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Courtesy of John Mark Buckland
John Mark Buckland, 42, of Huntington, W. Va., said he was sexually abused by a Boy Scout leader at Travis Air Force Base when he was 12 years old in 1982. The Boy Scouts' secret file documenting that abuse will be made public under a court order on Thursday, along with more than 14,500 pages of previously confidential documents detailing accusations of child sex abuse within the organization.
Updated at 2:35 pm ET to reflect release of the report:
John Buckland was 12 years old when an assistant Scoutmaster sexually abused him on an Air Force base in California. He has been waiting years for the day when a secret Boy Scouts file documenting that abuse three decades ago would be made public.
That day came Thursday, when more than 14,500 pages of previously confidential documents created by the Boy Scouts of America detailing accusations of child sex abuse within the organization were released under an Oregon Supreme Court order.
“It unveils all the secrecy, or at least a good portion of it, and the secrecy is the biggest demon there is when it comes to things like this, because it’s by being hidden that it basically just eats people away like a cancer,” Buckland, 42, of Huntington, W. Va., told NBC News.
“I think the release of the files will be instrumental as far as victims are concerned in being able to see that the dialogue is out there, and what I’m hoping to see is that there will be some really good self discovery of other people who haven’t come forward, people who will get a chance to see the files and actually being able to start processing it and getting their experience out in the open. But as long as the files were hidden that would never happen," he added.
The court ordered the Boy Scouts to release the “ineligible volunteer” files from 1965 to 1985 that chronicle suspected or confirmed instances of child sex abuse. Media organizations had sued for the release of the files, part of a 2010 case in which a jury decided that the Scouts were negligent in allowing a former assistant Scoutmaster to associate with the organization's youth after he admitted molesting 17 boys in 1983.
Lawyers for victims of the abuse say that the files, which they have dubbed the “perversion files,” represent reports of Scouts allegedly abused by more than 1,200 different Scoutmasters and other adult volunteers. The files, which includes Buckland’s abuser, were released Thursday on www.kellyclarkattorney.com.
View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.
A report by the Boy Scouts in September said that 829 of the files from Jan. 1, 1965, to June 30, 1984, involved suspicions or confirmations of inappropriate sexual behavior with 1,622 youth. The report was done for the organization by Dr. Janet Warren, a professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the University of Virginia.
At the time, the Boy Scouts said in a letter that they would review their files created from 1965 to the present “and ensure that all good-faith suspicion of abuse has been reported to law enforcement.” They also said that there “have been instances where people misused their positions in Scouting to abuse children, and in certain cases, our response to these incidents and our efforts to protect youth were plainly insufficient, inappropriate, or wrong.”
Boy Scouts admit response to sex abuse was 'insufficient'
On Thursday morning, the organization also noted: “Where those involved in Scouting failed to protect, or worse, inflicted harm on children, we extend our deepest and sincere apologies to victims and their families.”
“While it is difficult to understand or explain individuals’ actions from many decades ago, today Scouting is a leader among youth-serving organizations in preventing child abuse,” the statement added.
In an interview with NBC DFW, National President Wayne Perry said: "I would ask parents to look at the programs we have and then judge us versus, maybe not the past, but judge where we are today and certainly judge us against any other youth service organization in the world and they will see that your kids are very, very safe."
Buckland said his life spiraled downward after Air Force officials came to his parents’ house on Travis Air Force Base in Vacaville, Calif., with photos depicting his abuse by a Scout leader. He dropped out of high school, got into drugs, attempted suicide twice, had many failed romantic relationships and eventually ended up in prison for two robberies that he confessed to doing.
His abuser was court-martialed and sentenced to hard labor, Buckland said, but it took him decades to figure out the source of what was troubling him since he, like the Boy Scouts, had buried the abuse. He said his life turned around when he got his dream job as a firefighter and then landed a two-year post in Iraq in 2009, where, while online, he came across stories similar to his own.
“That was the first time that I understood the dynamics of what was going on inside of me that flawed my decision-making, that flawed my emotions, that flawed everything and really propelled me in that direction,” he said. “The light bulb goes off and that’s decades later.”
For Buckland, the Boy Scouts’ apologies are insincere and forced. He said they never contacted him since he was abused in 1982 to see if he was okay.
“These files had to be ripped from their hands,” he said, noting that the lawyers who fought the 2010 case, Kelly Clark and Paul Mones, had “taken us from being a piece of paper to being a person that was offended, and that’s a huge difference.”
“This whole thing empowers us,” he said. “We’ve been powerless up to now. We’ve been at the whims of a multibillion-dollar organization that … has all the money to keep us under a desk in a box. And for now, they can’t do it anymore.”
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I hope they track down every one of these perverts and sue the he!! out of them! I'm so sick of reading about these organizations that sweep this kind of abuse under the rug.
