The Boy Scouts of America have filed for bankruptcy. They have failed to be what they claim and are now paying for that. I’ve written and posted in the past about my personal issues with the BSA program. [Don’t Bring the Fat Kid] They have been headed in the wrong direction for many years. The stances they have taken and the so called protective policies they attempted to use have undermined the very things they claim to stand for.

I was associated with the BSA for a long time. I am an eagle scout. That achievement doesn’t just go away. It’s something I am proud of. The friends I made when I was a scout are still my friends today. The things we did, the places we went, the adventures we had are as irreplaceable as they are priceless.

A program like the BSA is important. It matters. Our children are the future and we need to do whatever is in our power to give them those adventures, those friends, those leaders and role models. The leaders, mentors and role models of the BSA as it stands now have failed entirely. Taking advantage of or abusing a child is as heinous a thing as I can think of. I do not understand it, nor do I forgive it. I am not a person of virtue when it involves people that prey on children.

Hiding records of this abuse is beyond unacceptable. Yes, clearly the easy stance that nobody will argue with. The opposite is an indefensible position. There is a part of me that demands this organization be immediately dismantled, ended, and relegated to history.

BUT

Before something is completely destroyed it is important to try to wrap our heads around the potential impact. There is never really any way to truly know all the results or fall out from an action like this. There are more than 2 million boys that are still participating in this program. The most important question I can come up with is this ~ what fills the void if the BSA just goes away? The millions of boys out there getting something vital and positive from scouting will lose out. Where do they go to fill that void? No matter how convenient the entire organization can not be painted with a single brush. I don’t have good answers for alternatives. I wish I did. I’d go and do that.

I don’t believe the BSA will survive this. It won’t be immediate, but they will collapse under the weight of their own hubris and inability to adapt to a changing world. Much like my thoughts on a recent architecture school closure, I derive no joy from this. It saddens me to know that those thousands of boys suffered at the hands of a group that has had such a positive impact on millions of others. It’s desperately sad for me to see all the failings as an adult that I was thankfully and blessedly unaware of as a boy. I was lucky and didn’t face abuse like that. It’s depressing to see a future without a strong and popular organization for giving life to outdoor activities for kids that need it now more than ever.

I’d be interested to hear if anyone has alternatives to a program like the BSA. I hope something fills the void that will be left when the BSA eventually dies. Filling that void matters. Filling that void with a group that doesn’t hide child molesters matters more.