Usually they were abused as kids themselves. A small percentage repeat the behavior and unfortunately often have multiple victims.

Doc, can you explain? Not sure what you're referring to.

How very very sad, but how very predictable. Pedophiles go where the kids are and what better place than the boy scouts or any similar organization.

I was traveling with a scout leader on business once. I didn't know the man, had just met him in fact, and he was telling me about all the great times they had with the boys. When the talk turned to the joys of skinny-dipping with the boys I began to get uncomfortable and began to pick up a strange vibe. When he made a disparaging comment about the boys who were too shy to skinny dip with the adults I got really uncomfortable and found a way to change the subject.

I told my wife about it when I got home. We both thought it was inappropriate and disturbing.

I don't KNOW that there was anything inappropriate going on. I mean, he claimed all they were doing was swimming naked with a bunch of young boys. But then, Jerry Sandusky just liked to take showers with them and engage in "horseplay." So who knows?

It's very sad.

This is why you don't give adults access to your children if you don't have to. Besides school, you should never let your children be alone with other adults for hours on end. Not camping, not staying over or whatever. You should be involved with all of those activities with the group with your children. Kids are too easily manipulated and predators can keep them silent.

Don't leave them after school with priests, boy scouts, youth groups ran by other adults.

If you think that is too demanding, don't become a parent. It's as simple as that. These animals are running around everywhere.

What date is Congress releasing the files on PAGE ABUSE? And while they're at it... include arrest listing for all members.....

I'm not sure which is more depressing, the fact that this happened . . . or the fact that because this is a "Christian" organization, I am not even surprised (in fact, I half expect it now).

Soooo is this the reason they didn't want openly gay members in the scouts? These freaks thought the gays were going to "move in on fresh meat"? Are the cases stemming from Catholic church troops?s Most meetings are held in some form of worship hall. At least they were, when I was growing up. The local church. MMMMMM hate it when that happens.

They need to check in with the cubs scouts!!! Are they still around? Those boys are much younger than these lads. I hope they expose every last one of those vermin.

Its a joke. Hello out there. Camly go and check your meds sweetie. You'll be better in a hour.

Thanks American. Thats what I was trying to point out!! The gays are just minding their own business doing their thing. These sickos are fondling young men and doing Lord knows what behind those tents they sleep in and now they are busted.

No Comrade, it's not. You might as well be asking if statutory rape is just sex without a minimal age limit.

Pedophilia is rape even if the minor gives consent for the same reason that statutory rape is still rape even if the minor gives consent. The majority of homosexuals are not rapists, but all pedophiles ARE rapists.

Slimyone, You are either a homosexual child abusing pedophile or you are a troll. In either event, GET LOST!

Barry, Homosexuals that prey on BOYS are PEDOPHILES. The priests who abused boys, the scout leaders who abused boys and Sandusky, who abused boys are homosexual pedophiles. They saw innocent boys as sex objects. There are virtually no instances of these men assaulting girls, so stop trying to deflect the obvious. Who cares what the sexual orientation of the criminal is? They are disgusting sex offenders who have committed horrible offenses against unsuspecting children...

Why are files after 1985 not being released? This organization cared more about protecting its' image thna it did children. Why should we believe they have done anything differntly since 1985?

@ DocHolliday:

"Penn State just learned how political correctness can sometimes cost you a lifetime of greatness...."

All Penn State showed us is that a married man well respected by his community can be a sexual criminal. That completely voids you point.

This is a man's nature. It's vile and sicken. Do we see, for instance: A woman sexually abusing a 3 year old, making "him suckle her breasts while experiencing some sick fantsy??? I don't think so. My father tried to fondle me when I was 16 years old, while my brother was dying from cancer in the hospital. That takes a very disturbed MAN> I told my mom and she blamed him for being "stressed out due to my brother dying" I never knew what he had done to my brother!!! Both have passed. I have many questions with no answers. 1984

You need to get help for your unresolved issues. Have not seen the news reports of FEMALE teachers committing sex acts with their male students? It has been going on for years. The instances of male teachers doing the same with female students certainly seems to happen far less often...

Pedophiles that prey on boys are not homosexuals. Pedophiles are the ones on the receiving end of oral sex; pedophiles are the one who are raping or sodomizing the boys. These acts in reverse are very rare!

... with all this damage done by closet'ed homosexual men as troop leaders ... the solution is to open up the Boy Scouts to openly homosexual men as troop leaders. Jesus Christ help us.

Barry, Homosexuals that prey on BOYS are PEDOPHILES. The priests who abused boys, the scout leaders who abused boys and Sandusky, who abused boys are homosexual pedophiles. They saw innocent boys as sex objects. There are virtually no instances of these men assaulting girls, so stop trying to deflect the obvious. Who cares what the sexual orientation of the criminal is? They are disgusting sex offenders who have committed horrible offenses against unsuspecting children...

Not true. Do some research before you start accusing. If you did, you would see that most pedophiles (around 95 percent) are STRAIGHT males. There has been much research done on this...even tests that show how pedophiles respond to adults of the opposite sex. The tests have proven time and time again, that many of these adult men "respond" to adult females rather than males. In other words, they are straight when it comes to their adult relationships. The act of pedophilia is not about the sex of the child. It's about the age and about control. Many people that have studied pedophiles have even gone so far as to say pedophiles have their own unique sexual orientation. Of course, I am sure you know better than any of them (sarcasm). I've got news for you, just because you can't wrap your brain around something doesn't mean your opinion is correct.

If it was all homosexuals doing the child raping -- why the hell ain't there a whole lot more child rapings happening everywhere there are homosexuals? The answer to that questions is:

Child rapers ain't homosexual. They just child rapers, period.

It seems there were at least some homosexuals in leadership positions at the Boy Scouts after all.

To Barry, Overlord and the Socialist: You make the pedophile arguement like it's not a gay thing. But it's still answers the question of why homosexuality shouldn't be allowed in the boyscouts. Most of these pedophiles turn out to be homosexual or bi-sexual. If they were straight pedophiles, they'd be trying to become a girl scout leader.

Amazing how the religious mentality insists on blaming homosexuality. These men are pedophiles, mentally ill individuals. A local "Christian pastor" insinuated I could be a child molester because I am transgender, when the fact was the guy sitting in the row in front of me with his kid, was sent to prison for 10 years for molesting kids at a local school. Another church member was about to be released from prison for child molestation, but that was OK because he repented. LOL! They need to start cleaning their own houses before they feed the b.s. perverted stereotyping of good decent people.

Atheists aren't allowed, but religious child molesters are. As long as you believe in God, you can rape the kids all day and all night, and the Boy Scouts Organization thought it was just fine and dandy. Religion is starting to really seem like a front for men who like to have sex with girls and boys.

they'd be trying to become a girl scout leader.

Um, they don't let men near the girls, w hich is why the men rape the boys instead, just as in church. Priests don't have the access to girls that they have to boys...therefore, the boys are the ones they turn their attention to. Most child rapists are married males. Now take a look at Reddit, for example. Look at the thousands and thousands of adult straight males posting pornographic pictures of underaged girls and talking filthy about what they'd like to do. Why doesn't anyone talk about that perversion?? Hell, instead of condemning it, a lot of straight guys high five each other and defend it. It's despicable.

Damien: You have no idea what you are talking about. Many of the adults who abuse children were abused as children. Most of them are otherwise completely heterosexual (there are plenty of statistics on it). And being gay doesn't make a person more likely to be attracted to a child.

Barry, Homosexuals that prey on BOYS are PEDOPHILES.

This right here disqualifies you from any further discussions about pedophiles.

Almost every single case of pedophilia is committed by a heterosexual male. Often times they are married with children.