Trust NO ONE with your kids!
Don't just blame the leaders. Yes they are guilty of a heinous act but that act would not have happened if the parents and been involved. As a scout leader of a troop that has about 30 boys I should have 30 parents available to help. However on any given meeting I only have six parents and when it comes to camping I do good to get enough drivers to get the boys to the camp site. I have also been involved with girl scouts and in both cases I have seen so many parents who just drive up, drop off their child, and drive off for an hour and a half to two hours with out knowing what is going on at the meeting. These are the situations that allow these predators to do the things to the children that they do.
So lets look at why parents have allowed it to happen and let them share some of the blame the this to happen.
What the he!! does Obama have to do with this? You're just as sick as the pervs!
And Grumpy, I certainly DO blame the leaders. They knew about it, and did nothing to stop it! They didn't even report it to the police!!
The blame is where it belongs, as far as I'm concerned.
HI Vermillion,
Um, I just reread the article, and reviewed the video, and I missed the part where the President attacked the boy scouts. Please enlighten me.
Peace
kat, I'm not saying the leaders are not to blame, but if there is only one adult at a meeting that's when these type of issue happen. They can be prevented if parents take an active involvement in their children's activities. I have yet to hear of a molested boy where there were two or more adults present. So yes some of the blame, not a large part, belongs with the parents as well.
Your comment and segue to "Obama" is what's "crap". He and many others would like to see gays accepted into the BSA as the human beings they are, instead of being barred due to brainless stereotyping. That isn't "attacking". You assume that the abuser in this story was gay? He may NOT have been. "Pedophile" does not automatically equal GAY. A pedophile who abuses boys can be straight. Gay men are no more inclined to be attracted to BOYS then are straight men inclined to be attracted to GIRLS. Sexual orientation has not one thing to do with those adults who are attracted to, and molest, children.
Statistically speaking almost all pedophiles are "heterosexuals" - There is no absolute concensus in the statistics, but I've seen references from only 1 in 30 pedophilia cases involve a gay male to 95% of pedophiles are heterosexuals. In fact, generally speaking the majority of pedophiles self report as heterosexual, married, white male, Christians.
How disgusting are we as a species? We have these special little clubs that we think deserve special little privileges because they believe in precious little secrets.
"Homos!? How disgusting!
Now come over here little Charlie, sit on scout leader Billy's lap, I want to teach you all the wonderful "values" of us good ole' pure Christians.
Homos!? Contraception!?! why ... why ... how dare you insult the integrity of our church's values!
Now come over here little Sammy, sit on Father Thomas' lap, I want to teach you all about morality and sin. Now you know to keep this our little secret, right?"
If you support religious institutions (of any kind) because you somehow think they embody the values you hold dear ... just think for a moment on what you're doing. You are putting yourself, and those you love, in danger of falling victim to the power of absolutes ... the power of authority through privilege. Basically, the recipe for absolute disaster.
Wake up people. My god, what the hell happened to judging people based on the content and merit of their character. Now all you need to do is say a few magic words and cross your fingers over your face and chest and this somehow means you're a man of honor?
I'm not going to get into the absurdities and irrationalities of religion (that's for another discussion). But at the very least open your damn eyes and see what is happening in your society who holds "faith" over reason.
-
Find the perps but don't go on organizational witch hunts. There IS a difference. These 30 year old reports and law suits should be thown out with the rest of the circumstantial garbage. They are ONLY about $$$$! People are so pathetic.
Vermillion
Don't take this the wrong way ... but you are everything that is wrong with America. You're not only ignorant, uneducated and all-around nasty ... but you're proud of these things. You're the "cling to my religion and guns" type of citizen that fears the progress of change like a vampire fears the coming of dawn. I'll probably get banned for a week for saying this, but in your case ... it will be worth every day of absence.
JP, you sound like Sandusky's lawyer.
Let's not forget that the abuse doesn't stop with the boy scout, my brother was abused by his scout leader and then went on the sexually assault my two sisters and I for years. The youngest was in diapers when he started.
Chad
Vermillion's correct, a male who has sex with males is a homosexual. A man who has sex with a child is a pedophile. A man who has sex with a male child is a homosexual pedophile. At the very least, a man who has sex with a male child and females is a bisexual pedophile.
Vermillion, fetch up some learning, you are presenting yourself to be a fool.
Pedophilia is not about gender, it is about age. If you get a really good dictionary, as opposed to one that supports your bias, you will learn 'pedo' is a prefix meaning child.
Whether you accept the truth or not, women can be pedophiles.
Johnny.
