Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of Where?!

I’m beginning to think that it’s time for the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts to go away. When I was growing up during the 50′s and most of the 6′s, I was not allowed to join the Girls Scout troupe in my neighborhood. My parents were informed that there was a “colored” troupe I could “join” on the West Side of Chicago. However, that group was NOT allowed to participate in activities with the other troupes in the City. Besides, I lived walking distance from Lake Michigan. So, it was really too far to go across town. Furthermore, it was insulting and discriminatory.The same thing happened to my brothers with the Boy Scouts (of America?! my ass!).

My father thought socializing with children our age, learning about nature and learning crafts and camping skills were important, so were enrolled in both the local YMCA and also a neighboorhood club, that provided lots of activities for children during the summer. Neither association discriminated. All were welcome. Consequently, there were white, black, Asian and Hispanic children. And we all got along for the most part, if for no other reason than we all lived in the same neighborhood, and went to the same schools, public, private and parochial. We played outside together on the street.

The only time there was a problem was when there was the annual trip to the television show, Bozo’s Circus. All the non-white children were forced to remain on the bus, or stay home and not participate because Bozo didn’t want non-white children on his show. That didn’t change until the late 60′s, due to a court order. It was the same order that required that the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts integrate. By that time, it didn’t matter to us. However, I suppose it was good for the children that grew up later.

I became disgusted again with the Boy Scouts when their blatant hostility to homosexuals came to the fore during the 80′s and 90′s. Although I have supported the Girl Scouts over the years. The only reason I did was to support them was because I was supporting my neighbors and my friends children by purchasing cookies from them.

Today I have learned that the Girl Scout are considering having their uniforms manufactured in China! That would cause several hard-working AMERICAN workers to lose their jobs! The GSA claim they are “concerned about providing good value to their members”. Oh, please! If the almighty dollar is more important than instilling American and patriotic values, just disband now. Otherwise, it won’t be the Girl Scouts of America, will it? No, it will then be the Girl Scouts for China! It’s already the Boy Scouts Just the Ones We THINK Are Straight. What kind of values will be instilled in our children?! That money is the only thing of value! Some moral compass THAT is!

Meditating on America: Ben and Now

Over the weekend I watched a re-run of a documentary about the inventions of Benjamin Franklin, and how his scientific way of thinking had influence on his approach to politics.. I've always admired him. I think he's the greatest American thinker. Ever. And one of the greatest minds humanity has ever turned out. I believe the secret of his creative genius was his use of reason. His analysis of form and function was amazing. By using the most basic of scientific principles of observing and accurately recording, he could arrive at the operational definition, thereby solving a problem (better heating) or answering a question (electricity).

Right now people are operating under the assumption that we live in a zero sum universe, either shrink, ing or fixed. That translates into if your make a penny that's bread of out my mouth. Meaning there are finite resources and therefore finite opportunities for survival.

Enter the concept of organizing: sharing and pooling resources for mutual gain. (We used to call it hunting and gathering) It's the ability to rationalize another's behavior is why we decided to organize first, for survival. That in turn changes perception where the sum of the parts is greater: out of many we are one. If that's true, i.e it works, and we survive and thrive, then the universe is expanding, neither fixed nor static.

How in the hell did we get from the reason and logic to superstition and fear in 200 years?! What the hell is the matter, here?! This is asinine.

History has clearly demonstrated that the universe is expanding. We're still here, aren't we? Therefore so our our possibilities. Just go back to figuring out the ways it can be done. WWBD