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Brave Indiana lawmaker faces down Girl Scouts

Caperton

How did I miss this? Back in February, Indiana state Rep. Bob Morris took a stand against the slutification of our daughters by a radical left-wing sex cult with ties to unrepentant baby-killers: He alone opposed the state House’s resolution honoring the Girl Scouts on their 100th birthday, because of their “radical policies” and “liberal progressive politics” and promotion of “homosexual lifestyles.” O, the horrors revealed by a little quick Googling!

Dear Fellow Representatives:

This past week I was asked to sign a House Resolution recognizing the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts of America. After talking to some well-informed constituents, I did a small amount of web-based research, and what I found is disturbing. The Girl Scouts of America and their world-wide partner, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), have entered into a close strategic affiliation with Planned Parenthood. You will not find evidence of this on the GSA/WAGGGS website–in fact, the websites of these two organizations explicitly deny funding Planned Parenthood.

Nonetheless, abundant evidence proves that the agenda of Planned Parenthood includes sexualizing young girls through the Girl Scouts, which is quickly becoming a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood. …

…

Many parents are abandoning the Girl Scouts because they promote homosexual lifestyles. In fact, the Girl Scouts education seminar girls are directed to study the examples of role models. Of the fifty role models listed, only three have a briefly-mentioned religious background–all the rest are feminist, lesbians, or Communists. … Boys who decide to claim a “transgender” or cross-dressing life-style [all of that sic] are permitted to become a member of a Girl Scout troop, performing crafts with the girls and participate in overnight and camping activities–just like any real [sic] girl. The fact that the Honorary President of Girl Scouts of America is Michelle Obama, and the Obama’s [sic] are radically pro-abortion and vigorously support the agenda of Planned Parenthood, should give each of us reason to pause before our individual or collective endorsement of the organization.

… That said, I challenge each of you to examine these matters more closely before you extend your name and your reputation to endorse a group that has been subverted in the name of liberal progressive politics and the destruction of traditional American family values.

Morris also makes reference to a Planned Parenthood brochure called “Happy, Healthy, and Hot,” which he says “instructs young girls not to think of sex as ‘just about vaginal or anal intercourse.'” The pamphlet, produced by the IPPF, is actually aimed at young people living with HIV, to help them understand their sexual and reproductive rights and be able to enjoy their sexuality. Also, it was neither produced for nor distributed to the Girl Scouts. So if there are a ton of HIV-positive Brownies running around wondering about safe sex, maybe they really are getting PP indoctrination. Otherwise, they’re probably spending their time weaving those little sit-upons out of newspaper to keep their butts dry around the campfire–and I gotta tell you, in terms of general productivity and lasting life impact, I might go with the sex ed anyway.

35 thoughts on Brave Indiana lawmaker faces down Girl Scouts

  1. Wow, the Girl Scouts sure have changed since I earned the Gold Award in the early 90s. (massive sarcasm and eyerolling)

    Just who are his “well-informed constituents”?
    How many of these “well-informed constituents” are there?
    What does he mean by “a small amount of web-based research”?
    What the hell was he googling in order to find his “information”?

    I think that the real story is more like this… some big donor or close friend/relative made some uninformed comment/complaint, and this guy just picked it up and ran with it. We already know that Republicans don’t have the best research skills.

    This guy’s basic beef with the Girl Scouts seems to be that they do not push an Evangelical Christian agenda and values.

    To which I say – you go Girl Scouts! Continue to be a supportive and welcoming environment for young girls from all faiths and backgrounds!

  3. FYI, there is no such thing as “Girl Scouts of America.” The organization is actually called “Girl Scouts of the USA.”

  4. There’s a more recent one in Alaska, too. Republican Wes Keller blocked a resolution honoring the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, stating that the organization was connected with Planned Parenthood.

  6. Aw, you missed the best part of the story:

    http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-02-22/indiana-girl-scouts/53205262/1

    After controversial remarks by one Republican lawmaker attacking Girl Scouts as a radical group that supports abortion, House Speaker Brian Bosma made his feelings clear Tuesday, one Thin Mint cookie at a time.

    Bosma, also a Republican, pointedly offered Girl Scout cookies throughout the day and munched them as he presided over the House.