I think all of the typically ridiculous online back-and-forth could be killed if everyone just agreed that pedophiles are a risk anywhere that kids are generally found, so unfortunately it isn't a surprise that the Boy Scouts have had this as a problem.

Believe it or not, the bigger problem isn't that there are pedophiles, it's that they are being protected by organizations such as this one by not turning them in to the police.

You people are unbelievable! The boy scouts are allowing pedophiles but not gays? Allowing pedophiles? Really? Not allowing the word to get out about the events may be a cover up, but it certainly is not the same as openly admitting pedophiles into the scouts. What a stupid comparison.

From what I understand, this article refers to acts that occurred up until 1985 because since then the scouts enacted some very tough reforms and rules, similar to Safe Sanctuary, which seem to be working as they should in terms of making sure no adults are alone with kids and other safeguards.

So these allegations are basically 30 years old. However, I agree that they should be held accountable for the sake of those who suffered.

Um... Pedophilia is not about the perp's sexual orientation at all. It's all about control. Same thing with serial rapists. Its about the freak having control over another person.

Pedophilia has little to do with sexual orientation and more to do with feelings of dominance and control from what I understand.

My kids can't join the BS because they are atheists... not that I'd allow them to anyway.

The boyscouts don't allow atheists? hahhahaha.

I was traveling with a scout leader on business once. I didn't know the man, had just met him in fact, and he was telling me about all the great times they had with the boys. When the talk turned to the joys of skinny-dipping with the boys I began to get uncomfortable and began to pick up a strange vibe. When he made a disparaging comment about the boys who were too shy to skinny dip with the adults I got really uncomfortable and found a way to change the subject.

I told my wife about it when I got home. We both thought it was inappropriate and disturbing.
And you didn't think to tell anyone else besides your wife about this? What the hell is the matter with you?

I would like to believe that there is a special section reserved in hell for the people that did this, and the people that covered it up.

The reality of keeping such secrets is that 40% of all current Scouts are affiliated with Mormon churches and the national Scout organization does not want to offend or embarrass their largest contributor.

It is also why Scout policy has been hiding pedophilia and alcoholism, yet prohibits gays and atheists even though gay adults rarely are pedophiles.

And why there are so many camping accidents among LDS/Mormon troops because Mormon Scout leaders are appointed by their Bishop regardless of whether or not they have had formal Boy Scout leader training. They are appointed to Scout leadership based upon religious criteria regardless of Scout competence.

I don't understand "the point" this article is trying to make.(??!?!??) Why were these files sealed? Is/was this part of what is today considered "self-reporting" which Congress has SO conveniently, but wrongly and wrongfully, written into and sanctioned for SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS of today??? This is THE MODEL for "for-your-own-good-and assured-privacy" HIPPA, isn't it? Health Insurance and Patient Portability Act? Wow, yeah, lets now make all those medical files electronic so we don't have to keep boxes and boxes of actual files like this, right? (And then we can conveniently just send them over the net "Electronically" anywhere AND NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW!)

AMERICA SO DESPERATELY NEEDS A NEW CONGRESS!!!

About freaking time we got some information on the pedophiles that have been using Scouts for their personal boy brothels. Now, to acquire some ammunition and blindfolds, and a length of rope. Oh wait, that's what they were afraid of - that we would shoot the sorry sons of bitches for molesting boys and ruining the good name of Scouts.

I do want to understand something, though - if you have sex with a boy, that makes you a pedophile if you're an adult. Apparently it does not make you a homosexual, however... how does this become a logical conclusion? Male penis in male orifice = homosexual sex. That's how it works. Making out doesn't come into play, as that is what comes before penetration of orifice. Do you people just don't know what homosexuality actually is? Do you really think it's just rainbows and glitter while knowing nothing at all about the act itself or why it's frowned upon?

My other confusion is why lesbianism, which is the act of female digits and orifices, tongues, and artificial penises are all involved with each other, is so praised and loved but their male counterparts are reviled? Is there something different about a male penetrating another male but everything okay with a female penetrating another female? Why is the penis so reviled yet we'll make plastic ones and they're perfectly fine? It must be related to that whole myth of "Women create life, men destroy it", a myth so called because the male testicles are constantly producing sperm, which are mobile, active cells that implant in the female ovum, the egg, of which females have a limited amount of during their overall lifetime. Women do not create life, men do. Women NURTURE life while men create it and, at least before the year 2000, provide for it.

Pedophilia is someone having sex with a prepubescent youth. A man having sex with a teenager, who is post puberty is straight up homosexual sex. The Boy Scouts haven't released any information on the ages of the abused, but with the Catholic priests, there were over 4000 cases of abuse. Some 400 or so were pedophilia, about 10%. The other 90% or so were homosexual sex, with willing participants with most of the teenagers. There's no way I would believe that almost all teenagers who were abused, except for some with a disability, couldn't fight off a priest who was trying to touch him and or force sex on him.

I would imagine the scouts numbers are similar. One in three girls and one in four boys are abused by the time they are 18. There's way more abuse percentage wise with the general public than in the church and probably the scouts. But they get the bigger headlines.

Scout masters, coaches, marriage counsellors, liberals, the government, preachers, priests, etc. Be wary of anyone that tries to give you the impression that they are going to help you and don't let them get near your children.

Well one can understand the reticence of the BSA in releasing this information given the potential for legal damages. But, on the other hand, it certainly buttresses their reluctance to have homosexuals in their ranks. While homosexuality does not equate to pedophilia, having homosexuals in the ranks (especially adults) makes about as much sense as exposing Girl Scouts to adult males. Any given case might be perfectly harmless but why tempt fate and why take the risk?

MisterJ-1780316, #1.45- EXCELLENT!!! GREAT CREATION THEORY, TOO! It's the Yin/Yang. Sperm inside the Egg, as a whole, No? The point where it's both before it either becomes "identifiably" Male or Female, but still made up of both, after that. ?

This is a fact and everyone should remember it. Pedophiles seek positions that place them close to children. Sandusky, that clown who raped that 12 year old girl, that teacher who photographed and molested that other girl and all the Boy Scout Leaders who are documented in these files. Like Penn State, the BSA thought only about their reputation and created an organization that catered to and protected child molesters from the law.

Most of these pedophiles turn out to be homosexual or bi-sexual.

That point is moot. Pedophilia is a crime, homosexuality is not. Let's call a spade a spade.

TheKhanKubla, #1.50- So what might be a link between the obvious desires (fascinations) of a Pedophile and One who is into collecting and viewing Child Pornography since it obviously isn't about being in the actual physical vicinity or environment of the Child? Just asking. Do you see one?

@DocHolliday-2979123 wrote:

" ...and some groups are pushing hard for more "deviant folks" into the ranks and peers of boyscout so that these folks may be close to children...political correctness my ass!

I wish they could stop taking our children through this b*llsh!t..."

'DocHoliday', you are of course suggesting that these men were homosexuals. When you disemble for the purpose of making a point (or pushing a personal agenda) you merely undermine your point. You are, of course, entitled to make up your own mind; but you are NOT entitled to make up your own facts.

If you had actually taken the time today to download and review a number of the BSA .pdf files, and had actually read the written contents of those files before writing your post (above), you would have seen that the VAST MAJORITY of these men were MARRIED, and that most had children of their own.

Although the truth may not comport with your personal perceptions of homosexuality, ...."gay" is not the same thing as "pedophile" nor "child sexual abuser." For you to merge these descriptions as if they are one-and-the-same demonstrates your own willful ignorance of the truth, and your chosen intollerance and bigotry toward homosexual human beings.

Statistics show that homosexual human beings are no greater a threat to the safety of children than are heterosexual human beings. To state (or imply) otherwise is contrary to the findings of every independent study conducted on the subject, and is simply dishonest.

