by John Vernon

First grade boys know very little about being politically correct. In fact, they often just act out in predictable ways to get what they want. That is when it becomes necessary for parents, teachers, other adults, and even older siblings or peers to teach them what is and is not acceptable behavior. “Boys will be boys” may be a catchy quote but one that may not tell the whole story particularly in the socially progressive pop culture of today. Developmental psychologists have found strong evidence that a child’s behavior is shaped by the environment in which he/she is raised. 
 
In my opinion, that is one of several good reasons why boys should be introduced to scouting in their early and formative years. I can speak from personal experience on this subject, because I became involved in scouting at age 6 as a Tiger Scout. Great adventures were in store for me as I progressed  through Cubs Scouts to Boy Scouts. This journey lasted over ten very formative years, and I eventually earned my Eagle Scout Award. Over the years, I received guidance and mentoring from several male scout leaders who became positive role models in my life that I respected. I remember many of the lessons they taught, and always felt safe and secure around them. My exposure to scouting has had a major impact on helping me become a man and adopt a code of conduct to guide my life. It would be a real shame if other young boys missed out on this chance because of the politics of a pro-gay agenda that forces scouting to change some of its core criteria.

Boy Scouts was first founded by Robert Baden-Powell in England to provide opportunities for young boys to learn survival skills and help them become men who would contribute to society in a positive way. The program was later brought over to the United States in 1910 by William Boyce, who was impressed by the benefits and direction it provided to boys about growing up. The Boy Scout Oath is a strong and powerful statement about honor, duty to God and country, and personal responsibility:  

An organization’s foundation is brought out in its mission statement, which outlines the purpose of the organization and establishes the guiding principles that will direct it. The identity of Boy Scouts of America is based on fundamental principles of honor, patriotism, and personal responsibility that are part of the Scout Oath and Law. These principles are being challenged by the proposed changes that would allow openly practicing homosexual men to serve as Boy Scout leaders.

In the long history of the scouting movement, there have undoubtedly been individuals involved who realized that they struggled with questions of sexual identity.  However, this questioning should be done privately, not on a public platform in front of impressionable young boys. The scouts look up to their leaders, and they are taught to follow them. My concern would be if the scoutmasters shift their focus from leadership that teaches the boys how to grow up living by the moral principles embodied in the Scout Law. Why should the activist agenda be allowed to trump good old-fashioned rites of passage into manhood? Sadly, there are too few groups left that provide support for traditional American family values. I hope the Boy Scouts of America can stand strong and not be another casualty of the changing times.

TFP Student Action, the student branch of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP), has a petition urging Americans to stand with the Boy Scouts of America. Sign the petition today to stop the pro-gay agenda being forced on America's most manly organization for young boys.