Lord Baden Powell, the founder of the Boy Scout movement, would have been surprised! He wanted his Scouts to be troopers for the British empire. Young British boys and girls, learning the techniques of survival and camaraderie and civilized behavior even in stressful conditions.
But the Scouts movement has spread worldwide, and now the New York Times reports that Muslim girls are joining the Girl Scouts in many American cities. Why? Basically in order to assimilate and become American! "It's kind of cool to say you are a girl scout," one Muslim girl says. "It is good to have something to associate yourself with other Americans. I like to be able to say that I am a girl scout just like any other normal girl."
Sure, some of the Muslim clubs are a little different in that they incorporate Muslim traditions. In Minneapolis one of the Scout groups is called the Khadija Club after the prophet Muhammad's first wife. So far Muslim groups have shown no hesitation, however, in extending membership to non-Muslims.
To some liberals, it may seem surprising that young Muslim girls are joining a conservative group like the Scouts. Recall that the Scouts have been hauled into court several times for refusing to embrace homosexuality. Some liberal groups are outraged that the Boy Scouts is uncomfortable with the idea of gay troop leaders taking young boys into the wilderness! Such prudery!
But it is precisely the traditional values of the Scouts that draw young Muslims. Somehow these religious and modest girls are not attracted by what liberal culture has to offer. Given the choice of trying out for "The Vagina Monologues" or taking up Scouting, they prefer Scouting. If he knew this, that wily old imperialist Lord Baden Powell would have chuckled.
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Muslim Girls Choose Scouts Over Vagina Monologues
Posted Nov 29th 2007 8:43AM by Dinesh D'Souza
Filed under: Islam, Gay and Lesbian, Cultural Left, History
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Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 12)
16. As a reminder, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts are completely different groups - and their rules are different. A boy scout may not be homosexual and must believe in God - he cannot be an athiest - but he does not have to be christian. There are Jewish, Hindu, and other Boy Scout troops. The Girl Scouts do not ask about your religious beliefs or your sexual preferences.
Helen at 8:20PM on Nov 29th 2007
17. It was once a "traditional value" to own other human beings. Another traditional value was that in what family you were born dictated what societal class you would spend your life in. In yetanother traditional value, a Muslim girl can be whipped and imprisoned for leaving home with a male who's not a family member.
Challenging traditional values is a traditional value. Many of the greatest men and women in history were placed on the pedestals they occupy for taking on traditional values, and prevailing.
Ghandi fought traditional values. Dr. King fought traditional values. both men fought traditional values with untraditional values, that would be peacefully - War is a "traditional value".
Ken at 11:09AM on Nov 29th 2007
18. Rick said "Grow up and be tolerant or you're no better than the christians of the KKK"
If there's one thing that nobody will ever accuse Dinesh D'Souza of, it's being tolerant.
brandon at 11:08AM on Nov 29th 2007
19. Knight-
The Mormons adopted scouting as an official Youth Ministry program...the BSA did not originate from the Mormon church or base any of its policies, etc. on that organization. Your post was misleading.
Josiejo at 11:27AM on Nov 29th 2007
20. This is the Headline of the story
"Muslim Girls Choose Scouts Over Vagina Monologues"
My question is HOW DOES THIS BECOME an issue or a decision point for ANY CHRISTIAN or MUSLIM girl?
Are CHRISTIAN Girls flocking to.. or retreating from ... the Vagina monologues... IS IT EVEN ON THEIR RADAR SCREEN?
Is there now a competition between CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM and the VAGINA MONOLOGUES?
Could it be that the MUSLIM girls are trying to infiltrate a conservative bastion ....or is it that they READ YOUR BOOK and PRESUMABLY read heard the VAGINA MONOLOGUES.. and your book was the deciding factor :)
Why bring the SCOUTS, little girls, and Lord Baden Powell to this RIDICULOUS proposition.
If you want to prove a point about CHRISTIANITY and ISLAM... JUST DO IT.
Peace
dmode16340 at 11:43AM on Nov 29th 2007
21. Well... on one hand I have to applaud dinesh for finally picking a fresh target! Liberals instead of atheists. Maybe we're some sort of proxy target.
What I think is a little sad is that Dinesh thinks that this is news. Is it a good thing, sure, but muslims, jews, blacks, and hispanics (legal status regardless) have joined girl scouts and had the usual gaument I experianced many many years ago.
Personally though... I don't think that Dinesh understands just how different the two organizations are. I, unfortunately, never got to finish but from speaking to others who have girl scouts isn't so much about tromping through the fields and woods as it is a practical training for real world business and economics. Staking out territory. Gaining access. Managing inventory. All for those damned cookies that are too good to say no to.