No
Pedophilia is in an entirely different sexual category than that of heterosexual/homosexuality. Pedophiles are not attracted to "males vs females," they have a sexual attraction to prepubescent forms. It has nothing to do with gender. As another commenter already pointed out, the vast majority of convicted pedophiles report zero attraction to "men." Most are married and have never had a sexual encounter with an adult male. In fact, there are many cases in which long-term abuses have been documented with a single child. Once that child hits a certain age, i.e. progresses through puberty, the assailant will essentially end any and all abuse and move on to a new prepubescent victim.
@Kat
I have posted about this before and will post again. I firmly believe the Boy Scouts were ahead of their time when it comes to protecting youth from abuse. I know that sounds counter to what has happened, but I was a Boy Scout in the 1980's and as a youth member during that time I recall receiving training concerning youth protection. As I aged out of being a youth and entered adult leadership, I continued to receive training on youth protection and I also administered training. I witnessed the programs and procedures the BSA put in place to protect kids. One of those procedures was to maintain this list that is now being made public. I know of individuals who have been placed on this list AND were turned over to authorities. Unlike the Catholic church, as the BSA has been compared to in other reports and comments, they did not shift adult leaders around from one unit to another like the Catholic church shifted priests around. In the councils I have been involved, the leaders both volunteer and paid, took youth protection seriously and did report to authorities as well as internally.
I will not deny that there has been and probably will always be people within ANY organization, including the BSA, who skirt the rules and/or take short cuts, but I wholeheartedly believe and maintain that the BSA has done a LOT to protect youth. It is because of the training I received in the BSA that I am aware, far more aware, of the potential for abuse and the need to protect youth from predators.
The BSA put procedures in place to discourage and minimize the possibility of abuse. There will always be devious individuals who slip through the cracks and find ways around the procedures. It is a cat and mouse game and as they become more crafty and devious, then those of us who want to protect our children and other children will learn to develop new tactics of protection. Part of that process is this very discussion that is taking place on this forum.
I can attest and agree with Grumpy that in many cases, parents are looking for free child care and are not involved in their children's activities. Even my own parents did not participate in my Scout troop other than to take me there and drop me off until I was old enough to drive. I see the complacency and apathy parents have everywhere I go, even among some of my extended family members. They would rather drop their children off and not even check on them to see what they are doing so they can sit and run their mouths talking to others. I see it when I take my son to a fast food restaurant with a play land. I will often be the ONLY parent sitting in the play land providing supervision. Other parents just send their kids in to do whatever and the kids climb where they shouldn't and disregard the safety of others. But if something should happen to their own children they would not take responsibility for not watching them, they would blame someone else.
I again reiterate my believe that the BSA is being made out to be the bad guy when it is the predators who are the ones who committed the crime. I believe the BSA has worked hard for decades to protect children and will continue to do so, improving as time goes on.
And when my own son is old enough, I will introduce him to the BSA and I will be involved in his Scouting career because I am not afraid of what the BSA offers or the leaders who will work with him.
@Vermillion and Johnnyon thespot: Don't be a moron is correct because the VAST majority of pedophile crimes is perpetrated against GIRLS by men. Far more girls are sexually abused than boys. Therefore, pedophilia is a majority heterosexual crime. Because the abuse of boys has occurred in high profile cases under the auspices of national and international, well-respected, trusted orginizations, it gets more media attention. Just because you read more often about sexual abuse of boys by men doesn't mean it happens more often than sexual abuse of girls by men. A much higher percentage of heterosexual males are pedophiles than the percentage of homosexual males. Therefore, pedophilia is largely a heterosexual crime.
Source?
Otherwise, what you're posting is just krap.
Kevin, don't get me wrong. I am not advocating the destruction of the BSA. I know from personal experience, that the organization is well intended, and has helped thousands, if not millions of young men.
Maybe you can explain to me why the leaders felt they should simply sweep this under the rug instead of reporting it to the authorities like they should have? Do they not understand that by doing this, they pave the way for the continuance of this type of behavior? They could have save hundreds of young men from ever having to experience such a thing.
Help me to understand, because I, like other adults who were harmed by these kind of monsters when I was a child, find it almost impossible to forgive these perverts and the people who protect them.
Take your son to the BSA. I have no doubt that his experience will be a good one because you'll be right by his side. And everyone knows that the thing a pedophile fears the most, is an attentive parent who is involved with their child.
I totally agree with those on this board who say that parental involvement would have saved some of these young men. But the fact that some parents don't get involved, is not the fault of the child, and they are in greater need of protection from those that set themselves up as leaders.
Sadly, we can't save them all. But upon discovering these kind of horrors, it is our duty to expose it and report it to the appropriate authorities.
