Slashdot Mirror


Boy Scouts Ask Open Source Community For Help

Lucas123 writes "The Boy Scouts of America are looking to the open-source community for help in building software to use for fundraisers, special events, and other functions, for their more than 121,000 local scout troops. Some open source advocates, who are former Boy Scouts, support the idea, despite a few reservations. According to the article, there are no plans for a scout merit badge in open source — but there has been a merit badge in computers since 1967, 'and it is possible that if the program is successful, it could eventually be used by IT-savvy scouts themselves.'"

11 of 973 comments (clear)

  1. Re:No by rcamans · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    No, you gay agnostics can fuck off.
    heh heh

    --
    wake up and hold your nose
  2. Re:yes, well... by Experiment+626 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    They're almost as intolerant as you are. You managed to dismiss religious faith as "mythology" and "stone age views", and equate moral criticism of homosexuality with irrational phobias (no one could possibly have different values than you unless they're being irrational, right?). The Boy Scouts don't even begin to approach your level of bigotry, so what is it you feel the need to "hold them accountable for"?

  3. Fuck the Boy Scouts by gtx · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Fuck the Boy Scouts.

    Until they stop being such an arrogantly discriminatory organization, they can stop asking for crap.

    They don't deserve software, HUD grants, special treatment from congress, or anything else. They can fuck off.

    --


    "I hope I don't make a mistake and manage to remain a virgin." - Britney Spears
  4. meh, there are better reasons Re:No by Essron · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Can't you just despise the Scouts for being an obviously para-military organization pushing a religious agenda with its origins in competing with similar fascist programs in Europe prior to WWII?

    As much as I am pro-gay rights, is a single man who wants to be a scoutmaster (which is obviously kind of weird and fishy to start with)worth the legal liability associated with making it that easy to go camping with young boys? Although the Scouts may largely discriminate against gay men in the name of God and Country, operationally it is a sound, if unpleasant decision. Are single men allowed to lead Girl Scout Troops?

  5. I love the tolerance by Yungoe · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Why is it that most religious people I meet are Atheists?

    I am so pleased to see that there is sooooo much tolerance here for people who have different beliefs than those who post here. It is awesome that so many of you who bash this organization are probably also big time 1st amendment thumpers. I guess if someone has a different opinion than you, you don't support THEIR 1st amendment rights.

    I am sure that if the BSA did allow homosexual scout leaders many of you would liken them to the "Jesus Freaks" in the Catholic Church. I admire the BSA for standing up for that in which they believe. I for one hope that the BSA get all the help they need and more.

  6. Re:Hey, they will not let my kid in by Lt.+Pierogi · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    They won't let your kid in because you told him to make a scene to announce that he "didn't believe in thier "supreme being"". It's a private organization that has a very small religous aspect to it. I am proud to be a den leader in the cub scout program. I do not believe in God, but I just keep that private. I and my other son's den leader just ask the parents to do that very small section themselves. Apart from the religion the cub scouts is a very good program for boys. It wasn't your kids belief that kept him out of scouts, it was his being an asshole during signup that kept him out.

  7. Re:yes, well... by Dorkmaster+Flek · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    BZZT! Wrong. What we're being is intolerant of intolerance itself. We are, indirectly, promoting tolerance. This is not "the pot calling the kettle black", which is exactly what hate-mongering people would like you to believe. That way, you stay quiet instead of objecting loudly to their intolerance. Nice try, though.

    --
    I like to think of online DRM as something akin to a college -- you pay for lessons until you learn something.
  8. No shit, really? by maillemaker · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    >Homosexual men are not the same as nor do they aspire to be women.

    No shit, really? (rolls eyes)

    I think my point was pretty plain. Scouting is a place to help boys grow up to be men. NORMAL men.

    It has, collectively, no provision, ability, or desire to help them with growing up to be a homosexual man.

    It would be like going to a model train club and expecting help to build radio controlled airplanes. It's not their forte.

    --
    A work that expires before its copyright never enters the public domain and thus enjoys eternal copyright protection.
  9. And what point would that be? by maillemaker · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    >Yeah, I see they taught you some real fine lessons. I think you just made our point.

    And what point would that be? It's the truth. The Scouting Organization is an organization to help boys become normal men. This includes dealing with all the issues of normal adolescence encountered along the way. It collectively has no provision, ability, nor desire to help boys grow up to be homosexuals, or deal with homosexual issues of adolescence encountered along the way.

    The BSA is /excellent/ at what it does. I'm sorry that it can't be excellent at helping homosexual boys grow up to be homosexual men. Perhaps you could start an organization to cater to their needs.

    --
    A work that expires before its copyright never enters the public domain and thus enjoys eternal copyright protection.
  10. Re:Any Gay Programmers "Out" There? by daveywest · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    Full disclosure here first. I'm a Mormon, and I've served as a Varsity Scout Coach.

    I sympathize with individuals who feel same sex attraction. But I also feel God has plainly stated that sexual relations should be confined within the bonds of marriage between one man and one woman. That's not bigotry. It's expressing my moral standard. Your standards may differ. Ain't variety the spice of life.

    Open gays are excluded in scouting because inherently it becomes sexuality issue. A leader who discusses sex issues at a scouting meeting or function should be removed. Scouting is not the forum for "discovering" one's sexual identity. If I were to say in a scout meeting, "I really enjoyed banging my wife last night," I'd be thrown out.

    Quoting from the BSA adult application:

    The applicant must possess the moral, educational, and emotional qualities that the Boy Scouts of America deems necessary to afford positive leadership to youth. The applicant must also be the correct age, and subscribe to the Declaration of Religious Principle, and abide by the Scout Oath or Promise, and the Scout Law.

    As far as the religion issue:

    The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God and, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member, but is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious training.

    When you're a scout leader, you commit to put personal agendas aside and teach, coach and inspire young men to become better citizens.

  11. Re:BSA by urcreepyneighbor · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Pity there's no alternatives to the BSA. There's nothing stopping you from starting the Gay Atheist Scout Association. The acronym even rolls off the tongue - GASA, "gas-ugh!"

    Start the org and tell me how it goes when a fundamentalist Christian wants to be a leader, m'kay? thanks!

    Maybe some enterprising geeks could start one up, dedicated to environmentalism, conservation, science, and other mildly geeky stuff in addition to the BSA. Like the "Mr. Wizard Brigade" or something. You mean like Camp Quest?

    From the site:

    Camp Quest is the first residential summer camp in the history of the United States for the children of Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists, Brights, or whatever other terms might be applied to those who hold to a naturalistic, not supernatural world view.
    --
    "The fight for freedom has only just begun." - Geert Wilders