[UA] UA this one!

[Timothy Ferguson]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ua-admin at lists.uchicago.edu [mailto:ua-admin at lists.uchicago.edu]On
> Behalf Of Chad Underkoffler
>
> I'd agree with that. However, good leadership-- good
> rolemodels--  by other/older Scouts and Scoutmasters/Ass't
> Scoutmasters really helped defray that.

I agree - but finding good ones is hard, especially hard in the US where you
don't let women be Scout leaders in the older sections of the male half of
the movement.  (Oh, over here, Scout troops are co-ed by law, although
Guides is still girls-not-even-fathers-on-camps)

> When the adults were
> involved, gave a shit, and paying attention, Scouting was a fine
> thing. When left to our own pre-teen and teenage devices,
> Scouting walked a knife-edge of horror.

I learned how to throw knives, drink alchol, fight with quarterstaffs, make
explosives and dig pit traps while a scout.  I don't do any of these things
anymore, of course...not even drink.  8)

BP said that scout patrols were an attempt to domesticate the London Street
Gang and he was right.  If you leave them on their own, they go feral, back
to their gang roots - complete with colours, leaders, recognition symbols
and weapons (what Americans call box cutters in my case).

> I will say that my initiation into the Order of the Arrow was an
> important experience for me, both in a personal and a mystical
> sense: the ritualistic nature of the ceremony much like that of
> a Greco-Roman mystery cult paraphrased with Native American drag
> and the ideals behind OA really effected me. Not to mention the
> meteor shower that happened during the ceremony, out in the open
> field under the stars.

Various Native American groups have asked for their mojo back.

Here we have King Scouts - or in my case, since we have the odd Queen as
ruler, the humiliating title of "Queen Scout".

I mean, calling teenage boys "Queen Scouts"?  Great PR there.

I doubt your lot do the whole Arthuriana thing in rovers, full symbolic
knighting ceremony with vigil, Flag of Saint George, Bible and copy of
Rovering To Success?  They didn't like me because I refused to swear oaths
on the flag of Saint George (the Saint of Scouts, who as a protestant of the
non-Anglican variety I do not recognise, and who the Catholic Church has
delisted, I believe.  Also, co-incidentally, the flag of England.  You know,
that's just a coincidence, apparently.  Right.)

> Funny; I look back at these sites and can see how I have tried
> to live my life in accordance with the Scout Oath and Scout Law
> (the actual things, not the ephemera around them, e.g., these
> anti- policies). And I know a handful of people who have done
> the same. I know that's not cool or hip, but it's my life, and I
> choose to live it with hope and with honour. I don't care if
> other think I'm deluded, or a fool, or a liar.

I'm still a pretty good Scout, by the historical standard.  By the
Queensland modern standard, I'm not all that good, because for example I'm
pro-republic and many leaders want the organisation to take "Loyalty to the
Queen" to mean "Must oppose the republic".

Timothy Ferguson (QS)


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