Please try to educate yourself, and try to get beyond your hateful intollerance of others whom you perceive as different (or "deviant folks", in your hateful words).

Ignorance is not "bliss", ....it is just ignorance.

Robert in Oregon: So are you ignorant or just dissembling? Jerry Sandusky is married...he is also a pedophile and either homosexual or at least bisexual. Please don't try to obfuscate that just because one is married means that they are not a homosexual.

While you lecture others about their ignorance, first get the beam out of thine own eye. While homosexuality does not equate to pedophilia, having homosexuals in the BSA ranks (especially adults) makes about as much sense as exposing Girl Scouts to heterosexual males under conditions of loco parentis. Not worth the risk to the organization and most certainly not in the interests of the children!

The NEA (teachers' union) has its own file under wraps. Can you imagine what's in there? Scouting is in the spotlight at the moment, but every organization involved in the supervision of kids has to deal with this. And, considering all the cases of abuse within families, among family members, the sad reality is there's no environment on this planet that's 100% safe for children. What we need to do is learn from this. Given the hypersensitivity to the problem within the Scouting organization these days, it's likely one of safest environments currently...

For the love of GOD!

I think that none of us who are simple people can understand the mind of a pedophile. We cannot connect what makes them go after our young and we don't want to. That there is a difference between pedophiles and homosexuals is difficult to interpret, yet we can appreciate that there is some differences.

What we all agree about is that the perversion of our youth by these animals (and I do think pedophiles are animals) needs to be stopped. And that is the problem. Anyone can be a pedophile and we have few ways to protect our young. A pedophile might not have been caught and pass the gauntlet of tests we could initiate for someone to be involved with our children.

It is up to each and everyone of us to be vigilant in seeing the signs of distress, attitude, and behavior our children exhibit. To be aware of who they spend time with and who is in their lives that could harm them no matter how innocuous they may be.

Parents do you know where your children are and what they are doing? Can they sit and talk with you. Do you listen to them and guide them? My kids would have yelled bloody murder and handed them their manhood.

My kids do not want or need scouts. They are way beyond camping. They are learning to survive and be productive.

Damien69 - To Barry, Overlord and the Socialist: You make the pedophile arguement like it's not a gay thing. But it's still answers the question of why homosexuality shouldn't be allowed in the boyscouts.

What it indicates is that men in opposite-sex marriages shouldn't be scout leaders, since that's who 90% of the pedophiles are.

@Cincinnati Rick wrote:

"Robert in Oregon: So are you ignorant or just dissembling? Jerry Sandusky is married...he is also a pedophile and either homosexual or at least bisexual. Please don't try to obfuscate that just because one is married means that they are not a homosexual.

While you lecture others about their ignorance, first get the beam out of thine own eye. While homosexuality does not equate to pedophilia, having homosexuals in the BSA ranks (especially adults) makes about as much sense as exposing Girl Scouts to heterosexual males under conditions of loco parentis. Not worth the risk to the organization and most certainly not in the interests of the children!"

Rick, inasmuch as you have already posted eight times on this same subject thread today -- and an objective reading of those eight posts shows that you ardently wish to make this news story about homosexuality, rather than about pedophilia and child sexual abuse in the BSA -- I would only point out that you are arguing a logical fallacy.

In mathematics you can correctly note that A = B, and B = C, therefore A = C

....but not in an argument. For instance you might say:

"Oranges are Orange, Orange is a color. Therefore Oranges are a color. Okay, that worked out nicely. But it's an example, not a universal proof. Taken further you might then argue:

"Apples are Red. Red is a color. Therefore Apples are a color."

But obviously, the premise is a logical fallacy because an Apple is not a color, it is a fruit, and red is merely a descriptor of that fruit.

And when all is said and done, you really are .... arguing Apples and Oranges.

Just before I left Oregon, about 15 years ago, there was this young boy scout kid that shotgunned his scoutmaster because of sexual abuse. That's one way to cure a pedophile. The kid didn't get much jail time, either, I guess the people felt that the boy did them a community service.

It's a sad day for scouting because it actually is a very good organization. The goal is to help boys challenge themselves for mastery over the elements and to use their intelligence for survival.

The tragedy for these boys is beyond measure. They will never get their innocence back again. You can't just erase such trauma. It seems wherever young boys / teens gather together there will always be the Jerry Sandusky's and creeps of that ilk in the wings.

All of these things... scouting, sports, church choir, etc. They are all supposed to be good for children.

But the creepy priests and coaches and scout masters take that away because they only think of themselves.

I don't believe in stopping such programs. But it looks like there needs to be some crack down on how much free reign any one person is allowed.

I would back any efforts to monitor what goes on during time spent with the boys. Even if it means one of the moms is always present when they have meetings or field trips. That would solve a lot of this.

Beakeeper - It's a sad day for scouting because it actually is a very good organization.

A "good organization" would have called the cops rather than burying the issue in a secret file.

Who knows how many other children these pedophiles raped, when they could have been caught decades ago if the BSA had simply done the right thing?

And a "good organization" wouldn't teach hatred of gays, blacks and atheists like the BSA has done.

@Barlow-1919963

"Just before I left Oregon, about 15 years ago, there was this young boy scout kid that shotgunned his scoutmaster because of sexual abuse. That's one way to cure a pedophile. The kid didn't get much jail time, either, I guess the people felt that the boy did them a community service."

Gosh, 'Barlow', your remembrance seems familiar to me, too. When I saw this headline today I went to the Portland Attorney's website to see if any of the released BSA records were of incidents in my childhood hometown (Salem) during the time when I was a Boy Scout. There is only one .PDF record for Salem, and it was not an individual whom I had ever heard of, and he was in a different part of town (and involved with a different Scout Troop). The man (married, and one child) served time in prison; although it appears there was a plea bargain for reduced time (6 mos.), which was probably not adequate punishment for his crime against his 12-year old victim.

I look back on my years of Scouting with fondness and good memories. Cub Scouts & Webelos and Boy Scouts occupied a fair part of my childhood and early adolescence. A couple of the hobbies I took up in those years still remain part of my life 50-years later. My Boy Scout Master was, in my mind and in the mind of my fellow Scouts, "a saint", and he gave an enormous amount of his time for many years to the organization, and to the development and character building of hundreds and hundreds of young men. When my Scout Master died, more than 500 former scouts from his troop (by then adults, and most with children of their own) attended his memorial service.

One of the truly unfortunate elements, "fallout" if you will, from all of this is the suspicion, and the passive "taint" which will always be carried by all the good and innocent men who volunteer in Scouting, due to the actions of those relative few who have violated the trust and the innocence of children. I disagree with the organization's positions regarding homosexuality, but I also think the organization continues to do great good for millions of young men. The good of course does not, and will never compensate for the organization's errors, ... not the damage wrought upon other young men.

Robert.

PS. I never did earn my "Eagle" rank, to my lasting regret. It wasn't for lack of conviction, but rather ...timing. At that same time I discovered "girls" were VERY fascinating and lovely creatures, and Scouting for some reason suddenly took a back seat. That 'hobby' has ALSO remained an important part of my life all these years since. HA!

There is never one article about women doiing the same things, whether it is abuse of girls or boys. It has nothing to do with "christian" or not as some idiot put it in this forum. It has to do with individuals who have a twisted mind. I never saw it or never saw hints that it may be going on when I was in the scouts in the 80's. Depends on luck of the draw I guess. I'm sure we had a few gay guys in the bunch as well, it is just that we never talked about it and no one threw it in ypur face at every turn. I personally feel that there is a judgement, whether you believe in God or not, there is something after this life. All of you twisted pedophiles, both sexes, will get what is coming to you. I hope you burn for the damage you have caused, but the people who cover it up are just as bad. Scouting, overall, is not a bad institution and alot of good comes from it. The people who have done these sick things need to pay.

