To put dd's names down for Scouts - DH thinks they are a "psuedo militaristic organisation that pledges allegiance to the monarchy and reinforces class divisions."

[morningpaper]

Well I thought that the Brownies and Scouts were okay but DH has objected that I have put their names down because they are "psuedo militaristic organisations that pledges allegiance to the monarchy and reinforces class divisions."

I told him they are probably full of working class Muslim eco-warrier children but he says no.

AIBU?

Better a Commie than an embarrassing anachronistic uniform-fetishist paramilitary freak

I always thought they were fairly working class actually although the Queen did join the guides I think in her youth.

Ha! Can't win can you??!!!

Criminal checks are done yes, MB, but one wouldn't rely on them much. OR even police intelligence access - see Huntley??.

There is no way of eliminating risk, as we don't know what is going through people's minds, do we??

my guide group was full of very posh girls!

xenia, our middle class is your working class

Brownies, Cubs, Guides, Scouts, fab stuff for children to do in a (usually) single gender group where they (usually) make another group of friends outside of their school ones. I was a Brownie, my mother was Brown Owl, dd was a Brownie from the moment she turned 7 and is now a Guide. Loves the camping and other outings, church parade, the whole thing. There's got to be a lot of worse stuff out there.

def military bent..and think the god thing and queen thing would bother too....

was in girls brigade all marching and god scripture stuff....yawn..very small stick town...

woodcraftfolk...can i join too?

Huntley wasn't police checked was he? which was the cause for outrage, that he could be in such a position close to children as a caretaker and not be police checked.

police checksare only as good as the day they are printed, granted, but in any organisationw here you leave your child in the supervised company of an adult who has some responsability for your child, one entrusts them.

So there will ofcourse be incidents where this position of power is abused.

To intimate that this is somehow wide spread practice is simply untrue.

I think the whole argument is silly, Kids get together to play games. not be brainwashed into becoming a monarching or pseudo military gun toting patriot ready to fight for britain in Iraq -in the hour and a half 2 hours they spend there once a week FGS get a grip. Its a social group.

monarchist*

I do Rainbows (if we can include that) and we are definatly not militaristic , a bit of order might be quite nice for a change

I think in general the groups are more disciplined rather than militaristic nowadays

The god part says 'my God' so can mean whatever you want it to mean.The Queen is mentioned in the Brownie promise upwards(not the Rainbow one )

Your dh needs to get with the 21st century. We're all done with left wing/right wing class division stuff. Just tell him his views are old-fashioned.

Men hate that

Well, that's the rest of us told then

You may think having your child swear to "serve" an old woman she's never met on the basis of fading elitist principles (the same bloodthirsty and arrogant principles which have wrought evil and suffering across the world {still do, in fact}, and which currently make us the laughing stock of Europe and a disgrace to the civilised world), but others take these powerful symbols rather more seriously and choose not to turn a blind eye to the history, significance, uniform and abiding rituals of these organisations. You don't think it matters - that's your choice. But is it really so difficult to understand that others hold a different view? ]

has anyone mentioned 'scouting for boys'? yet...the book of course!

Morningpaper. Yes, he's being unreasonable... Mini morningpapers will have lots of fun, meet new pals and generally have a good time . Deciding to send them is in their best interests and you shouldn't be put off by your DH's hangups!!! PC gone mad I say!!!

(Greensleeves where were you last time I was struggling on a republican thread?)

"has anyone mentioned 'scouting for boys'?"

that's another site, suzy.....

LOL Kathy, did I miss one? It won't happen again

The Scouts, Guides, etc., won't have atheists as leaders (in spite of theoretically being a "non-religious" organisation), which really puts me off (in fact, it's only really being an atheist or a paedophile that will disqualify you, because clearly the two are comparable ). So it'll be the Woodland Folk for DS.

ChocolateFace -- Many are listed here or call head office on 020 8672 6031 for your nearest group.

Good grief, Greensleeves. I was being light-hearted. Lighten up, girl

morningpaper. I hope things are much clearer for you now, and you can come to a rational, well-informed, joint decision that you are both happy with.......

Eh? I'm enjoying myself immensely

Oh, and I was aiming at FFF (in a pacifist non-ballistic way you understand), I just type too slowly

lemonaid - I'm agnostic and when I started Guiding I was never asked my beliefs and never have been. I took my promise just like everyone else because it states 'to love MY God' - if you have a different one to everyone else or no God at all its up to you.

We no longer have a chapter of the Woodcraft Folk near us

I keep telling dp it is his civic duty to revive it but he just mutters and hides behind his DS Lite

DH1 is a scout/beaver helper and had to have the police check.

He was going to camp for a weekend, the check came back 6 WEEKS after he had been to camp.
Thankfully DH1 is a lovely bloke and not a mad perv