Comments on: Forged in the Heat of Battle: The Origin of the Boy Scouts

By: Marion Lewis

Marion Lewis — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:19:49 +0000

Check out the great and very lost in time band, “Boy’s Brigade”. They ruled Toronto’s Queen Street in the 80′s and had a several great hits including ” Passion of Love” and “Melody”, about physical abuse- very forward thinking.
Somehow, they always get left out of the current round of music history remakes.

By: CJ

CJ — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:33:57 +0000

Alright people mental floss is supposed to be fun and informative. I cant believe Great britain actually produced something better than Elizabeth Hurley.

By: Rabullione

Rabullione — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:10:21 +0000

In an effort to make you feel better, Rob, I will come and join your family. I know how hard it must be to feel ostricized so I’m offering you the opportunity to show how different you are from the discriminating Boy Scouts. I will require all of the same benefits your other family members enjoy as well as the right of associating myself with your family in public. I retain the right to express whatever views I may have, whether or not they run contrary to yours. I will also have equal say in all family activities and if I protest to any of YOUR requirements I expect to be validated. This is a limited time offer, though, so don’t miss this opportunity for me to reap the benefits of your social group and for you to prove your point, even though it might tear your family apart.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:29:52 +0000

I was in scouts growing up, as well as my father and grandfather. AS I am now an atheist, and my son is as well, he cannot participate in scouting, and I wish he could, but until they change their discriminatory policies, my son cannot join, and I will not support them.

It’s not a “Religious right takeover” but the effect is the same.

By: Lyn

Lyn — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:41:08 +0000

Jeff, I am in complete agreement with you. While some troops in our area are sponsored by various churches, the troop my family is associated with is sponsored by the school. My husband has been a scoutmaster for years (recently retired) and our son is an Eagle Scout. I couldn’t be more proud of them. Acknowledging faith in God and reverence for the natural world is no more the purview of the religious right than saying someone must be a communist if they are artistic. Sheesh.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:48:23 +0000

Another interesting fact is that 2010 will be the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America! In 1909, an American businessman named William D Boyce became lost in the fog in London. A British Boy Scout helped him find his way to his destination. Mr. Boyce attempted to pay the boy for his help but the boy refused saying that he was a scout and that it was his duty to help others. Mr. Boyce was so impressed he met with Sir Baden-Powell and subsequently brought Boy Scouts to America.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:41:39 +0000

Interesting comment Jared. As a scout leader, I would disagree. Scouting does have as one of its core tenets a belief in God but does not define what that means or how it is expressed. The scout law simply states that a scout is reverant. Many Troops and Packs are sponsored by churches but in my local council, there are as many sponsored by schools as well as those sponsored by the local mosque and the local synagogue.

By: holly

holly — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:41:27 +0000

The London-Wales adventure sounds fun!
Just think if that happened nowadays, mom would be thrown in the clinker for child endangerment/neglect/abuse.

When I was a Girl Scout going to Camp Cosmo, I always imagined the Boy Scouts at Camp Augustine across the way were filthy little savages, like the boys in “Lord of the Flies.”

By: Jared

Jared — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:14:49 +0000

Too bad the boy scouts have been hijacked by the religious right.