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 5 of 12)
61. "Having said that, most of the comments posted about this blog are the meanest that I've ever seen on the web."
Bob's URL of a video replies to this tripe very well, fellow atheists. Keep on hammerin' the bastards!
http://onegoodmovemedia.org/movies/0711/patcondellwhydebatedogma.mov
brandon at 5:13PM on Nov 29th 2007
62. "the Girl Scouts admit openly homosexual members and leaders and open atheists. They have frequently partnered with Planned Parenthood for their sex education programs."
The horror! Why, they sound like...liberals!! I'm tossing my peanut butter cookies to the dogs!
Thanks, Hans, for proving Dinesh's original post and concept to be totally wrong. As well as weird...
brandon at 5:28PM on Nov 29th 2007
63. So Hans, could you please address the subject of BSA being a "paramilitary" arm of the Mormon church? Also, if you don't mind...just so we know where you're coming from...would you disclose whether or nor you are a practicing Mormon?
Josiejo at 5:28PM on Nov 29th 2007
64. oh look (snicker)
pathological liar ray was saying something (snicker)
Too bad that it's all a lie (snicker)
Everyone knows that nothing ray writes is the truth (snicker).
snickersnickersnickersnickersnickersnicker
Knight_of_BAAWA at 5:30PM on Nov 29th 2007
65. Unlike the *boy* scouts, which this article references, the girl scouts have always have never had rules in place that prevent lesbians from participating, something for which women's groups have praised them. Not only does this article conflate two things that have nothing to do with eachother, it's false on its basic premise.
Eva at 5:49PM on Nov 29th 2007
66. Sorry Hans.
I was in the girl scouts in the 50's and 60's and we were getting information on sex and menstruation then, long before Betty Friedan.
Girl scouts have always prided themselves on diversity and openness.
Linda at 5:49PM on Nov 29th 2007
67. http://intous.blogspot.com/2005/08/oh-no-not-girl-scouts.html
eva at 5:58PM on Nov 29th 2007
68. These are the only options--Girl Scouts vs. Vagina Monologues?
Soooooooooooo lame, Dinesh. I don't know any children interested in the Vagina Monologues. I don't know many children who have a clear understanding of either term, vagina or monologue. Not one of your more masterful comparisons, pal.
Denise at 6:06PM on Nov 29th 2007
69. "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!"
"Recall that..",is a variation on the old, "Keep in mind..."
Why is D'evil D'Souza 'recalling' this? Does it have anything to do with DD's subject, Muslim Girl Scouts... anything at all?
Hey, maybe we should encourage a government investigation into the alleged(I'm alleging it now!) 'Carpet-licking' and 'Donut-bumping' badges which may/or may not be available to these unsuspecting youngsters!!
"Girls just wanna, they just wanna ... they just wanna, they just wanna have fu-un!"
pboyfloyd at 6:11PM on Nov 29th 2007
70. Wow, DD! You mean little muslim girls are NORMAL and just like "regular" little American girl???? Awww, you don't mean it! How very astute of you (cough cough). I would have never realized that without having you to point that out for me! Now, WTF was that Vagina thing all about??? That was just plain rude and unnecessary. Catty, even. Oy, vey, you are consistant, I must give you that much.
web jones at 6:12PM on Nov 29th 2007
71. #4 "Conservative" muslims join "conservative" organizations...WE SHOULD ASSUME THEN that "radical" muslims join the "radical" liberals? At least now we can agree who the real enemies within are eh? STOP THE PRESSES!
MjM at 6:42PM on Nov 29th 2007
72. This has to be the strangest blog I have read yet. The boy scouts and girl scouts are two different organizations with different founders. I know, because I have belonged to both. (No, I did not have a sex change. The Explorers went co-ed back in the '70's).
And Knight, I never noticed anything particularly LDS about the Explorers, although I am sure that they and other Christian based contributors have had some influence over the BSA's stand on gays and atheists.
I have no idea where Dinesh came up with the comparison to The Vagina Monologues. Did he put that there because he thought it sounded radically liberal? He could have titled the blog "Muslim Girls Choose Scouts over Mashed Rutabagas" and it would have made as much sense.
The other thing that concerned me is that the concept that Muslim girls in the US are (gasp) Normal Girls seems to be some sort of revelation to Dinesh. I have a feeling he doesn't know many Muslim kids. I know a lot of them, and they are...um....Kids! They play, they laugh, they run around and get into stuff, they fall down, they get mad, they cry...just like "real" kids do. I happen to have quite a few Bosnian Muslims in my neighborhood. They are like "normal" people. Their kids are like "normal" people. One of the little cretins even drew a penis in the wet cement on the sidewalk with the word "righteous" next to it. (He must have just watched Finding Nemo).
I was in the Girl Scouts from Brownies through Cadets and frankly don't remember anything particularly conservative. I remember learning how to make a sit-upon and buddy burner, fire starters out of sawdust and wax, tying knots, pitching tents, learning to sew, learning to fish, learning to shoot arrows and row a canoe, recycling cans and glass, blazing a trail around a lake with a machete (and no adults), sitting in a fire tower spotting forest fires, baking cookies, playing games, and generally having fun. Although some of those things are girlish, most were pretty darn tom-boyish. I have no idea where "conservative" fits into that equation.
I bet I just made a bunch of you remember "sit-upons."
Rowan at 6:45PM on Nov 29th 2007
73. Dinesh, have you auditioned for Blue Man Group yet?
JerryC at 7:30PM on Nov 29th 2007
74. My teen daughter would NOT go to the V-monologues when she can hear MOM go thru menopause.
BUT the general analogy is valid...as
my daughter and her high school and college peers are subjected to a society and culture where many -
are PIMPING for the hookup culture -
DESPITE significant research and medical data on the DESTRUCTIVENESS to the physical and mental health of girls and women who sleep around...
Thou shalt NOT question the "hookup" policy...so it seems. And Modesty is the "M" word. And the word "Virgin!!!!
Feminists for Life - is one of the few feminist groups I know of which are working for the Elisabeth Cady Stanton act (to help pregnant and new mom single college students care for the child while they FINISH their education).
Also, they don't verbally PIMP for the hookup sleeparound culture (as some OTHER feminist groups do).
Disperse the postmodern FOG at 7:41PM on Nov 29th 2007
75. Scouts vs. Vagina Monologues? This if the first time I ventured to this blog, so I'm not keen on its history. But, if this article, and I use that lightly, is indicative of the innane level of logic, it's likely to be my last.
Dinesh, I certainly respect the fact that you're entitled to your opinion. But, what was the purpose of the "parallel" you were trying to make with the Scouts, Vagina Monologues, and liberals? Uhhh, have you seen the production? Further, have you thoroughly studied the premise of the Scouts? It appears you've not delved deep into either, which makes your "voice" all the more cause for concern.
In other words, you flippantly make the parallel and then, miraculously, infuse "some liberal groups," etc. Are you purposely trying to confuse people or are you really that ill-informed and devoid of logic? It's a shame because I suspect there are people who read your work regularly and blindly accept what you write without a critical eye.
Either you are really intellectually/logically dense or you are devious (or, perhaps a combination of both). Either way, you at least should do research before you write and, at the very least, develop a cogent argument. The apparent, trite example of pointing fingers at liberals (I make no claim to be a liberal just in case you accuse me of being so) is truly sad. And, even more sad, it implies (damn, there goes the logical reasoning...) that so-described liberal people are values-challenged.
Shame on you, Dinesh, surely you're smarter than that. Right? Upon second thought, I pose that question rhetorically because I really don't think I want to know the answer.
Sage at 8:22PM on Nov 29th 2007