Geocaching: TNG and Scouts

I had the pleasure yesterday of introducing a few scouts in the troop at our church to geocaching. While it has been a while since I have gone out caching it has always provided me with a lot of fun and something to do in unfamiliar cities. Geocaching for those who don't know was best summarized to me as using multi-million dollar satellite systems to find Tupperware in the woods. Essentially a cooperative game of hide (objects, not yourself) and seek that is coordinated online on the original site, http://www.geocaching.com/. To be fair, there are other sites that perform similar functions but not as comprehensively in my opinion. The BSA has implemented a new merit badge for geocaching and I was asked to introduce the game to our boys.

This was also Doug's first scout meeting as a boy scout. and I think he and his friend Joey enjoyed being the knowledgeable ones in the room due to me having taken them both out caching in the past. It can sometimes be hard to be the new guy and bringing something to the proverbial table helps to eliminate some of that difficulty.

I have many fond memories of scouting and look forward to Doug developing some of his own. I know a lot of people like to criticize the scouts. For those who didn't enjoy their time in scouts, I am truly sorry. I learned in scouts that if I invested myself in energy and effort to the program, I received dividends in experience and skills. I've heard people say that they didn't need scouts to know how to camp. That may be true but camping is maybe 20% of scouting, more a method of teaching than an end goal.

For those who were traumatized by bad leaders, again I am truly sorry. Organizations like BSA have an obligation to screen and educate leaders to provide safe and enriching environments. It is a sad fact however that large voluntary organizations are probably the most difficult environment to enforce these standards. While I denounce the abuse of these victims, I would also state that for every one who suffered, there are perhaps as much as 100 more who knew of any such problems in their units. There is no such thing as an acceptable rate of abuse but I would further state that all youth organizations will face the same issues but not the same scrutiny due to their comparative size and relevance. No matter what the fanatics say, Macs are not inherently safer from viruses than Windows systems, they are just not as big of a user base and much the same is true for youth organizations.

As for discrimination, one of the benefits of a free society is non-compulsory club membership. I don't have to join the democrat party if I don't agree with them. There are benefits to being a democrat and it is an integral part of our governmental system but I can choose to not associate. The BSA should be viewed in a similar light. Join / don't join; your choice. If you think the uniform should be red then you can send the request through defined channels and if the leadership disagrees, fine, start your own organization with like minded red uniform people. There is no need for vilification or recrimination. Every day, everyone makes a choice as to who they associate with based on a variety of factors and this by definition is discrimination. We all discriminate whether we like Coke or Pepsi or meat or vegetables. The question then becomes if we can be tolerant. I believe that tolerance does not have to include a negation of standards. The Porsche Club of America does not have to let Corvette people in. The Corvette people can and do have their own club. It has never been my experience in scouting that violence against or persecution of others has been taught or even condoned. Per the Scout Law, A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent.