Scouting America Bans DEI Initiatives, Transgender Scouts
Scouting America Bans DEI Initiatives, Transgender Scouts In Pentagon Deal
Apparently, not even the kids are safe from the Trump administration’s war on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Scouting America, the organization formally known as the Boy Scouts, announced on Friday that it made a deal with the Pentagon to end all DEI programs and ban transgender youth from joining the scouts.
The Washington Post reports that the deal came after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced he would be reviewing the military’s relationship with Scouting America. You, like me, might be wondering why the Pentagon has any say over the Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts have had strong military ties since their foundation.
The U.S. military has helped with the annual National Boy Scout Jamboree since 1937, according to AP. Hegseth threatened to pull military support only months ahead of this year’s Jamboree due to Scouting America’s leadership making “decisions that run counter to the values of this administration, including an embrace of DEI and other social justice, gender-fluid ideological stances.”
Hegseth released a long-winded video on Friday announcing the changes and the reasons why the Pentagon demanded them. “After 2012, however, the Boy Scouts lost their way, and a once-great organization became gravely wounded. [DEI] crept in, the name was changed to ‘Scouting America,’ girls were accepted, [and] the focus on God as the ruler of the universe was watered down to include openness to humanism and Earth-centered pagan religions,” Hegseth said in the video.
You know I try to avoid cursing here for the sake of professionalism, but y’all. The Secretary of Defense is pressed over an “openness to humanism.” That is straight-up some weirdo shit. Hegseth really looked at the Boy Scouts and was like, “I have an idea. You remember that whole youth program Germany had in the ‘30s? I think we can do something with that.”
As part of its deal with the Pentagon, the Scouts will be phasing out the “Citizenship in Society badge. According to the Scouting America website, the badge encouraged scouts to “realize the benefits of diversity, equity, inclusion, and ethical leadership” by researching “any individual who has demonstrated positive leadership while making an ethical decision.” Well, considering who our current president is, I can understand why the Pentagon was offended at the concept of ethical leadership.
Scouting America also announced that it would be “waiving registration fees for military families, launching a new merit badge focused on military service and veterans, and reinforcing our commitment to Scouting’s foundational ideas: leadership, character, duty to God, duty to country, and service.”
“The Scout Law says a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, and brave. There is nothing brave about caving to political coercion,” a former troop leader from New York, speaking on the condition of anonymity to avoid reprisal, to the Post. “There is nothing kind about telling transgender children they are not welcome. There is nothing friendly about dismantling the programs designed to make Scouting inclusive for all young people.”
Sure, the U.S. military can’t stop firing anti-drone lasers for no reason, but at least the Boy Scouts aren’t “woke” anymore. So glad the Secretary of Defense has his priorities together.
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Scouting America Bans DEI Initiatives, Transgender Scouts In Pentagon Deal was originally published on newsone.com