Cant we all just get along.

If you ask me the reason they hid it for so long is becouse whoever is in charge must have done this stuff as well i mean think about it they say they are a christian organization but did they go to the police about this..no if anything i say we should either keep a closer eye on all these meetings and all things realted or get rid of it entirely becouse honestly they should have had no reason to allow this to continue and hide it unless they were knowingly involved in it.

Repost from earlier topic:

Old Timer-88224

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 late 1950s that the BSA also covered-up. 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, self-confidence, and trust, and almost 6 years of individual therapy plus three 28-day trips to substance abuse treatment, my greatly-reduced employabilty for 30 years thereafter, 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.

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, 1970s, and even the 1980s 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 and highly-respected 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. Back then nobody believed you and you were forced to suffer in silence, too afraid to reveal what had happened lest your friends find-out and your were then ostracized for it.

Today such knowledge exists and there are numerous organizations where victims can get help and critical recovery support, such as online at malesurvivor.org where victims, will be believed, there is a wealth of recovery information available, there is a 24/7 online discussion forum, as well as numerous therapists and they even offer several intensive group therapy weekends annually in the US and Canada too. Another well known therapist and recovery book author in suburban Boston, Mike Lew, also operates his own intensive group therapy weekends all over the world too.

There is no reason to suffer in silence any longer. All that any victim has to do is lower your walls enough to take a little chance, and you will find an entire world of support ready and willing to help you meet your recovery goals. So do what is right and take a chance!

• !

#1.22 - Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:08 PM MDT

When that case came up last week about the kid in college that was mad b/c scouts didn't give him an eagle pin b/c he came out and said he was gay....I said then if you make an exception for one you make an exception for all. I also said, if you start letting gays into scouts pretty soon the leaders will be gay, and I asked how many of you would be comfortable letting your young child be alone in the woods with a homosexual.....get a clue these men abusing boys are NOT straight men, or they would be hanging around little girl pageants and activities. It is not acceptable for the same reason it isn't acceptable for a man to be in charge of a group of girl scouts on an over night. Everyone said I was close minded etc etc.....Well let's see now this comes out. As I said, you let gay men start leading troops this is what you will end up with.

UDunnoBro, looks like it...

Smells like that one came right out of the Vatican's playbook.

Uh no, even the lawyer who forced the release said there was no evidence of the BSA protecting anyone. The very fact this file existed proved they were attempting to purge their ranks of predators.

Chris- when you say 'protecting anyone' do you mean protecting predators or protecting children? I'd say that is a pretty important distinction.

The article is ambiguous at best- it apparently refers to BSA scout leaders as 'scouts' when the children are actually the 'scouts'.

Anybody feel free to quote where it is clear but I didn't see it.

I think the point being made is that no one called the cops, no charges were filed and no arrests were made. The Sandusky case took a while but justice was finally served. Hope it sets a precedence.

chris-335678 - sorry, but that is bs. They were aware of a felony, and rather than reporting it, they just, as you stated it, "purged their ranks of predators". The act of felony abuse occurred, was known about, and legally ignored. If in the commission of a felony, an associate murders someone, you are still guilty of murder. As far as I'm concerned, they should all go to prison as child molesters.

Dale, you need to read, the files do not solely contain known incidents. There are also suspected incidents that may not have pased to the level where it could be reported without risk of legal action. You forget these are files from 1965 to 1985 and you can actually be sued for making a false police report even today. You throw the words felony, associates and murder around like you know what you are talking about but you don't. You are NOT automatically liable for the charge of murder if an associate murders someone....

I like your response and your idea Dale. Anyone who had knowledge, anyone who touched, compiled, read or otherwise contacted these files and knew their purpose should do time.

Every one of those individuals knew felony abuse of children took place and did not report it the legal authority. I admit we are applying the Sandusky precedent retroactively, but I don't care.

"You are hereby found guilty in a court of law and are sentenced to hang from the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul. Proceed."

from: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

chris

The BSA fought turning over the files because they were protecting pedophiles and suspected pedophiles. Period.

Way to go barry! They probably have the same lawyer as Sandusky. A woman in the county that I live in got 22 years for sexting a 16 year old, that was in her class. I'm thinking she didn't have 100,000.00 for a team of good lawyers!!! For a picture or two of her booobs.

chris-335678: Interesting take, an organization suspects an individual of child abuse enough to effectively fire them, but not report them. You're making excuses here, completely ignoring the welfare of the children. How many additional children were abused because of a your attitude - "we can't report a suspected molester because we might get sued". I'm sure this is the philosophy of a preschool or school you would love to send you children to.

We have to watch this one close. Some of these old dudes could be of the Mormon faith. Most likely Catholic backgrounds!! Maybe they went to a Catholic school? We were taught to obey your elders. (not me) I know the history of these people we speak of. Remember way back when? Always listen to your teacher (coach). Listen to your elders? Way wont these children speak out to their parents?? Are they that brain-washed that they don't know this is wrong and their parents will protect them and get justice??

I had cousins (2nd and 3rd) that were molested by their own father. Everyone knew to shup- up. They grew up and the males starting repeating history on the "sister"s babies. I kept my kids and myself as far away as possible when one of these "fine young men" tried to go in the bathroom with my 3 yr old daughter and she yelled "Get out of here Billy" and yet nobody said a word. This took place at a Christmas gathering!! Yep. I took my 3 kids and got the heel out of there. That was 19 years ago!!

Laws leave it up to religious organizations to report to police any criminal acts they learn. They have a choice. It is no different than a murderer confessing to a priest about killing somone where the priest keeps it quiet. I completely disagree with religions of any kind, to have the ability to withhold criminal acts of any kind especially those that pertain to the health and safety of a child or anyone else.

The reality of keeping such secrets is that 40% of all current Scouts are affiliated with Mormon churches and the national Scout organization does not want to offend or embarrass their largest contributor.

It is also why Scout policy has been hiding pedophilia and alcoholism, yet prohibits gays and atheists even though gay adults rarely are pedophiles.

And why there are so many camping accidents among LDS/Mormon troops because Mormon Scout leaders are appointed by their Bishop regardless of whether or not they have had formal Boy Scout leader training. They are appointed to Scout leadership based upon religious criteria regardless of Scout competence.

The Boy Scouts Of America have 2.7 m Scouts and 1m adult volunteers ( former Scouts,Eagle Scouts etc.) in the U.S. Plus an additional 600,000 world wide. And although these alegations are horrific, there are 1200 molestation cases which in the big picture is less than a 1/2 percent. If the Boy Scouts have to come clean then lets start with the Churches, the Synogog's, and last but not least Congress. Including Barack Obama's"moral compass" Bill Clinton!

The Scouts tried to keep the files hidden and quiet because they were and are afraid of lawsuits, like the church got hit with. Now unless they reported these incidents to the police, then they are just as guilty as everyone says all the guys at Penn State that kept quiet. You can argue and fight over what homosexuality and pedohilia is but that doesn't lessen the fact that not only was some or all, as we do not know if any went to the prosecuter or not, were not reported to the law. Now they have a federal charter. They know the rules. It was their responsibility to report it and if any second chances were to be given, that should have been up to the law. To me if BSA is not guilty of any of this then stop the action against the president and a.d. of penn state.

fenderbluesjr--this isn't about a president nailing a gal that is of age with her consent it is about men nailing young boys under then age of consent, most around the age of 09-14 years of age. Yes if it is known go for the churchs and other youth groups if there were priests, rabbi's or ministers that violated the youth. the old addage used to be sweep it under the table and power was able to keep it there but that power is gone now. And without 1200 prosecutions for the 1200 cases you say there are then justice has not been served.