The problem is simple. Senior Boy Scout leaders conspired to cover-up allegations of child sexual abuse within the organization, even allowing suspect troops leaders to be transferred multiple times, even internationally, thereby allowing tens of thousands of new victims to suffer. If these cases had been referred to prosecution in a responsible manner at the time of the accusation, tens of thousands of young men wouldn't have been forced to suffer. What senior BSA leaders did over a 56-year period to try to shield their organization makes what the Penn State athletic department did look like chickenfeed.
So how to determine and then attempt to compensate the many needless victims? I looked at the list and there were incidents reported in my own local Boy Scout troop in 1969 and 1970, when I was ages 12 and 13. I probably know some of the victims. I was repeatedly molested during that same time frame too. I witnessed sexual molestation of other boys on a Cub Scout weekend camping trip during that time frame. Several of my abusers may have themselves been victimized by earlier incidents within local BSA troops nearby going back to the early 1960s. Hard to believe that it all could have been prevented in the BSA hadn't tried so hard to cover it up.
For almost 30 years after my early teen years I lived a very isolated and drug-addicted life thanks to my repeated victimization as a child. I told my mom and she beat me up for "lying" about her church friends. In 1974 I told the Vermont Highway Patrol within 18 hours of a series of violently abusive incidents at the hands of a family friend and they didn't believe me, instead calling my abuser and having him come and get me when I tried to run away and made it 20 miles before I got caught. Who knows, maybe the BSA had some involvement in what happened to me in Vermont in 1974 too?
All told between my out-of-control drug addiction, my getting tossed out of high school because nobody understood my symptoms, my destroyed self-esteem, and almost 6 years of individual therapy plus three 28-day trips to substance abuse treatment, all of my lost jobs, and everything else I lost in my life which could be at least partially pinned on my repeated childhood victimization, I'm out more than $1 million thanks to the Boy Scouts trying to cover-up the felony criminal behavior of their troop leaders in order to protect their organization. Most likely the guy featured in this story is himself a victim of the BSA coverup too.
So what do you figure, $1 million for each of the 50,000 victims that the Boy Scouts forced to suffer needlessly thanks to their cover-up? I think an amount like that would be plenty fair myself. After all, I am not asking for violent retribution just so that BSA leaders know how it feels, I am just asking for a fair and equitable solution so that the many victims can begin to move forward in their lives toward the day that we can all leave what happened to us behind.
PS: How can anyone say that increased parental involvement would have "saved these kids" when in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s the BSA was an institution above suspicion, now we know, way too late, because criminal allegations within its ranks were covered-up. It was perfectly normal back in that era for kids to join first the Cub Scouts and then the Boy Scouts. There was very little knowledge of such behavior or of the symptoms associated with it. Today such knowledge exists and there are numerous organizations where victims can get help, such as at malesurvivor.org. Back then nobody believed you and you were forced to suffer in silence.
They could simply have called the cops but deliberately chose not to do so. Just like the Catholic church they protected the organization and the perpetrators, not the kids.
One of my son's cub scout leaders belittled the boys and ordered them around like a herd of sheep. I took my son to every meeting and stayed the entire time because I didn't trust that man. The final straw was the evening I smelled alcohol on his breath.
Had I not been keeping a close eye on this guy, who knows what might have happened.
Pedophiles are clever and manipulative. They volunteer with organizations and work in careers that give them easy access to children. They maintain an image of respectability and trustworthiness because they want to lull parents into complacency. Don't be fooled.
Parents, do not entrust your child to anyone. Make certain your kids know about abuse and make sure they feel free to discuss anything with you. Let them know you're on their side.
"Failed relationships," is that the new terminology for beating and abandoning your wife and infant child?
Failed relationships=beat my wife and child and had them thrown out of their home. Only didn't commit suicide because I pulled the rifle from his face.
Oh John.you are so right.When it comes out it does empower you. I have used my experience to help others,you would not believe the look on others victims faces when they realize thier not alone..Its a purging effect.I will admit I have lost most of my family for not keeping the family secret.Those kind I do not need in my life I am Proud of you for coing foward and speaking openly of your enperience.Use it for good to help young boys...
And, so i ask why do we continue to trust others with our most valuable asset.
When my children were very young i told them, very simply, you must tell me if anyone touches you or hurts you.
We all know the story of the Big, Bad Wolf or The Wolf in Sheep's clothing.
A woman sparked further investigation of the Sandusky case because she questioned why would an adult be showering with a child.
