-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, Chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is concerned with the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) and the Scouts’ “possible problematic relationships with other organizations.” Rhoades is also concerned about various “problematic” program materials, although specifics details are being withheld.
The GSUSA is “a secular organization that refrains from teaching religious or spiritual beliefs or practices” that tries “to further girls’ leadership.” Therein lies the problem.
The Bishops are just the latest combatants in the War on the Girl Scouts. The first salvo was fired by James Dobson’s Focus on the Family when the Girl Scouts made their religious oath optional for membership. On the political front, Indiana state Rep. Bob Morris, R-Fort Wayne claimed:
A Girl Scouts of America training program last year used the Planned Parenthood sex education pamphlet “Happy, Healthy, and Hot.”
The GSUSA’s response was unequivocal: “No, we did not.”
Morris also claimed that “Planned Parenthood instructional series and pamphlets are part of the core curriculum at GSA training seminars.” GSUSA’s responded that they do “not have a relationship or partnership with Planned Parenthood.”
Indiana Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma mocked Morris by offering Girl Scout cookies, Thin Mints, to his colleagues in House chambers.
The GSUSA does not take a position or develop materials regarding human sexuality, birth control, or abortion. In the words of Rep. Morris: “If you’re not against it, you’re for it.”
CNN contributor Dana Loesch has suggested that conservatives should protest by boycotting Girl Scout cookies. Although I haven’t in the past, in the future I’m going to be buying Girl Scout cookies at every opportunity. I will donate them to the local food bank.
H/T: Steve Benen, David Crary (AP), Rob Boston (AU), Carol Morello (WaPo), Joseph L. Conn (AU).
Malisha,
(WARNING Irony coming)
You should listen to MikeS (as I interpreted his words to me). Don’t expose your personal experiences here.
Well, I plan to continue using myself as a reference to guide the way to my view on how we can become more human.
And if I’ve misinterpreted MikeS, then my apologies. Using you as a foil for a point is of course reprehensible, but human perhaps.
Of course, I could be accused of weeping on too many shoulders. Malisha can not be accused of that. She stands strongly and fights her own battles. As Blouise once said: “I’m exhausted” (just contemplating).
I hope Malisha continues, for all our sakes. You sure have beaten my record just with your posts today. Keep it up please.
ID707,
You misinterpreted me completely.
Idealist, don’t worry. I already forgot what it stands for!
When I coined the word “HMDU” I had something that was catchy enough to stick. This one’s a bridge too far.
@ Kate and Idealist: Oh about the girl scout experience I had? That was not about the GS at all; it was about one ignorant (though perhaps well meaning) woman who might have had a grudge against my family and who thought I was Miss “hoity-toity” because I spoke the King’s English in a little town in New Jersey where people thought the sentence “Me and him don’t have no more money” was wrong because it should have been “Him and me.” What I was saying was that in the earlier days (these were late 50s or early 60s) the GirlScouts were much different in that they were “girly-and-femininity-and-usefulness-and-sweetness” clubs whereas now, they’re “developing your personhood” clubs, which are much more useful to girls. But the little individual experience I had was not even a reflection on the girl scouts itself, even at that time.
The reason I know she was not teaching “question authority” was that, as I mentioned, the lesson on “question authority” did not follow this humiliating experience; only laughter followed. We then went on to getting our booklets and being instructed on what we had to tell our parents, how much money to bring in, what forms had to be filled out, and what to wear to the next meeting.
The GS leader’s daughter, Geraldine, later engaged in some pretty haughty “teasing” on days when the girl scouts wore their uniforms to school and had their meetings after school. She wasn’t thinking of that stuff on her own; she got it from her mother (she was not a mental giant). Then she presented one day (not in uniform) and announced to me that I should walk with her over to the candy store near the school and buy her candy on her way home. I said, “after school I go home with my brother and carry his books,” (because he had polio and used crutches at that point). She said, “OK just give me the money and I’ll get the candy myself.” I was puzzled. She said, “Or I’ll make fun of you some more. You’ll never be popular.”
So guess what? I never was. But in the back of my mind, I kept going over the GS Code, trying to remember if you were supposed to hold somebody up for candy or not — oh Jeez, I just couldn’t remember that thing!
Malisha,
You’re probably right, but only the intelligent would know enough to ask are you arabic. “No”, you answer, “We are just fighting the fatwah with ours”. “Oh.” they ask, “And what does this mean”. And then you having got
their attention say: elucidation, I forgot it now.