Terry, No, no, I'm with you ,I say prosecute them all. What this is is an abuse of power of an entrusted individual who oversaw the vunerable. How Bill Clinton got lumped into my tirade is here is a guy that should have known better. Monica may have given her consent but where was Hillary's? If you want to take the Bill Clinton's excuse like he did with" define intercourse",fine. But you have to realize that this was nothing less than a distortion of morals. And that Billy boy being a spokesperson for anything is an insult. Plus for Hillary Clinton to have gone along with the public humiliation is just a testament to the short-term memory of the Liberal's.

I can almost hear all the lawyer's rolodexs turning after they go to that website where all the Boy Scouts files are listed. Gunna' be some phones ringin'!!

Give me a break fenderbluesjr - here's the difference - Clinton had consentual sex with someone. You can't legislate morality - different people have different morals, but you can legislate pedophilia.

How do you know Hillary was humiliated - maybe she was in your view, but maybe personally she wasn't. Humiliation is a self-feeling.

To compare an adult having sex with another adult outside of marriage with an adult abusing a child is ridiculous.

It is becouse of this that most people today are screwed up individuals what kind of joy or happiness can come of doing this with a child and then the audacity to keep this quiet if you ask me and this is my personnal oppinion these sick freaks cant be cured and they deserve the death sentence and the reason for them not going to the police if you ask me whoever was in charge must be involved in these matters as well i mean whose to say that we might not find a missing file or two in there

We should get a full list of names and occupation for these pedophiles. I wonder how many of them still work around children. America needs to stop protecting the pedophiles, hang every one of them. Jerry Sandusky was protected by Penn State, and these child rapists, the Boy Scouts.

We need to start warning children at a very young age. Schools should get involved. 95% of kids go to some form of school in the US. Like sex education isn't taught in very many schools anymore, but we need to start way younger than that. maybe first or second grade. No more "don't talk to strangers" That sh!t aint working no more!!!!

you hit it on the nail. It's everywhere. We must be vigilant in watching over our kids. Explain what is acceptable behavior and let kids know to tell an adult or parent. We will never stop it completly, but can sure cut the numbers down. Just like murder, its illegal but still happens.

And they are worried about a few gays?? Im sick to my stomach. Why wont these kids speak out to their families or teachers? Well we all know now you can't trust anyone over the age of 45 in your local church!!

A lot of parents dont listen is why kids keep quiet. and the kids think it is their fault. and probably believe their parents or another adult is going to blame them.

There is a huge difference between homosexuality and pedophilia. homosexuality has no victum since sex between 2 homosexuals is consensual. They seek one another out for more reasons than just sex. homesexuals have long term committed relationships where they live together. Pedophiles have victums. those victums do not consent to sex. They are children. Pedophiles look to hurt someone if not kill them. They really dont want any other relationship other than sexual and they can lead a child on to believe otherwise to obtain sex from them. They are deviats. homesexuality is not caused from child abuse. Tpedophilia is. Pedophilias disguise themselves. homesexuals no longer have to hide themseves and most do not. What i mean is that it is not hard to tell if someone is gay. it is very hard to tell if someone is a pedophile. They tend to hide in plain site. There is more but this post is too long now. Watch your children. if you knew what I know you would lock your windows and doors and not let your kids run wild in the stores and take them to school and or the bus stop and get them afterward. Am i being paranoid ? yep. but there is a good reason for it.

You are aware that the term gay and pedohile are 2 different things. You can in fact be gay and at the same time a pedophile. Gay mens you like sex partners of your same sex, pedophile means you like juveniles. You can in fact be a gay pedophile.

Chris, I think you are misinterpreting John's comment. I do not read it that he is implying that gay and pedophile are one and the same.

However, in view of the BSA banning of gays, I'd like to know how many of these pedophiles were gay? Probably only a small percentage, as it is a well-documented fact that the vast majority of pedophiles are heterosexual.

Well Chris, I certainly wasn't intending to continuously respond to you, but John's comment seems pretty clear. He says they hate one and love the other. That implies that John and the BSA both know the difference.

One more point- most child abuse professionals I've heard from (just quoting here, not putting forth my own theory) indicate that pedophilia crosses gender preferences. Meaning a male pedophile isn't necessarily gay if he victimizes young boys but not girls. My understanding is it's usually a crime of opportunity, meaning whichever gender the child is that they have access to is the gender they abuse.

You are in fact wrong, pedophiles tend to ward gender specificity just like adults. Look it up.

Gays have a higher rate of pedophile abuse than heterosexuals. They make up just 1-3 % of the population but have a rate of 40%....Of course, if you go by the overall population it appears that there is more heterosexul abuse....Does that mean that all homosexuals are abusers? Of course not. But the fact that they were involved in most abuse cases in the Church and I'm sure the Boy Scouts just confirms the problem with sexual identity, and the frightening cover-up of this abomination...

Chris, you are, in fact, wrong.

Pedophilia is a paraphilia that involves an abnormal interest in children. A paraphilia is a disorder that is characterized by recurrent intense sexual urges and sexually arousing fantasies generally involving: nonhuman objects; the suffering or humiliation of oneself or one's partner (not merely simulated); or animals, children, or other nonconsenting persons. Pedophilia is also a psychosexual disorder in which the fantasy or actual act of engaging in sexual activity with prepubertal children is the preferred or exclusive means of achieving sexual excitement and gratification. It may be directed toward children of the same sex or children of the other sex. Some pedophiles are attracted to both boys and girls. Some are attracted only to children, while others are attracted to adults as well as to children.

Read more: Pedophilia - children, causes, DSM, functioning, therapy, adults, person, people http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Pedophilia.html#b#ixzz29gQetK6L

Enma3,

I have difficulty categorizing these people as heterosexuals. If they are men raping boys, I consider them either gay or bisexual pedophiles. If they are raping little girls then yes they might be heterosexual. To imply that most of these pedophiles were heterosexual goes against my understanding of the term.

I say close down and ban the Boy Scouts, the Roman Catholic Church, Penn State athletics and any other organization that is in the business of raping our children.

Kids come first.

Chris, you're not wrong, you just utterly missed John's point.

Scoutmasters at that time were male only. They would have had to have been both. Gay pedophile scoutmasters.

I was actually in the Boy scouts at that time. The only child abuse I witnessed was a father, abusing his own son for not being able to keep up the pace on an overnight hiking trip. The rest of the troop didn't like that. It was grueling for all of us. It was recommended to get your 50 mile hiking patch over a period of days, not 24 hours. The next morning we threw dad in the river, while he was still in his sleeping bag, sleeping off his own exhaustion. He didn't volunteer for any more camping trips.

I have to wonder how many molesters got similar treatment.

My thoughts, perfect!!!

Many molesters go after whichever sex is accessible. Priests are usually only around boys b/c boys are alter boys, not girls. Boy Scouts are only around boys b/c, well, it's the BOY scouts, and they aren't allowed to be Girl Scout leaders. A pedophile doesn't necessarily think of a prepubescent kid as male or female...just accessible and just someone he can overpower.

mercy, got sources for your numbers? Hate to tell you that you are off the mark... This is from ucdavis website:

Conclusion

The empirical research does not show that gay or bisexual men are any
more likely than heterosexual men to molest children. This is not to argue that
homosexual and bisexual men never molest children. But there is no scientific
basis for asserting that they are more likely than heterosexual men to do so.
And, as explained above, many child molesters cannot be characterized as having
an adult sexual orientation at all; they are fixated on children.