Adults showering with children - Oh My. I guess 45 year old drill sgts can't shower with 17 year old soldiers, yet the soldiers can shower with their peer group that might include gays eye-balling their package. Of course scout masters can't shower in the company of boys in the middle of the friggin forest and must go filthy, and third world countries that don't have plumbing which requires men, women, boys, girls, dogs, cats to all bathe openly in rivers etc. are primitive. Yes, according to some of the idiots on this blog - every man or woman that showers in the company of a kid is a pervert? What total, moronic, victorian bull crap, and it demonstrates why Americans, sexually, are viewed by much of the world as a bunch of stupid assed people obsessed with a schizod view of nudity and sex - and THEY are right. SOME Americans support passing out condoms to teen-agers in school so they can dumb-down abstinence and have permission to screw their little brains out, teach classes on diversity to convince our children the two men butt-fu_king or a bunch of gential licking women are NORMAL, and allow the teenagers that DO get knocked up to kill their unborn kids without their parents knowing or being involved in the process. Like I said, a bunch of sexually screwed up friggin morons. Give me a break.
JP
To take your thought one step further, then all parents are pervert. Don't parents have to bath their children? Change their diapers? Hell I've done it for my grandchildren, does that make me a pervert? No.
Scout summer camps do have separate showers for men 18 and over, women, boys 15 - 17, and boys 14 and under. This is all to prevent inappropriate contact. As I have stated elsewhere, if there is only one adult and no other adult presents, then there is the opening for this kind of behavior. Parents need to quite expecting someone else to protect their children and take an active part in their upbringing.
Really now,My children were told early on the facts and also that when the time came I would make sure they had protection.2 girls,1 boy and that I would not say a word just do what I had to do to protect my children from having children.It worked and alll 3 came to me and I never said a word,ust took care of it..I remember Steamy Car Windows back in the 60's and better safe then sorry. As for Homosexuals give me a break,they are just people like you an I..Child molesters should be shot as they give these children a life sentence of pain.I should know as I am serving one due to dear old dad...
JP
The issue is not about keeping children from simply being exposed to nudity or being prudish. The issue is providing a safe environment for children and providing barriers to crimes of opportunity. The policies of the BSA create these barriers that protect not only the children from abuse, but it also protects the adults from false accusations.
The case of Jerry Sandusky is the perfect example of why creating these barriers is vital. He is a predator. If Penn State or his Second Mile program had restricted showering between youth and adults he would probably still be a free man. Instead, there were no barriers. The lack of checks and balances provided the perfect environment for him to do as he pleased. Within the BSA, the segregation of youth and adults goes beyond showers and extends to sleeping arrangements and traveling arrangements. These barriers exist in BSA policy for a reason - to limit the possibility and the opportunity for a pedophile to prey on a child. The only exception within the BSA policy is the parent/child scenario. Even with these policies in place, it is not a complete and foolproof solution.
The mother who questioned why Sandusky or any adult was showering with boys was right to do it. Had she not, how many other boys might have been abused? And would Sandusky now be behind bars where he belongs?
This is awsome! Get this crap out in the open. Its all over the place. Its destroying our 'civilization'. The 'good old days' were not good. Out with the old guard, and in with truth and transparency. There is still much to do. Denial and evil are powerful forces.
I have just one comment on what can be done by the military that cannot be done in a civilian court:
"His abuser was court-martialed and sentenced to hard labor, Buckland said"
We need more of the flexibility to take such action in the United States, not just for for such sexual abuse cases as this, but for theft/larceny breaking and entering and other crimes that are now rampant in the US. If you have ever been a repeated victim of these lesser crimes (which I have been and my friends and family and associates have) and see there is no way to imprison them or get your money, dignity, or piece of your life back that they stole, you will wish you could shoot them or at least get military court martial to sentence them to hard labor. But you cannot. You cannot force anyone to work for an honest living and they let the perps back on the street, just like I saw in Costa Rica and Tanzania in the early 90's
The Penn State scandal is nothing compared to this. And the Boy Scout organization will not allow gays, including women, to participate in scouting? Hypocrisy at the highest level.
The boy scouts are very religious,They wont allow homosexuals even. Wherever there are religious minds there are children being raped. Look at preachers. Those polygamists in Texas they carried the bible too.
I have never let my son Scout. I have always thought there was a cultist type feel to that org. In fact I have always looked funny at any organization that is fully for kids that are picky choosy about who can volunteer etc..
My husband and I pack up our family and take them camping ourselves support school functions we can be involved in through helping at practice etc.
The sad part is tho parents often look at these organizations as 2 hours of free time etc.
Trust me this is only the tip of the ice burg for this fiasco. Who knows what is going on today in the scouts..
Over 50% of Boy Scout Troops are Mormon ran and controlled. just saying.
mimicicu
Source?
To: Unsilent Majority....
Children are being harmed in and out of religious institutions. THAT is not the precursor for one to be a pedophile. Regardless, if there were gay counselors with the BSA....NO, I would not send my kids there! I didn't send them there anyway, we didn't want our children to be idiots. I've raised my children with good moral values.
And before you begin telling me that gay people can teach good moral values to children too...I seriously beg to differ!