As far as the scouts go though, I don't think its right to try to force a non-profit volenteer organization to accept gay members. If they don't recieve tax money, if they aren't taxed in return, then they exjoy the same social protection as any religion or private organization. Yes, it's discrimitory. But it's also their right to have a club and say, "We don't want these kinds of people in it." Better for people who don't want to uphold that kind of bigotry to make their own club, which can be more inclusive to its members.
Somber at 11:38AM on Nov 29th 2007
22. Mr. D'Souza....I really do think you are stretching this a bit thinking that teenage girls are going to be interested in the Vagina Monologues....which is a play about menopausal women.....
But still....you are trying to get a connection between muslims (being stereotyped as liberals) being interested in conservative scouting.....but there are conservative muslims also.
Regarding the Boy Scouts decision not to allow Gay men or Atheists in their little boy club....more power to them. But they should NOT be allowed to get federal or state money or use federal or state facilities. Discriminating against gays in your membership is certainly permissable....but only if you're stay away from government sponsorship.
I don't think it's right...on the other hand....to discriminate against gay and atheist boys.....we happen to be make the Best Eagle scouts and get more badgesthan all the rest!!!
larry d. at 11:54AM on Nov 29th 2007
23. What does DD possibly know about the girl scouts? He obviously thinks that they are the same as the boy scouts. Not true, as has already been pointed out hear.
I was a girl scout. There is NO political leaning in girl scouts. At the least, we were certainly not a conservative group.
Girl scouts was where I first learned about menstruation and sexuality, in a movie we were shown.
---------------------------
On another note: I'm still waiting for someone to show me a lawsuit where someone sued a retailer for having 'christmas' in his/her store.
Linda at 11:59AM on Nov 29th 2007
24. Wrong josiejo, the BSA is essentially a paramilitary arm of the mormon church, which serruptitiously gained control of the BSA in the 1970s.
Knight_of_BAAWA at 12:13PM on Nov 29th 2007
25. Good morning Guys, Somber, Great Post,
Mornin' Linda and all my disagreeing friends. What in the world is going on with this blog? I think Mr. D is trying to show how the young ladies are trying to become more western than the locked up nation that they have come from. Right about those cookies though they are good. However, it is a far stretch from yesterday. He's probably exhausted over reading our blogs the last few days. Anyone watch the republican debates? Is it just me or we just don't have a lot of good candidates to pick from. Republican or liberal!!!!!! Don't see anyone special person in the bunch. Ah, such is liberty but, I guess that is what is so great about our country. You know after yesterday's decision about Christmas, I have decided to decorate my tree in Yellow ribbons. I want it to stand for something this year, not religious not idolistic but, in support of the men and women who are fighting for our freedom in foreign lands. Nope, don't go there, not referring to who is right or wrong or who believes in what just as a reminder to myself, that we have an all volunteer service protecting our country, who I hope will be able to come home in grand style on day real soon. Okay do your best. Rita
Rita at 12:24PM on Nov 29th 2007
26. It's revealing that Dinesh's criteria for an organization to be classed 'conservative' is that it should enforce homophobic policies. Unless camping, knot-tying and woggles have become inherently conservative activities since I last checked.
Disclaimer: quite a few years have passed since I was a scout. Are camping, knot-tying and woggles still relevent to the modern scout?
JoeyJoeJoeJr6 at 12:43PM on Nov 29th 2007
27. I guess you think this is humorous, dd. (yawn)....not a yawning vagina, btw, but an actual yawn of boredom, at having read your meaningless drivel.
stuart joshua at 12:55PM on Nov 29th 2007
28. ....actually, upon further review, it almost is bordering on horribly inappropriate talk (read: sexualizing children, sexual abuse of children, and the like). I wonder if dd goes around pairing young girls and vagina in his head very often. I hope not.
stuart joshua at 12:59PM on Nov 29th 2007
29. Why would "some" liberals find it surprising that muslims would join a conservative organization like the Scouts? Muslims, for the most part, are conservative theocrats--you know,like Republicans. And "The Vagina Monologues"? That is so 90s.
Oh well, as irrelevant and incoherent as this piece is, at least for the first time in two months, Dinesh isn't pimping his book. I guess that deserves a little pat on the head.
emelpe at 12:59PM on Nov 29th 2007
30. dd, please learn from this. See what happens when you stretch it, and pair two very different and unrelated things (which you often do) to try and be funny (in vain)??
You open yourself up to all kinds of very valid speculation about your possibly diseased thought processes. Those were your words pairing those things, not mine, you conservative repressed republican you.
stuart joshua at 1:04PM on Nov 29th 2007