I posted a post on this bb discussing interest in a possible Boy Scout merit badge for surfing or board building. A character calling himself “Free Thinker” came back criticizing the Boy Scouts of America for political reasons. Nothing to do with surfing or board building. Swaylock correctly archived the thread. I have interests other than board building. One of these includes past involvement in Scouting. On other a couple of totally unrelated discussion boards, over a long period of time, I have posted a couple of posts discussing different aspects of Scouting. Following, now all three, of these unrelated postings the exact same thing has happened. An idiot calling himself “Free Thinker” has followed my post with a post critical of Boy Scouts , a totally PRIVATE organization. This has to be more than a coincidence, obviously a troll. Somebody or some group is running daily web searches for words associated with this youth organization, going to the website, and slamming Boy Scouts. I suspect this is the first time this idiot/these idiots have been caught. If you believe America’s social institutions aren’t under attack, think again.
Noodle, I also support scouting. I am an Eagle Scout and currently a Varsity Scout Coach. I would agree that it would be great if there were a surfing merit badge and even a board building merit badge since the current alternate badges do not do justice to the specific skills required to build a board from start to finish. My varsity scouts are currently building fiberglass el toro sailboats at my shop. It is a great experience for them and since todays laws practically prohibit young men from going out and working it gives them a long term project that will teach them about work and the sense of accomplishment that comes from seeing a project through. My glass supplier also has been very supportive of scouting and loaned us the molds for the boat and gave us extremely generous pricing on the materials. Scouting is a private institution and therefore is entitled to rights of belief and expression. It also takes boys and turns them into men. Matthew Weaver>>> I posted a post on this bb discussing interest in a possible Boy Scout > merit badge for surfing or board building. A character calling himself > “Free Thinker” came back criticizing the Boy Scouts of America > for political reasons. Nothing to do with surfing or board building. > Swaylock correctly archived the thread.>>> I have interests other than board building. One of these includes past > involvement in Scouting. On other a couple of totally unrelated discussion > boards, over a long period of time, I have posted a couple of posts > discussing different aspects of Scouting.>>> Following, now all three, of these unrelated postings the exact same thing > has happened. An idiot calling himself “Free Thinker” has > followed my post with a post critical of Boy Scouts , a totally PRIVATE > organization. This has to be more than a coincidence, obviously a troll. > Somebody or some group is running daily web searches for words associated > with this youth organization, going to the website, and slamming Boy > Scouts.>>> I suspect this is the first time this idiot/these idiots have been caught. > If you believe America’s social institutions aren’t under attack, think > again.
As the proud father of an eagle scout who is tying up the final threads of a PHD in Nuclear Physics I wholehearted agree. Scouting, its values and its method of accomplishment, then recognition, benefit boys from all walks of American life. The scouting program gives to America in equal measure, and it does so voluntarily. Good luck with your program and with your scouts.