Interesting points have been raised for several years - primarily by those OUTSIDE of the organization who feel the need to attack one thing rather than invest the effort to create an organization of the own design…

The Anti-BSA crowd continues to push their culture on those in Scouting, raising the battle cry of the “Culture wars”…. When did Scouting EVER state, imply, or otherwise suggest that Scouting welcomed gay leaders? DALE? Was he a BOY or an ADULT when he took the court case? Seems to me that he was an ADULT.

“Culture wars” Part 2 - In more than 30 years as a volunteer I have NEVER had a mother say “I do not want my son in your Cub Pack or Scout Troop because you do NOT have a gay leader” - - - In fact I have had many parents say “the day you bring in the gay leaders is the day we take our sons OUT”

Participation in Scouting is down from the 60-70% of boys in the 1950s-1960s to probably 20-25% now. There have been a few other changes in society since then, too. More Little League, more fall baseball, more soccer, more karate & martial arts, more band, more, more, more - the very issue that has been in the news so much lately - parents are “over-programming” the lives of their “hyper-achiever” children. Add to that the plethora of video games, computer games, and other legal (and otherwise) diversions. I suggest that these are more “to blame” for the decrease in youth in Scouting than the decades old belief in a supreme being and decades old “no gay leaders” stance. The Girl Scouts USA have seen similar declines (their Annual Reports are available online), yet GS USA embraces homosexuality and atheism – does that not indicate the issue of declining numbers is NOT the result of the BOY Scouts membership policies?

Volunteerism & community involvement of adults, families and individual youth as a whole has dropped dramatically throughout the country. You cannot blame the incredible drop in volunteerism that has caused Kiwanis Clubs, Lions Clubs, volunteer fire departments and rescue squads - as well as in Scouting - on the BSA.

BSA has been bashed for being a “Religious organization” - HMM - But which religion? From first hand experience in a camp, Boy Scouts need very generic non-sectarian blessings or graces at meals - As I recall, more than 4 dozen faiths - from Catholic to Jewish, Islam to Hindu, Unitarian to Buddhist, as well as some I cannot pronounce, offer awards to youth through Scouting - not Scouting awards - but awards presented by those faiths….

Scouting is NOT for every boy - and that has NOTHING to do with belief in a supreme being nor with Scouting not allowing gay leaders.

Some of us are DISGUSTING with the abandonment of values that today's media and educational institutions embrace - and then these institutions and media outlet wonder why they are viewed with such distain by Americans.