    At one point Tuesday, he told House colleagues he had “purchased 278 cases of Girl Scout cookies in the last 48 hours.”

    And when time came for the House to adjourn, he asked all lawmakers who had been Girl Scouts — and seemingly every female legislator stood — to give the daily motion to adjourn.

    As he left the House, Bosma was dismissive of the controversy: “I’ve been to the carnival before, and you don’t walk in to every sideshow tent.”

  7. Thankfully, in Alaska reasonable minds prevailed and the resolution passed unanimously. Keller did vote for it in the end.

  9. The nasty comments about boys with a “‘transgender’ or cross-dressing lifestyle” trying to invade the Girl Scouts — complete with scare quotes, because of course trans people don’t really exist — was, of course, inspired by all that outrage a few months ago about the 7-year old trans girl who was, horror of horrors, allowed to join. We had a thread about that back in January: http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2012/01/12/hateful-girl-scout-mad-that-girl-scouts-lets-in-girls/

  10. It seems that even a link to an old thread right here on feministe triggers the moderation software. Good to know.

  11. Donna L, I don’t even know what does it anymore. It’s a complicated algorithm of permamodded commenters, questionable keywords, links, stock prices, whether Ringer is likely to get renewed, and a series of coin flips.

  12. The nasty comments about boys with a “‘transgender’ or cross-dressing lifestyle” trying to invade the Girl Scouts — complete with scare quotes, because of course trans people don’t really exist — was, of course, inspired by all that outrage a few months ago about the 7-year old trans girl who was, horror of horrors, allowed to join.

    I guess if he can only handle the kind of light googling that gets you planned parenthood conspiracy theories, he may have a very skewed idea of what it means to be trans.

  14. 1.) Because cross-dressing = transgender
    2.) Because health services = encouraging early sexual activity
    3.) Because no position on abortion and birth-control = pro-abortion
    4.) Because Feminism = Communism = Homosexuality

    When will ignorance be outlawed?

  15. 1.) Because cross-dressing = transgender

    Of course the former doesn’t equal the latter. But there are, in fact, plenty of crossdressers who identify as transgender or other varieties of trans. (I won’t repeat the old joke on that subject — way too offensive, especially in non-trans company.)

  16. Honestly, depending on where you live there may be nothing at all “liberal progressive” about the girl scouts. My troop lost points in a major competition because we didn’t say a Christian grace. And every camp or meet-up I went to outside of the ones with other troops in my area had a required prayer before meals.

    This is in Northern Virginia by the way.

  17. Morris also makes reference to a Planned Parenthood brochure called “Happy, Healthy, and Hot,” which he says “instructs young girls not to think of sex as ‘just about vaginal or anal intercourse.’”

    I didn’t realize that the GOP was the party of “anal or vaginal intercourse.” Normally they at least try to put some kind of “true Christian love” fig leave on it. I guess he got tired of the charade and went straight for “Real Republican Women Take it in the Pooper(tm)”
    (not that there’s anything wrong with that)

    Also, did he somehow manage to spin “The First lady is the honorary president of the scouts” into something negative?
    Ooohh no! Those dirty liberal commies and their… endorsement of the democratically elected president (and/or spouse) of the United States! Finally their Bolshevik agency is out in the open?

    Thhough, I am kinda curious about the “communist role models” provided to the scouts.
    I can only imagine a mix of Russian communist propaganda posters and Rosie the Riveter from WW2, and that sounds kinda awesome.

    “We can do it!
    better then the chauvinist-male-pig-dogs!”

  18. …that has been subverted in the name of liberal progressive politics and the destruction of traditional American family values.

    Wait, those things supposed to be bad?

    This is like a comic villain expressing their distaste for chocolate because it tastes good.

  20. Honestly, depending on where you live there may be nothing at all “liberal progressive” about the girl scouts.

    Oh yeah, I’m straight up jealous of all these people who had progressive, awesome GS experiences and wish I had gotten the same, instead of learning retrograde gender roles with a heaping side of enforced catholicism.
    I was (pleasantly) surprised to hear all the Girl Scouts have done and that my experience was evidently an outlier.

