JCS

If they can't understand the rants and raves, then they probably do not understand the policy from which those comments originate. Why are they participating in something they are to young to understand? Or better question, why are adults exposing children to divisive doctrines that the kids will be confronted with. Just who is the guilty party? When they show up at my door I respond as christ-on-a-stick did.

1)I did not solicit them.
2)I did not set their policy
3)I did not send the kids forth with this burdon on their back
4)It is not my fault the organization has not fully explained their policy to their participants.
5)Last but not least, if they don't like my response they are free to ignore it.

Mageth

That being said, I am waiting for the opportunity to talk with the boyscouts. I am not going to go search them out, but if they are going door to door to sell crap/collect crap/whatever, I will discuss the issue with them.

Forgive me, but this just sounds silly.

<knock knock>

"Yes?"

"Sir, my cub scout troop is collecting groceries and used clothes for the needy. Would you like to donate?"

"Well, first let me discuss with you the blatant discrimination and bigotry of the organization you belong to! Did you know the Boy Scouts of America discriminates against atheists and homosexuals?"

"DAAADY! That man talked about SEX with me!"

I agree with others; take it to the adults. Adult strangers haranguing children about the organization they belong to is simply not the best way to go about solving the problem, whether it is appropriate or not.

I don't think in this case it is appropriate for a stranger to "discuss" (lecture, really) such an issue with a child. If someone did this to my son, the next discussion would be between me and him.

JCS

Godless Dave

lisarea

I'll say it again, though: They should not be initiating conversations with strangers if said strangers are supposed to keep their comments within some prescribed range of suitability.

A couple of years ago, there was this weird Baptist preacher from a nearby church who'd go door to door proselytizing. It was truly bizarre. The guy had this shiny purple suit and he looked like a cartoon pimp or something, and he'd knock on your door and give you hellfire and damnation speeches. But he always had this maybe six year old boy with him, whom he used as an argument deflector. There's this kind of social proscription against contradicting parents' belief systems in front of children, you know.

But to hell with that. If you send your child to my house, or to otherwise initiate some sort of discourse with me, you are just going to have to accept that my expectations and understanding of appropriateness might differ from yours.

Now, I don't have an issue with the girl scouts. I just don't think it's fair to send immature children out to contact strangers and hold the strangers accountable to your own perceptions of what's appropriate.

JCS

That would be fine. Then you could explain why you're exposing your child to something they are not able to understand. You expose the kid then fault the individual that questions this exposure.

AquaVita

I agree. Adults who do not know my child have absolutely no right whatsoever to decide what to lecture him on.

simian

How about:

"I refuse to support a group that practices and promotes bigotry against innocent people. As an athiest I am not able to even be a volunteer for the boy scouts, despite the fact I am an engineer, have an advanced degree, have years of experience in the corporate world, have my Professional Engineer's liscence. I have no more respect for a religious bigotry than I have for a racial bigotry."

By and large the BS members here interacting with the public are not the 6/7 year old variety, but young teens.

The BSA is an openly bigoted group. When they come to my door, I will discuss with them that I don't appreciate discrimination on the basis of items that have no bearing of the "worth" of a person.

Simian

AquaVita

Please stop with this argument, as it has no merit. We expose our children to many things they may not fully understand. The idea of these orginizations is to promote interaction with other kids, and to give kids something to do, to keep them from being latch-key kids, and off the streets.

Your argument has no grounds.

Godless Dave

JCS, Ms. Stick's comments focused on discrimination against gays as well as against atheists, and she brought up her own bisexuality. So in her case she was criticizing the GSA for a policy that doesn't exist.

AquaVita

They're selling cookies and candy and wrapping paper for crying out loud! They are not out to be lectured to! They are only out to raise money and do what they are told. Almost every kid has been through it at one point.