Then you're rather misguided. The vast majority of pedophiles are men in heterosexual marriages who self-identify as straight.
Explain again why Atheists aren't moral enough for this group.
A very good question which I ask many times...
I guess it falls back to the fallacy (biblical) thought that "without god" = "without morals". Personally, when DUTY TO GOD is invoked to exclude others (agnostics & atheists) it really makes me bristle. The obvious problem with this is the atheists and agnostics ARE following what they believe their "duty' is...it's just not what everybody else thinks duty to god is.
Amen, Alverant. I wonder the same thing, too. I'm not an Atheist, but some of the most honest, moral, upstanding people I have EVER met have been Atheists.
It certainly makes you think.
WOW-talk about Karma! The 'Christian' Boy Scout organization wants to exclude the Gays but protect the pedophiles? By the time the Boy Scouts are done in court (restitution, lawyers, court costs etc.) they might not have enough money to continue the scouting program..........I guess you reap what you sow.
Unless the Boy Scouts are completely open with this and out the pedophiles pronto, they will go down in flames. When large orgainizations like this clam up about pedophiles or suspected pedophiles, you can bet there are some holding high positions within the organization. Look at the Catholic Church....
My little siblings all did Boy Scouts when they were younger and us girls were in Girl Scouts.....but with everything I've been hearing my children will never participate in "Scouts". First they deny an Eagle Scout award because the boy is gay but its ok for the boy scout leaders to molest little boys? Seriously?!
I wonder if females are so inaccessible to males that they can only use kids for their sexual pleasure since it seems to be a problem associated with the male population. It's really puzzling why this happens.
It happens for the same reason why 98% of serial killers are male.
Warren, most victims are girls overall, but there might be some under reporting for male victims. But pedophiles will often molest kids of either gender, and they tend to be found in organizations where the kids are available.
As a registered Scout leader, I find articles like this so depressing. The press gets ahold of it and goes nuts over it, while there are hundreds of thousands of honest and caring Scout leaders who are painted with this same brush. There are 1 MILLION volunteer leaders in Scouting - how could they possibly police every single one of them?
In our unit, we are SO careful to follow every rule to safeguard the well being of every Scout under our protection. Every single leader and involved parent is REQUIRED to take Youth Protection training every year and we are diligent in following the principles of "two-deep leadership" which mandate that two or more adults be present at every activity and are never allowed to come into tents, showers, or restrooms with the boys. And a buddy system is strictly enforced with the boys. Our motto is "A lone Scout is a goin' home Scout".
Mistakes were clearly made and I feel sympathy for all the victims, but don't tarnish the reputation of the largest and most successful youth program in the world as a result of mistakes that were made decades ago!
Thank you Adrian. Well said.
I do see your point. But should we just ignore this and soldier on? And what makes you think all of it was "decades ago". I highly doubt it. Anytime you have a situation where adults have this kind of power over young people -- and I don't mean physical as much as I mean psychological -- then the problems will exist.
I also have issue with the fact the Boy Scouts pretty much hold themselves up as so "perfect" and "Godly" that neither an atheist nor a gay person can be any part of the organization. That's hypocrisy plain and simple.
So yes, I do believe a little "tarnish" is appropriate.
Adrian/Grumpy, I'll try to state this carefully: while I do understand that not all scout leaders are pedophile predators, what I see lacking in your statements is anger and disgust for the perverts who used your organization to harm children.
Further, there is no excuse for the leaders of the scouts sweeping this kind of thing under the rug! Not reporting these kind of crimes to the police only encourages more of this type of behavior! Why don't these folks understand that?
People would be a lot more forgiving and supportive if each and every time a perv hurt a child, it was reported. As it is, it appears that they, like the Catholic Church, care more about tarnishing their reputation than they do about protecting the children.
I agree, that this will do a great deal of harm to the scouts, but look to your leaders, and demand answers as to why they did not put the protection of the children, first!
if they keep the files secret how do you know it's not happening now ?
kat
All I see in your statement is anger at the whole organization. I am angry at what has happened but I am also offended that you choose to include me as a leader in you broad general statements about scouting. Just because I don't us the same harsh word you do does not mean I am not angry, I just choose to temper my words with I type.
Grumpy, I tried to bridle my anger in my statement. I did not make it personal, as you claim I did, and did not hurl insults at you or Adrian. My anger, no, my rage is directed at those who put the reputation of the organization before the safety of the children. For that, I do not apologize.
My position remains the same.
But, tell me this: why are you so angry?
Grummpy,
I don't think you tempered your words so well in stating that parents share responsibility with pedophiles!
What angers me, is people like you still defend an institution, even minutely, that has ruined thousands of childrens' lives. Not to mention the nightmares the parents also have.
Are you a parent?
