Trail Life: The New Anti-Gay, Nazi Scouting Group

[The Pecman]

It never ends.

So now that the American Boy Scouts have been forced to allow gay boys into their organization (though are still resisting having gay men as scout leaders), a right-wing religious organization has started a new "morally straight" conservative scouting organization called Trail Life. Trail Life will not permit any gays to join or attend scout meetings or campouts.

And here's one of the first glimpses at the new organization:

Somehow, this reminds me of something. Sieg heil! Sieg heil!

Full story here:

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/1-did-national-news-whitewash-new-anti-gay-scouting-groups-eerie-salute/news/2014/03/03/83926

[Graeme]

I've never been a boy scout, and I've certainly never been a boy scout in America, so can someone confirm if the explanation given the article is valid?

“We were horrified when we saw the photo in question on the MSN site and immediately investigated the situation,” Stemberger said in a statement Monday. “This is what we learned… Many Boy Scout Troops have a tradition of ending their troop meetings with the boys gathering in a circle and then singing the song ‘Taps’ which is a slow ceremonial piece of music played or sung at the end of the day. The Boy Scouts that do this closing ceremony start singing the song with their hands raised straight into the air with the scout sign and then gradually lower their hands till they get to the end of the song when hands are at their side. This longstanding Boy Scout tradition was being followed with this Texas Trail Life troop using the Trail Life sign.”

Is this really a long standing Boy Scout tradition?

[Nigel Gordon]

I've never been a boy scout, and I've certainly never been a boy scout in America, so can someone confirm if the explanation given the article is valid?

Is this really a long standing Boy Scout tradition?

I was a boy scout in England, which is where scouting started, and it definitely was not part of the tradition here during the time I was in the scout movement (1956 to 1964).

[Chris James]

The explanation by this organization's leadership does tend to make the photographer look like the culprit by giving us this view. Guess we have to take their word for it. I doubt if the parents of these boys would approve of a Nazi salute. Let us not confuse Christians with Nazis so easily, although on occasion they do make it hard to ignore.

I was a Boy Scout for about four years and left when I didn't think it much fun anymore. I do not remember any such ceremony or tradition, but then we were hardly a religious group either even though we met in a church basement once a week. Times change and over the years I saw changes in the scouting program I didn't like including the ever increasing role of Christian ideals. We never had badges for religious activity, but they do now...or did.

Trail Life is just another aspect of religious fervor and their exclusion policies will get them the rewards they so justly deserve. Not a dime from me.

[Nick Deverill]

I was a boy scout in England, which is where scouting started, and it definitely was not part of the tradition here during the time I was in the scout movement (1956 to 1964).

And it's not now either. I've friends who are leaders.

[Cole Parker]

Someone screwed up! There's a black kid in that picture! Horrors! But he's the smallest one there, so perhaps the leaders recognized for group dynamics and harmony they'd need someone to pick on, and so brought in the black kid for that purpose.

I was in the Boy Scouts for about three weeks. I found it was cliquish and not a bit inclusive and so dropped out. It wasn't for me. But there was no singing of taps at the ends of meetings. Someone is making this up.

C

[The Pecman]

Someone screwed up! There's a black kid in that picture! Horrors!

But no Jews! Nein!

[Forgive me -- I just saw the WWII film Monuments Men, so Nazis and the war were on my mind. I mean no disrespect to anybody!]

[JamesSavik]

"Let's do this, it'll drive the adults bat shit."

Y'all do remember this one?