Idealist: AWD-WAH, AWD-WAH. (Well know, I think I messed up; it should read AAWD-WAH with a double-a at first.)
Don’t leave out that first W or it will seem that the T-shirts are advertising:
Anti-Democratic Wine-and-Horticulture parties.
We want to actually oppose the fatwah-like things, though. Let me figure this one out.
Attack Anyone who Doesn’t Do what We Want.
AAWDD-WWW.
See, I didn’t think it out carefully enough. It has to kind of sound like a Fatwah. They “issue a Fatwah” —
They issue an “AAWD-D[a]WWW.” I guess it would rhyme with “Ought-Daw.” Does that sound right?
Kate,
I think your reasoning would hold with some adult groups. But do you really think it appropriate for children with shock techniques?
I don’t agree. But whatever you think is OK for you to say.
I wonder if Malisha or other child for that matter, could have even gotten a chance to use their faculties after such a shock.
AWD WAH—-sounds arabic to me. We don’t want to make the ones here to suffer anymore that necessary, nor confuse issues.
How about “And wha’?” without the quotes of course.
And what did you say? Meaning, are you an idiot? You want what? You are against what? Go creep into your hole again!
MikeS,
Thank you for pointing the finger. Talk about typecasting. Who looks the Nazi? And you RCCs don’t scream. How many of you got to know him before you were told to love him?
Now who’s for another miracle soon?
Malisha,
As some said to me in a group therapy: “seems to be your day.”
Well, can’t be quiet and not say that I’m hoping for Ad-wah T-shirts ASAP. Could we see some marketed soon on internet, I hope? Hey gang, lets start something on Facebook and Twitter. Who knows, old folks can too.
You know this could be more popular than OWS. At least the goal is clear, and against something that hits us all.
Brilliant in so many ways, that essay.
What they should be holding an inquiry on is the addictive nature of Thin Mints. Those things are worse than crack. I am seriously offended that such sweet seeming little girls come to my door and work as “Enablers” to my habits. Evil drug pushers all. Congress needs to act swiftly and decisively in creating legislation banning the use and sale of such debilitating narcotics. They need to fund a DEA task force to hunt down, confiscate, and destroy all Thin Mints. And as for the pushers? Put ’em in jail and throw away the key.
Lste again as usual. So from the beginning.
Malisha re the Haredi. Typical NYTimes article shall we say, and if the article is correct the front page headline is tenditious. I am chagrined at the phenomenon itself. But have also no knowledge of what intra-jewry criticism has led to previously.
My point was not to point out Orthodox or any group per se, but call attention to the phenomenon of hiding offenders from public exposure, as the Catholics have got so much headlines (deservedly).
I am still trying to get my head around America, with all its integrated and dys-integrated parts.
So thanks for the info. More are welcome to contribute.
Meanwhile maybe my reports can serve as heads up to some degree (whether genuine or of ignorance is a question).
FABULOSO!
Oh Elaine, you got it to play? I was going to post that people just needed to go to http://www.youtube.com and paste in key words “Tom Lehrer Boy Scout” to find it because the link wouldn’t “embed,” whatever that means.
Thanks!
Tom Lehrer – The Vatican Rag
Malisha,
Thanks for the Tom Lehrer song!
Oops, maybe it didn’t work.
I don’t know how to do that stuff.
(Sorry)
Anon, remember the Tom Lehrer song?
Be prepared, that’s the boyscout marching song,
be prepared, as through life you march along
Be prepared to hold your liquor pretty well,
don’t write dirty words on walls if you can’t spell,
Be prepared!
Be prepared, and be careful not to do
your good deed when there’s no one watching you
Keep your reefer hidden where you’re sure that it cannot be found
and be careful not to smoke it when your scout master’s around
for he only will insist that it be SHARED!
Be prepared…
and it ends:
“If you’re looking for adventure of a new and different kind
and you happen upon a girl scout who is similarly inclined,
don’t be worried, don’t be flustered, don’t be scared:
BE PREPARED!
OH I DID IT I DID IT — I got a LINK, LOOK!!
Gene, I never joined. I was baptized shortly after birth. lol I would guess the Mardi Gras crew are mainly catholic , too.
Good point, Elaine. lol
Smom,
I have a personal prohibition on joining groups led by men in silly hats, so the RCC and Mardi Gras crewes are right out.