Ransom, your quote: "Pedophilia is a paraphilia that involves an abnormal interest in children. A paraphilia is a disorder that is characterized by recurrent intense sexual urges and sexually arousing fantasies generally involving: nonhuman objects; the suffering or humiliation of oneself or one's partner (not merely simulated); or animals, children, or other nonconsenting persons"... is interesting.

I'm glad as a society we are all still considering pedophilia a shocking disorder. However, I doubt the pedophile would call it a "disorder." My guess is that he would argue that he "was born that way and can't help himself." My prediction is that in another generation or so, he will have convinced us that our hatred of this practice is unfair, and will trot out some "scientific" studies that prove that it's normal, that kids actually enjoy it because they feel "loved" and that we should lower the age of consent. Ever seen the Meryl Streep move "Doubt"? The message is very subtle but it's there.

Think I'm crazy? Save this post and check it again in another couple of decades and let's see where we are....

I just love the blog that says close down the Boy Scouts.. You are absolutely nuts. If this were the case, you would have to close down organizations all across this planet.. You will never stop this from creeping out in tons of groups.

Just because there have been 1200 cases, not proven, in twenty years compared to many that is not much..

We live in a wicked world today, just check out the TV.. My goodness, people you will not be happy until you take the Boy Scouts of America down. You should be ashamed. They don't want gays, they have stood up to them and said no.. Now you all tried to shut down Chic Filet because they don't embrace gays and that didn't work either.. Charge the men or women that are accused of these crimes but don't blame the entire organization.. If you can't control everything you are furious, you all sound like you deserve the government you have elected.

Lisa, that's ridiculous. You've provided a good example of the slippery slope fallacy, though; at least readers will learn something from your post!

Well one can understand the reticence of the BSA in releasing this information given the potential for legal damages. But, on the other hand, it certainly buttresses their reluctance to have homosexuals in their ranks. While homosexuality does not equate to pedophilia, having homosexuals in the ranks (especially adults) makes about as much sense as exposing Girl Scouts to heterosexual adult males. Any given case might be perfectly harmless but why tempt fate and why take the risk?

Scouting also has female leaders. Do you also raise at youth sports teams, school groups or any other youth group managed by adults? If not, you haven't a clue, which I suspect is the truth anyway....

Wrong Chris. Athletic activities take place in public spaces, in the open. Are any youth practices closed to the parents? Scouting activities often involve only the scouts and the leaders, no parents or spectators. Are you really that confused or just trying change the subject?

Scouting activities have and always are open to the parents. Many are just too damn lazy to get involved with their own offspring and leave it to others. Just like with Pop Warner football and Little League, there will always be opportunities for sexual predators. A predator will always find a way. There is no doubt that these episodes should have been reported. There would have been no risk to the leadership to report. As a former scout leader, I am appalled because our troop would not have let this sort of thing be unreported to the proper authorities. I am talking about in the last 20 years, not the ancient history of 30-40 years ago.

THE BIG BANG.. You are plain and simply wrong. You sound like an old fuddy duddy. You will never be able to pick and choose the perfect people. Hitler tried and he and his band of thieves were a large number of gays.. Leave the Scouts alone. Charge the people that have been accused of these crimes and be done with it.. You can't blame all of the Scout Leaders, only a few and in twenty years.. If you only knew what was going on around you today...You have men that are not men only dressed as men...Women the same. We have created a horrible mess and you think that men are all wrong to be the leaders of the Boy Scouts...I am laughing so hard because its the likes of you people that go along with the gay, homosexual, behavior. One has no idea who is going to be a pedophile, there is no magic ball to tell us. We need to clean up all of our lives, live decently and that my friend will help more than anything.. Don't blame an entire organization for a few at fault. 1200 in twenty years. I know one is too many but as I said, we are in wicked times. What have you done lately to change some of this?

The Boy Scouts of America don't allow gays.. Now end of it.. Just like today, the Courts in Texas voted for the Cheerleaders to make Christian posters for the School Games...Quit trying to enforce your feelings on everyone.. You all deserve the Government you have elected...

The entire investigation is being manipulated into making the Boy Scouts of America allow GAYS...That has been ruled on..and the Scouts won.

I wonder if they prove these people did these crimes does that mean the Scouts have to allow gays? NOT!!

it seems like i remember this coming out before about 10 or 15 years ago. The reason i remember it is because i know someone that was a boy scout and he is really messed up. I could never figure out why because all the rest of his family are wonderful people. then it came out about the boy scouts and i just wondered if this happened to him.

as far as charging the people that have committed these crimes... like the catholic church... i dont think you will ever be able to find them all...

William, NOT ALL SCOUTS or Leaders DID THIS... You have to get your head on straight. This is 1200 in twenty years.. Quit blaming all. The Scouts have done wonderful things.. Do you blame all teachers when one falls.. There are just too many people here that are not standing back and thinking about this.

I Lived next door to a hispanic minister years ago.. He lined up all of his children and had his way with them.. Did we blame all men for that? Get a grip people.

Prosecute the ones that are guilty but please leave the BS of A organization alone... All of you.

Jean, get real! Who would leave their child alone with ANY male these days? Do you have a test/exam, anything to tell you who/what you are REALLY leaving your child with? This started coming out back in the 80's and I never left my children with anyone, other than their Grandma's!

Do not trust any male alone with your child.....All of you!

1200 in 20 years is ALOT.

Jean - are you that obtuse? The 1,200 is simply what they've documented, which from what we know about 'documentation' of child abuse, there are probably many more that were not documented.

Also, while you state to convict those that committed the crimes and to leave the BSofA out of it - you do realize that the BSofA covered up these crimes, therefore, making themselves complicit.

Just as with the church - if they didn't cover up for pedophile priests, it would only be about the individuals, but the organization covered up for the individuals to protect the organization's name.

Thanks Jan, for reminding me why myself and countless other well adjusted, wholesome, well intentioned men that would like to contribute positively to children (especially children of single mothers that don't have a strong positive male role model) of the community's lives instead feel nervous and uneasy because of a fear of inappropriate suspicion.

Is the risk high? Not if you don't hang out with pedophiles. Character matters.

I think that the reason they came out with this now is becouse the leaders were involved and they have just been tring to cover their tracks in all this. I mean with all those records how will we know if 3 or 4 are missing

While what you say about the possibility of innocent people on the list; keep in mind that the biggest crime here is that the BSA did not move forward with ANY of the accusations; so no investigation by the law was ever done. That was the BSA's biggest crime. How many on that list are guilty but never went to trial because the BSA wanted to "protect" their image?! Not to mention, how many of those guilty people are still running around free today; committing the same crime??? Makes me wonder!!!!

@LoveBNamom:

Your assertion simply is not accurate that law enforcement was not called in. In fact, from the article, police were involved in the investigation in 523 cases.

Also, lets put this in the context of the numbers of leaders that were involved during that time frame. This is simply a reflection of who we are as a society. I am not condoning these numbers, but it does need to be placed in the context of who we are. We allow this as a society. We turn our collective backs on abuse ALL the time. That is wrong. Nobody seems to be able to stand up for their fellow man, or woman, until it is too late.

Jk

Very insightful reply. The fact that this practice is so pervasive says a lot about us as a society, especially our obsession with sex in general and increasing permissiveness. Boundaries keep getting moved further and further back...edgy people keep exploring things outside the boundaries and when the boundaries are almost non-existent (like it's getting to be), then should we be surprised to see so many people sucked into perverted practices?

Gay people should not be in the Boy Scouts; they shouldn't taint themselves with the stench of that organization!!!

Moral indeed! Belief in a god, indeed!

Nice picture of Peter.

You're right, gay people shouldn't be in the BSA.