To Adrian.You called the sexual abuse "mistakes" anyone with half a brain would NOT call the sexual abuse of these boys a mistake.It is something that has devastated their lives.The Boy Scouts are such a homophobic organization.Thinking that a gay leader would be inclined to abuse a child, when in truth it's the other way around.I hope that all the boys who were abused can summon the strength to come forward and sue. Any good from this organization will always be overshadowed by the sexual abuse.
my brother was a boy scout in the 70's. he went on a trip to Peru with the scouts and their "leader" provided all of them with cocaine the whole time they were there. He was eleven years old. After that, his drug problems escalated and five years after that, he committed suicide :o( Needless to say, I am not a big fan of the scouts...
lmao so, just like the Catholic church they forbid homosexuals from being members and frown upon it, yet condone and ignore homosexuals molesting kids..nice, real nice. hypocrites
The Boy Scouts forbid gay and atheist membership. That's why my son did not join, and now I know he made the right choice.
And next.... the files held with CONGRESS about pages..........
Adrian "while there are hundreds of thousands of honest and caring Scout leaders".... Just like there are hundreds of thousands of GAYs who could also be leaders and Scouts, but noooooooooooooo....Lord no...Don't let the gays in. Hypocrisy at its finest. Shame on the Scouts......
I still find it amazing that parents are so stupid that they just automatically trust people who have care of their children. I would never, never , never just drop my kid off to some school or scout meeting or whatever without at least "spot-checking" unannounced every now and then. I was notorious for just "dropping in" when I was expected to be at work or busy or whatever. And when I had the "don't let anyone touch you" talk, I named names! I said that I do not care if it is your grandpa, uncle, dad, teacher, or whoever. No one is allowed to touch you. I think you have to be specific so that they know that coming to you is a safe option.
It's truly sad that Boy Scout had keep the sex abuse files secretly for over a decade. So many innocent children out there would have been saved from the Boy Scout predators/ criminals if the Boy Scout organization relased the files and took the action earlier. So sad, just immeasurably sad! The crime had been being covered up for over 10 years.
Keeping records of sex abuse claims, yet not turning the information over to the police should be a serious felony conviction for all concerned. Anyone who decided to keep this information under wraps is an accessory.
Does this show we need a few more gay scoutmasters? I don't really think so!
Steve, this issue has nothing to do with the BSA's ban on gays other than show an implicit acceptance of one kind of deviance (via coverup) while being public against what they perceive as another deviance (which I don't believe homosexuality to be).
You think a man on top of a man is not deviance?
Who raised you?
Actually these files date back to 1965, and the coverup has been going on since the BSA was founded.
That might be "deviant" if you're straight but it's certainly not if you're gay.
A man on top of a woman would be "deviant" for a gay person.
Everyone is all for stopping sexual abuse in every way possible but when the scouts exclude homosexual boys or scout leaders you get all rilled up screaming discrimination. Did you ever stop to think the very homosexual boys you so righteously defend might be trying to seduce your kid?
nope, I never stopped to think that, because in my many years of working with adults and children of both straight/gay orientation, I've never once seen a gay person try to "seduce" a straight.
But thanks for letting your smallmindedness show.
Thank you Weaver!
Ransom Stoddard1....
Exactly what work DID you do?
My sister is gay and I can't tell you how many women she went after that were straight! Women with husbands in the Navy and away. Her partner now was in a marraige and left it and her kid for my sister. They've had artificially insemenated kids, who are so screwed up it's not even funny.
What about the gay men in San Francisco? Yes I lived, and I worked there with gay men, some of which were my best friends. The usual statement from them is that "every man is really gay". They have no problems harrassing the straights.
I gave my life to Christ in Nov 2000. Nevertheless, I have always felt that homosexuality is NOT natural, it has no genetic predisposition...which has been proven, it is a social desease. The people that I know, gay or not, know how I feel, I've never been shy about that.
Where are all the trolls today? Seems like this was a hot topic when the gay-bashers thought they had something to crow about.
BTW the most prominent group of child molesters is middle aged straight men. So now the BSA=Catholic Church=Penn State U. Ok Trolls, let's hear it. Defend the molesters, er um priests, no i mean Scout masters.
Paleeze
Vandopsis: I'm sick of hearing most child molesters are straight men. That's just an argument used by homosexuals to defend their own perversion. They may appear straight but they aren't, they just did good job covering up their homosexuality for many years. Truly straight men don't all of a sudden get the hots for little boys.
I can assure you I would trust a straight man with my boys on a overnight camping trip a lot more then with a openly homosexual man.
Weaver it is a fact stated by about molesters being straight middle aged men.. Pedophiles are people who are attracted to KIDS gay men are attracted to MEN like a STRAIGHT MAN is attracted to a STRAIGHT WOMAN... neither are attracted to KIDS unless they are pedophiles.. get it?
