responsibilty, thickening their skin or choosing their battles but most importantly- understanding and teaching the next generation that Not everyone is going to like you, Not everyone is Nice and You need to learn to deal with it now... otherwise you will embrace a victim mentality and grow up to be someone that does nothing with their life because I got picked on as a kid.

MAN UP. Take the teasing like every other generation in the past has had to do- its part of becoming socially well-rounded and self-preserving. Mama wont always be there to wipe tears when we are picked on, so we have to learn to deal with it instead of trying to stop it. It will never stop.

Guys, seriously, LOOK IT UP, the Boy Scouts discriminate. It doesn't mean that all Boy Scouts do...but it is in the organization's rules.

Why are people so afraid of healthy debate?

It is possible to debate issues without resorting to nasty personal attacks on the poster. When something really strikes me I will often share my disagreement. Sometimes with humor, sometimes with sarcasm, sometimes gently. Often, I get angry responses and I have had people then call me ugly (I now don't have a personal picture), read my bio and make fun of me for it (I no longer have a bio) and continue to attack me personally. I think it shows a lack of intelligence. Quote me all you want and disagree vehemently with the content of my ideas if you wish. It makes for interesting dialogue. However, getting irate indicates you have personal issues and character assasination is not only unproductive but also mean.

I also get amused by the scads of people who tell me I am angry because I have posted that I disagree with something. No matter how often you tell me I am angry and miserable (and all the silly things I have had said) doesn't make it true. If you are angry own it but quit accusing me. I am actually able to function in this world simultaneously holding and fighting for an array of very strong ethics, morals, and beliefs AND remain calm and be ok with the knowledge that many people disagree with me. Being "ok" doesn't mean being silent. And silent I rarely am.

I even read other people's arguments, think about them and *gasp* sometimes change my mind because I learn something. Other times, I keep my belief and I respond to discredit the argument or the idea - but not to verbally abuse the person with the idea.

Might have something to do with your approach. When someone posted a "date my daughter application" as a joke you turned it into an attack on the boy scouts accusing them to be homophobic. That was meant to be a fun post not a debate. If other people are getting a laugh out of something that doesn't harm you, do you really need to be a party pooper and spoil that by creating a debate?

Time and place is everything.

Well 1st, be accurate. I was by far not the 1st to oppose the post. I was just the one people decided to focus on. And, I didn't turn it into anything. I shared information. It is a fact that the Boy Scouts are homophobic. And the fatal flaw of your argument is that "the post wasn't causing harm." I have studied for years about the ill effects that discrimination causes in our society and words and jokes perpetuate attitudes. Lastly, this post is not only referring to the date application post. This post is a response to several previous personal experience in these forums as well as the way I see people treat others.