We're Christian, not mainstream, and wouldn't send our kids there either. We felt that the BSA promoted fascist agendas for all the good little soldiers. As well, never trusted those bassturd with my kids...I was right.

The vast majority of these cases were reported to law enforcement. And before you ask, I am not associated with scouting. I just cannot the yammering herd on here that can't bother to read,

I read and what I read said that the BSA did not report to law enforcement. It was allegedly their way of protecting their reputation.

Chris, the article states,

"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.”

It does not appear that the BSA knows whether or not these cases were reported to law enforcement at the time when the files were created.

Chris, wrong again.

Chris, are you mentioned in these files by any chance?

Chris is either one of the abusers or he hasn't yet been caught...

Chris, How could the BSA have done everything to protect the image of the organization if they had reported ANYTHING to law enforcement? They didn't. You know it, but you are consistenetly defending these human scum. WHY?

Are you afraid of post 1985 files being released? Are you in them? Hmmmmmm...

Does the article indicate that "Police were involved in the investigation of 523 cases."

Yes it does Mike.

However, in normal math, that is less than half of them and not a vast majority that Chris is claiming.

This notion that reporting a suspected criminal to the authorities is somehow libelous is ridiculous. Naming names publicly, or releasing to the media or similar is libelous behavior. Reporting suspected crimes is not.

Has anyone ever sued anyone else successfully when all they did was report them to the police? I sure would be interested in hearing about that. Surely one could believe that intentionally malicious false reports to the police about someone could be a criminal case, but libel and lawsuits are tort law.

Mormon !!! oh no they have sunk that low!!

Gosh, wonder if Romney is giving them all tax breaks? Sounds like his "kind of people" How many poor "petos" do you know?? Sandusky had loads of money. You can't be poor. You need money to bribe people. Look at Michael Jackson...He paid off all kinds of folks. Loaded with money.

The reality of keeping such secrets is that 40% of all current Scouts are affiliated with Mormon churches and the national Scout organization does not want to offend or embarrass their largest contributor.

It is also why Scout policy has been hiding pedophilia and alcoholism, yet prohibits gays and atheists even though gay adults rarely are pedophiles.

And why there are so many camping accidents among LDS/Mormon troops because Mormon Scout leaders are appointed by their Bishop regardless of whether or not they have had formal Boy Scout leader training. They are appointed to Scout leadership based upon religious criteria regardless of Scout competence.

They need to discriminate....the problem is that sometimes there has to be an unfortunate incident come to light BEFORE you can discriminate. While closer cooperation with police would have been desireable, at least getting these homosexual predators out so that they can no longer have easy access to their prey is commendable.

Being able to get enough time off from work.

Volunteers must be approved by the charter organization for the unit and then undergo a criminal background check. Furthermore, all adult volunteers are required to attend youth protection training.

Money and status and provide a church for the meetings. Must be a white male over the age of 50. Thats about what all these people turn out to be??

Mike is correct--this is the current practice, although I believe it was not so at the time of the acts mentioned in the article.

As much as I hate the acts of these evil men and want to see them caught, I can also see through all of this. Scouts won't let gays in, so now they become a target to be destroyed. No doubt they were somehow involved in "let's see what kind of dirt we can find on the Boy Scouts so we can destroy them if the don't let us in." You know this happens.

I'm sure there are plenty of organizations you could go after--how about the boy choir schools? We have a couple in this country. Investigate them. You'll find a hornets nest.

Boy choir schools? We have a couple of them? Sounds like a huge problem.

hahahaha Lisa - did you really say "Scouts won't let gays in, so now they become a target to be destroyed."

You realize the files being released are files that the Scouts kept, don't you? No one is 'targeting' them, they did it to themself.

Do you have any reading comprehension skills?

I'm going to go with you on that. Most likely, it's everywhere; even in the churches!!! Sad to say, but true! All my children are adopted and though they have been subjected to some type of abuse; thankfully, none were ever subjected to sexual abuse!!!

you think maybe they feel like they already have enough sexual deveates???

It doesn't take audacity...merely common sense. Why would you want to expose young boys to homosexuals? Might be harmless in any given case but why on earth would you even chance it? That makes no more sense than having heterosexual males as girl scout troop leaders!

This country has nothing to do with this!! This is a close knit "mens club" that has branched out from various church organizations. It is not run by the government. What are you referring too??

Seewhat-

h8bo1 is referring to American Society as a whole. There is not mentioning of the government.

Try longer than that!! Where are the cute little cub scouts? Does anybody wonder about them? Did they sweep all those victims under the rug and cancelled that program all together? They are muchyounger than these lads.

To Krullulon: Pedophiles take what they can get. It is easier for a pedophile Scout master to rape a boy because he is in charge of a lot of boys, and only boys. If that Scout master happened to be a music or a dance teacher, he would have easy access to girls as well. That goes for Scout masters and also for priests: a catholic priest is, by definition, a male with no access to little girls (there is no such thing as an altar girl).

to krullulon..."Gay men are NOT child molesters in any greater number than straight men are"? REALLY? Jerry Sandusky? Straight and married with children?....thats the thinking of a Gay man but your argument doesn't hold water A straight man thinks that if another man wishes to and does have sex with another male, whether adult or child , that is gay sex..Jerry sandusky harboring homosexual tendencies and having sex with boys makes him gay...no way you can argue that he is straight ANY PEDOPHILE who wishes or does have sex with ANY person of the same sex ..GAY! GAY! GAY!! And THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE AGAINST GAY PEOPLE >>> you never know what disgusting thing they are going to do next

Well one can understand the reticence of the BSA in releasing this information given the potential for legal damages. But, on the other hand, it certainly buttresses their reluctance to have homosexuals in their ranks. While homosexuality does not equate to pedophilia, having homosexuals in the ranks (especially adults) makes about as much sense as exposing Girl Scouts to heterosexual adult males. Any given case might be perfectly harmless but why tempt fate and why take the risk?

Really McJagger - you have a picture of Mick Jagger as your avatar and you have stuff against gay people....hahahahhahah...oh damn, that's just funny. You realize that Mick Jagger had a homosexual affair with David Bowie, right? So, sometimes, I guess what 'gay people will do next' is make music that a self-announced homosexual hater is going to love. And to top it off, you name your boardname after a homosexual male and have his picture as your avatar. Little did you know, you actually love homosexuals and celebrate them by naming yourself after them and using their picture.

I swear, you can't make this stuff up.

You are homophobic. There is no scientific correlation between homosexual adults and pedophilia.

Sure and I'll take your word for it Mr. Sandusky.

I agree with Ransom, there is no proof that a male who likes sex with other males would hurt young boys. Homosexuals come from a higher order then some sex deprived male who likes women. Homo's are in complete control and should be allowed to sleep in groups with our young men...they are safe!!! Maybe the BSA should be gov funded to eliminate churches and there followers from the BSA. LOL

Ransom is right. And adding insults to your argument doesn't make a better one.

Mr. Sandusky is NOT gay, but IS a pedophile. See how that works?

Hey, at least the BSA is protecting kids from those evil atheists! The Boy Scouts wouldn't know morality if it slapped them in the face.

Maybe same sex people should start their own BSA, soon maybe even their own schools....gov funded of course..

Yes there is a correlation,so if you dont think so google it yourself dont believe the the replies above.It seems the liberal side says one thing while the other says something else.Why take a chance?