Being gay does not mean you want to rape kids!
instead of protecting your child from a gay person be weary of pedophiles..
Weaver: What "perversions" are you talking about?
Weaver, Most child molesters are straight men who molest girls. In the majority of sexual abuse crimes, the victims are female, not male, and the perpetrators are male. I agree with you that men who self-identify as straight yet molest boys are homosexual, however they are small in number compared to the men who are assaulting girls. The official crime statistics show that most child molestors are straight men.
So Weaver, trust a straight man on an overnight camping trip with your boys, but don't trust him with your daughters.
Be Prepared for this one,Former Scouts!
Pedophile priests and pedophile Boy Scout masters are all the same because they are all fully supported by Catholic Church.
That's why young generation nowadays lost faith in Catholic Church where a bunch of hypocrites sits there collecting money and brainwashing their followers in the name of Jesus Christ. If Jesus were alive, he would get mad, very mad.
Are the scouts catholic based? I did not know that! It certainly would fit..
Guess what quotoUS? Jesus is alive and I'm sure he's pretty upset.
Yep Weaver, Jesus is alive, and he's upset because I only tipped him $5 for my car wash.
The catholic church gets away with everything it does, including harboring and protecting pedophiles and then feeding them more victims, because catholics are taught from birth that if you don't go to CATHOLIC mass, you go to hell. They feed congregants hand-picked parts of the Bible every week as well as their interpretation of it. When a child grows up on this propaganda and is fed a steady diet of how scary hell and satan are, and his/her parents reinforce these false premises because they, too, were brainwashed, it is difficult to leave the catholic church. Many who leave have the haunting, unsettling feeling for years that they may have doomed themselves for eternity because that's what the church teaches. Actually reading the Bible and seeing that nowhere does it say the catholic church is the "one, true" church, or that you have to say confession before communion, or that you can't eat meat on Fridays, or that communion "doesn't count" if you take it in a church of another denomination, or that a person of another denomination can't be given comunion by a catholic piest in a catholic church, and on and on with the rules created by the catholic church that are NOT in the Bible. When I was a child one of their rules was that we had to wear gloves and hats in church. It was practically a sacrilege if you didn't. I would not have dared show up without them. Now many people wear jeans in church. So much for their rules. Catholics look the other way when faced with the explosion of pedophiles among their clergy because they are afraid that if they leave they will go to hell.
I ask catholics, what would you have done if the priests were murdering these children totally instead of just murdering them emotionally and psychologically? Would you still look the other way? Would you still support this organization run by middle aged and elderly men who make up their own rules while professing to follow the Bible?
Weaver...
ChristJesus certainly is Alive! Won't it be great not to have the children hurt by the wickedness in this world anymore!!
PS...I'm a Weaver too....a Highland Weaver :o)
How ironic that homophobic Christians like NorthernClimbs worship a gay dude like Jesus.
This sexually abused victim was lucky because he was raped at 12, so could clearly recalled at the teen age. Some boys who were sexually molested at the age of 6 or less by pedophile priests, couldn't do anything because they were too young. It's just sad, truly sad. There're still many untold stories of those abused boys out there.
The fact this victim speaks up against Boy Scout is totally inspiring. Stop the pedophiles in the Church and Boy Scout organization!
I thought Christ was alive???
Well, here we have the BSA who, heretofore, was under attack in the media by the gay community because they won't allow 10 year old homosexuals to be a part of their organization and take away their ability to become Eagle Scouts. All this leading up to this horrific report of sexual abuse by a few deviant scout leaders and court mandated reports being released.
Interesting that out of the blue the BSA lands in the crosshairs with attacks from all sides. Wonder who will be next? With the omniscient power of the media, we now have a tool to destroy organizations of all kinds, bring industries to their knees, break apart countries and entire continents. Let's just reinstitutionalize everything to be completely tolerant of every viewpoint out there; set no standards for membership in any organization; become so politically correct that everybody is happy all the time living in a world of candy canes and unicorns.
Pro: "be completely tolerant, no standards for membership, everybody is happy all the time." Sounds good to me...............
10 year old boys...are not homosexual, I would seriously beg someone to look at the household he's being raised in!!
Why do you believe that nonsense? From your comments you seem to have some profoundly ignorant views of human sexuality.
My wife and I suspected that one of our daughters was gay when she was about 6, but she figured it out herself by the time she was 9 or 10.
The scouts are most definitely NOT Catholic based. Not that they look any better for it.
How about this: ALL pedophiles, and there are plenty to go around, should be incinerated regardless of religion, race or sexual orientation.
And their enablers!
But they will be Steve theDogMan. Trust that!