I agree with Howard. I vehemently disagree with the Boy Scouts' official positions regarding gays and atheists, but many individual Boy Scout troops reject this official BSA policy. It's similar to the Catholic Church's positions on contraception and abortion, where many individual Catholic congregations reject Rome's policies. Neither organization is as monolithic as it might appear to be at first glance. The BSA opportunity is too good to pass up. -- Jason
----- Original Message ----- From: Howard Ressel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 6:00 AM Subject: [USMA:24188] RE: Boy Scouts Merit Badge Do Girl Scouts allow boys? There are boy scout programs that do include girls. Explorers I believe are mixed gender. I say leave the politics out and don't loose the chance to hit millions of young impressionable boys about metric. Not teaching these boys metric is not going to change BSA's national policy's. (by the way, not all Council by the way subscribe to the same viewpoint). Howard Ressel, Metric Manger New York State Dept. of Transportation, Region 4 Howard Ressel Project Design Engineer, Region 4 (585) 272-3372 >>> "Matthew Zotter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 12/22/02 04:12PM >>> 2002 DEC 22 SUN In response to kilopascal, The BSA practices discrimination in three ways: Gender discrimination: No girls allowed Religious discrimination: No atheist allowed Homosexual discrimination: No homosexuals allowed (mainly as the Scout Master) Because the BSA is a privite organization, the US Supreme Court allows the BSA to do this. I like the Girl Scout Merit Badge idea. It would also promote science and engineering to girls. V/R Matthew Zotter SC, USA ----- Original Message ----- From: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2002 3:01 PM Subject: [USMA:24176] RE: Boy Scouts Merit Badge > 2002-12-22 > > The BSA practices discrimination? How? Could you be specific? > > John > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Bill Potts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, 2002-12-22 14:30 > Subject: [USMA:24173] RE: Boy Scouts Merit Badge > > > > I would be opposed to that, not because it's not a good idea. In > principle, > > it is. > > > > However, Boy Scouts of America practices discrimination, which has caused > > them, for example, to lose much or possibly all of their United Way > support > > (39 United Way affiliates as of last March). Until they mend their ways, I > > would be opposed to USMA getting involved with them. > > > > What the USMA actually does, of course, is up to the USMA. I'm just one of > > many members. > > > > The Girl Scouts, on the other hand, do not practice discrimination. I > would > > encourage USMA to pursue your idea in their case. > > > > Bill Potts, CMS > > Roseville, CA > > http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf > Of > > Matthew Zotter > > Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2002 11:04 > > To: U.S. Metric Association > > Subject: [USMA:24171] Boy Scouts Merit Badge > > > > > > 2002 DEC 22 SUN > > > > The American Society of Mechanical Engineers sponsors the Engineering > Merit > > Badge for the Boy Scouts of America. > > > > Other Scientific related merit badges are: > > Atomic Energy, Chemistry, Computers, Electricity, Electronics, Space > > Exploration. > > > > Do you think that the USMA would be interested in sponsoring and > developing > > some kind of SI or Metrication merit badge? I wonder if the Boy Scouts of > > America would be interested. Such a merit badge would influence young > > people and their parents. It would help get the word out. > > > > V/R > > Matthew Zotter > > SC, USA > > >