All the neuroscience in the world will not change the thinking of those who are convinced that sex offenders are innately gay. It's hilarious if you think about it, because they will swear up and down that 'gay' is a lifestyle choice, but if you're a pedophile, you must have been born that way. Here's the deal. Pedophilia is extremely rare in homosexuals. It is unrelated. Homosexuality is the attraction to same sex individuals who are capable of a relationship. Pedophilia is the objectification of a child. They lose interest as soon as the child matures because that would be too much like a 'relationship.' It really is disgusting that these social entities like churches or BSA cannot be bothered to do the research and clear the gay community, and deal with this cancer of heterosexual perversion in their own ranks. My son is gay, and I will never allow him within 50 feet of a religous leader of any stripe or a boy scout troop, simply because they will not face the reality of what 'gay' is.

Mr. Sandusky is NOT gay, but IS a pedophile. See how that works?

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He's BOTH. How many little girls did he do??? It's very obvious where his sexual orientation lay and you can rationalize it all you want to square with your ideology. Some pedophiles are homo rather than hetero in their orientation.

Actually I have jailed a number of homosexuals for molesting boys; it's inherent in their DNA, a natuural urge, they willingly give into. Look at NAMBLA and the Catholic Church scandal - place a homosexual in a position of trust over chilrden and then nature takes its course. That said if President Obama favors removing ages of consent laws then who are we to question his wisdom.

So adults shouldn't be able to be positions of trust over children? Gay men willl abuse young boys, and straight men will abuse young girls? And of course it also follows that gay women will abuse young girls, and straight women willl abuse young boys. After all, as you put it, nature will take it's course!

And where did you dig up this idea that President Obama favors removing ages of concent laws? Better get back on your medication!

Dexter: How do you define "homophobia"? Are you phobic if you don't accept a particular orientation as being normal? Are you phobic if you have a natural born repulsion to such acts?

Just asking rhetorically here: Are you against rape? And if so, does that mean you really secretly wish to be a rapist?

If you are against murder, does that mean you really wish to murder someone?

I think any reasonable person would say no, that's ridiculous. If you are opposed to something, logically, one can not legitimately conclude that it means someone really harbors feelings to carry out those acts if they publicly oppose it.

And yet, that is exactly the standard that is applied by many if someone refuses to openly embrace homosexuality. And, as I just demonstrated above, that is where the logic of the argument falls apart, and proves beyond any doubt, that it is just an attempt to denigrate someone who does not wish to stay on the politically correct path when it comes to homosexuality.

One can not logically apply a particular standard of acceptance to one behavior, but then apply a different standard to a second example, and then label someone as phobic only on the basis that someone is personally not accepting of that behavior.

If you apply one standard as being homophobic, and thus accuse someone of secretly wanting to engage in that behavior, then logically you must apply that same standard to anyone who is opposed to anything.

And that's why your argument does not work.

I HATE GREEN PEPPERS, cant stand them the least little bit want nothing to do with them. Have NO secret desire to eat them WHATSOEVER! Acording to them would that make me a GP Phobic? If so a banner I will say with pride.

somehow I dont find any act of pedophilia being nature taking it course. this is by no means natural and it does great damage to the victum. When homesexuals have sex with each other it does not cause them long term trauma that will shape thier future behavior. Pedophilia does. why should it matter about the sex of thier victums. its still horrilbly wrong no matter what the sex is of the child. one child is not more important than another.

roc: You're an anti green pepper BIGOT!! I knew it!! I just knew it!! But hey, at least you're out of the pantry...er closet now. By the way, I don't like them either.

I sneak in the Garden at night and Stomp on all the Plants. I just cant lay they knowing there are Green Peppers Growing in my Back Yard. Weeds have MORE RIGHTS to Grow then Green Peppers!

roc: You'd better hope the ACLU doesn't find out what you're doing, they'll sue you for vegetable abuse.

Please Please Dont call al and jessie on me!

roc: Oh please, don't be delusional. Al and Jessie wouldn't have any interest at all, unless of course the ACLU brings some cameras along. Besides that, unless there's a black pepper component, it still won't get them any publicity.

But But, I stomped the colored ones too, not just the green ones. Does this mean I'm ............?

Sorry

But But, I stomped the colored ones too, not just the green ones. And I didnt stomp on any white ones. Does this mean I'm ............?

roc: Okay, I was hoping that we could avoid this, but I have no choice. You are hereby required to attend pepper sensitivity training. These hostile feelings you have are clearly getting out of control. Oh sure, it's just peppers right now, but unless you get a handle on your problem, it could very well escalate to cute little baby carrots...and we can't have that. Please, take my advice and seek help while there's still time to.....wait for it....here it comes...."nip it in the bud!!".

I watched attack of the killer tomatoes years ago and that is when the nightmares started. I realized that things like that out there existed. There really was such things. I went into vegetable paranoia. I was afraid to go in the produce section. I slowly focused my rage on green peppers. They were becoming an accepted vegetable. I couldn't let this happen, I HATE them my hate evolved to rage, Ive been thrown out of local grocery stores (didn't like my Gallagher impersonation). Ive been caught stomping peoples gardens. I cant stand to see or even smell them in the air. I avoid Farmers markets at all cost for I know Green peppers will be there IN PUBLIC. I must destroy them, they cannot exist! Sensitivity training didn't work. The therapist came back from lunch with Green Pepper breath, I exploded. All I think about is that disgusting little vegetable growing on that disgusting little plant! The Gaul of them we call them GREEN peppers but there are Yellow, Red, Orange, Purple. Ive been told its natural for they grow that way from their tiny seed. A demon seed I say then. Yellow, Red, Orange Purple, I don't care They ALL are Still GREEN PEPPERS! An abomination of nature I say. I got to go I'm breaking out in a cold sweat now.

roc: Please, I beg you, don't ever watch "Little Shop of Horrors". If you are this out of control now, that movie may very well send you over the edge. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but there are people eating plants in that movie, and parts of them have a slight resemblance to, gulp, (whispers this part) peppers. I know, I know, take some deep breaths and try and stay calm. It will pass shortly, just take it one moment at a time. When you calm down, seek out a 12 step Pepper Haters Anonymous program. I'm sure there's one in your area, and you need to know that there are others that have fought this fight before you and come out victorious. There's nothing to be ashamed of. You're not the only one. The first step is admitting you have a problem and that you're not able to control it. Please. Get help.

Thank You my friend. It brings a tear to my eye, just the thought of possibly carrying over to those cute little baby carrots. Would say it all started from vegetable phobia that evolved into Hate and Rage? Is there Hope? Will I be able to ever sleep at night?

roc: Hey, I was just glad that I could help. I think you've already turned the corner and have a bright future ahead of you devoid of green pepper bigotry. I knew you could do it, and all it took was becoming just a little more open minded and tolerant.

I'm not afraid of tomatoes anymore! Call it GP Phobic, I guess, there's a phobia for everything else. Just because I don't like something one gets labeled Phobic, Hence GP Phobic.

roc: Well, I would agree with that, but add one very important qualifier. One get labeled phobic by the those on the liberal side of the political spectrum.

I can't recall any conservative ever using the phobic description as a serious charge when discussing something opposed by the left. Those of us on the right just accept that someone will have disagreements with our position. I have no need to try and belittle someone by calling them phobic this or that, but, I admit that I have used it on occasion as a tool of mockery, but never as an accusation in absolute terms. Liberals, on the other hand, are very serious when they use the term. Not because I think they actually believe it, but they feel it is an effective tool to try and guilt someone into accepting their position.

Unfortunately for them, that doesn't work on me.

You mean that someone could just not like Green Peppers and there not be a Phobia at all? All that rage a result of someone telling me I was Green Pepper Phobic? The money I wasted! Should have just sent you a few bucks and a current Guerney seed catalog. Well I see Attack of the Killer Tomatoes TWO is on Netflix, Do I dare?

roc: I think you figured it out all on your own. Enjoy the movie!

Much better now. Movie was OK not as good as the first.