[15275] in APO-L
mostly background for the BSA/GSUSA discussion
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dennis R. Hickey)
Wed Nov 6 08:58:51 1996
Date: Wed, 6 Nov 1996 08:55:40 EST
Reply-To: "Dennis R. Hickey" <71542.2142@COMPUSERVE.COM>
From: "Dennis R. Hickey" <71542.2142@COMPUSERVE.COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Hi, this is really mrn, looking like my husband on our home account. I read
APO-L in digest form, so I hope this post is still on topic when you all get it.
1)
A few years ago, when the BSA 'GGG' issues were news headlines, some of our
chapters started getting heat from their schools because of perceived
identification with BSA policies. This hampered their service and in some cases
threatened their survival. I hasten to point out that we don't go rewiting
ourselves at every irritation, but this situation contributed to the feeling
that some technical changes were necessary.
In most chapters I know about, the more important issue is working with the
kids, or building at the camp, etc., be it Boy, Girl, Rainbow, Blue, or Purple.
The sentence structure of the Bylaws should not be allowed to hinder that.
2)
Over the past several years, attempts have been made to approach the GSUSA at
the Board level, without much success. In my personal opinion, we have not been
proactive enough in this matter. However, I have not been the Board member
responsible (I did offer to help), and I respected however the Scouting
Committee chose to handle it. At the current time, the Chair of the Scouting
Relations Committee is not an elected member of the Board, and according to the
Bylaws he is tasked with communication between us and both Boy and Girl Scouts.
I can't say I've heard much from this committee lately (and I'm sure someone
will correct me if I've forgotten :)
3)
Please do not let this discussion deteriorate into boys vs. girls [scouts].
APO-L is an excellent forum for discussing Convention proposals but it is easy
to slip into flame wars. Please restrain what can be construed as personal
attacks. Also, the BSA-related amendments have little to do with the
all-male/coed proposals, except that both use the concept of 'tradition'
heavily.
4) OA ceremonies are 'secret' too, and since I've just learned more about them
than I ever gleaned in many many years in APO, I think we should stop refering
to anybody's ceremonies here.
5) True, the Philippines have separate structures for Brothers and Sisters. We
(Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity) have entered into an international
organization with them for worldwide benefit, but we have NOT absorbed them, nor
they us. We both maintain entirely separate infrastructures, though we are
working together to spread our common goals beyond our borders.
YILFS,
mrn
National Service Chair
