[sageofages]

Originally posted by hoosier
This is a quandary for me.

I think kids deserve to have a little fun, and while I wouldn't want to be held upside down while somebody wrote on my forehead, it seems to me that you are describing an awards ceremony, which an 8-yr.-old boy would enjoy, and he would wear the "B" for bobcat proudly so all his classmates and teachers could know he was a winner.

Surely two adults could safely hold an 8-yr.-old upside down.

I'm not accusing you, but too many mothers today want to eliminate all risks from the lives of their children. They seem to only want only teacher and adult planned and supervised play, only on areas carefully padded with wood chips and rubber meeting Federal Standard 1234 (sec. ccd).

Another example is boys swimming naked at the YMCA and summer camps. Generations of boys grew up learning to swim in the suit God gave them, and showering after gym class in gang showers. (I last saw a nude swim class at U. Maryland about 1975). The past generation of mothers has ended these traditions, alarmed that shy little Johnny might feel "uncomfortable".

I'm opposed to GLO hazing, but the generations of boys grew into men - leaders, soldiers, inventors, teachers, etc. - not by suffering from hazing and locker room fun, but by learning to give and take.

I do under the bonding of common experience. And I was on the receiving end of what I now know was hazing in a school sanctioned activity in 8th grade (Curtis Jr High School, University Place School District, Tacoma Washington), and I don't feel "damaged" by it.

HOWEVER, this was indirect definance of a stated policy of BSA...the "ceremony" itself had no basis in the CUB SCOUT mystic (not the right "motto"), and when confronted on the inappropriateness of this, was still continued. THAT is the fertile grounds that the seeds of further and more dramatic hazing are sown.