The BSA wasn't Hitler Youth outright while I was in, but there is definitely a "God, Duty, Country" vibe that other scouting organizations around the world left behind or never adopted in the first place. Conservatives liked that, and they hated that they had been making a slow march towards more progressive and less nationalist policy that I bet only hastened after the sexual assault lawsuits bankrupted the national organization.

Hegseth is probably doing this to either pressure Scouting into regressing, or to weaken Scouting in order to spin up a Trump Youth later. There is no shortage of conservative dads unhappy with modern Scouting that would love either outcome.

Imagine thinking it's true.

The Boy Scouts of America had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century by way of multiple sexual abuse scandals, a dwindling membership, and repeated bankruptcy.

This isn't DEI, it's a desperate appeal for more warm bodies in the program to shore up a dying movement.

It's BAD in the sense that Scouting has largely become (arguably always had been) an MLM run by and for the benefit of a few connected business savvy insiders. And drawing in more grist for the mill only delays the inevitable failure of this corrupt and sclerotic institution.

How did we get here from the 90s?

Like I'm truly baffled

Can't let those girls think they're worthy. The inside MAGA secret is that women take more jobs from white men than immigrants do, and when they're done rounding up the immigrants, they'll be going after women's rights next. Say goodbye to the right to vote, ladies.

But this is a fairly recent thing that Boy Scouts has become more inclusive.

My kids were just moving up when they were opening cub scouts. As a parent I thought it was great that it made it more family oriented. No one complained about the girls, no one complained that women were now able to run camping events, no one complained that there were entire families at camping events.

I have no idea how they approached it for Boy Scouts.

But the thing is, this is change, recent change. And change is scary. Regressives want to hold back change, even to a past more mythical than real

He needs to stop. Dude is always worried about young boys and how sexy military folks are.

hes always drunk so, you can take his word or not.

I mean, it’s kind of a bad thing when the literal whole point of Boy Scouts was to foster masculine qualities for boys. They had Girl Scouts for something else. And you could create a third Genderfree Scouts instead but no, they just got rid of Boy Scouts.

Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Nope, nothing in there about masculine.

This is the right take

Yes. And growing up in NY my experience with them was a lot less toxic than what some people here are describing, so it really was pretty much just about that.

It was mostly about setting things on fire in my experience.

I'd say, as far as being distinct from the Girl Scouts, that the two groups had basically identical values and goals. Boy Scouts maybe leaned a little heavier on the camping and knot tying and outdoor skills, but both were mainly focused on building good character, community service, basic life skills, etc.

It was created as a paramilitary organization so kind of?

That is essentially the role Kirk (formerly) and Fuentes play.

Czech here, glad Scouts hold the flag to the same standard everywhere. We used to burn the flag if it touched the ground or was "desecrated" in a different way.

When I was 10 or so where my cousin was part of the boy scout flag retirement It was pretty elaborate with speeches, explanations, demonstration on how to start a fire, a whole folding mini ceremony complete with symbolism about each fold signifance and then love music during the actual buring. Maybe 40-50 people in the audience?

I asked my navy uncle on the way home "I thought burning flags was a bad thing...?" and he promptly told me to shut the fuck up, they did it the only correct way and not ask stupid questions.

Never wanted to do anything scout related again. Weird lil 'MERICA indoctrination culty shit.

Nothing about that sounds normal to me, to be honest. Normal would be disposing of flags the same we we dispose of other rubbish.

He should just use “safe spaces.” Much clearer and surely he’d get the full support of everyone who supports this

yeah man those Mormon-only troops were another flavor for sure lol. Mormonism + nationalism + being 14 + a uniform is a helluva drug it turns out.

Same.

Varies wildly by location

My troop was always pretty chill and inclusive (for a 90s Boy Scout troop). But yes, of course an all-male organization with ranks and uniforms and a big emphasis on faith and patriotism is going to attract more conservatives (and pedos!) than your area's average.