  21. Here’s the thing about Girl Scouts (which I LOVE).

    While the national organization, a member organization of WAGGGS, is progressive, the organization is very grass roots based. While there are official policies (such as that on prayer — “God”, as appears in camp prayers or the Girl Scout promise, can mean anything that the child wants or believes it to be) that are “left leaning” (read: reasonable), the organization depends often on the non-professional volunteers and scout leaders that have power for better or worse over individual troops or to some extent, councils. I grew up in the bible belt (not Cleveland, where I moved to as an adult), and yes, there where very conservative contingents. However, the professional staff members and my ridiculously awesome troop leader were very supportive and empowering. I feel like I am actually a better person because of my Girl Scouts experience. On my honor, I will try!!

    (Membership history! 10 year girl scout as a girl, 1 year as an employee, 1 year as an alumni and no plans to stop paying my dues!)

  22. I was just thinking about what happened to that poor little trans girl recently, and how much better the Girl Scouts are than the Boy Scouts (one is trans accepting and at least somewhat feminist, the other virulently homophobic and militaristic), and I realized just how lucky we all are that Girl Scout cookies also happen to me much more delicious than Boy Scout popcorn tins, or whatever it is that they’re selling these days. Because if the goods were switched, that would be a very difficult boycott indeed.

    But there are, in fact, plenty of crossdressers who identify as transgender or other varieties of trans. (I won’t repeat the old joke on that subject — way too offensive, especially in non-trans company.)

    Damn it, now I’m curious!

  23. The inside of this dude’s mind must be a strange and disturbing place. I especially love how he seems to categorize anyone and everyone as either “has religious convictions” or “feminist/lesbian/commie!!!!!”

  24. @Ashley Pariseau – actually, it’s pretty common. Girl Scouts has a national brand that has a lot of goodwill associated with it…add in the connection to children, the mildly progressive goals (teach girls how to think for themselves and to be actively involved in changing the world for the better), and a bit of feminism, and yeah, it’s like a big juicy target to everyone with an agenda.

    Especially the extreme right wing. You would not believe the insane rumors and accusations they throw at Girl Scouts. The stuff above? That’s the mild stuff. And the rest of it is so far off in the realm of fantasy and conspiracy theory, it’s kind of pointless to try and counter.

    What it comes down to, I think, is fear that GS may corrupt girls by teaching them to think for themselves and seek out different perspectives. It’s the fear that if a girl is allowed any thoughts that aren’t exactly pre-approved, you lose control of that girl…which, yeah. Duh. (Seriously- some of the biggest attacks against the GS curriculum is stuff like “xyz is mentioned. XYZ’s parents are communists!” or “Page 64 says that so-and-so won an award for an autobiographical story she wrote at 17. In that story, she mentions being dissatisfied with the idea of jumping right into marriage and motherhood!!!!!!” (sadly, not an exaggeration at all. Both are real examples). The fear is that the girls might tangentially be exposed to something other. I mean, they might because of a single reference in a book go and decide to read the life history of one person and learn about that person’s parents and then read about communism. That’s the actual stated fear.

  26. subverted in the name of liberal progressive politics and the destruction of traditional American family values.

    He says that like it’s a bad thing.

  27. For the record, my small-town TN troop had prayers. We also voted in integration in ’65, had self- defense lessons, and the org provided my first menstrual education, because I had none at home. No doubt, the rep from Indiana would define the integration as commie, the self-defense as lesbian, and the health ed as “librul”.
    So I’m praying, as a good Scout:Goddess, God, or whoever has the power, please don’t let the GOP put this goon in the White House.

  28. my son is in cub scouts and his pack leader also is a girl scout leader. this past weekend we went camping and a civil war reenacter broke character to tell her (she was wearing a girl scout shirt) “did you know girl scouts gets money from planned parenthood?”

  29. I was a girl scout for a few years when I was young – it was a very progressive group where we focused on community service, critical thinking, creative activities and natural/organic homesteading. Both leaders of the group were active members of the local Pagan community. When my father found out about the ‘scary feminists’ (‘feminist’ said in the warning tone reserved for mentions of the GOP or his inlaws) who ran the group, I was immediately pulled, disallowed from having anything to do with the troop or my friends in it and warned about the dangers of the ‘pro-woman’ movement. Apparently, they were out to make me think ‘unnatural thoughts’. I was accused of wanting to become a vegetarian, gun-loathing, freedom-hating hippie.

    The whole thing broke my heart. Up to that point, I was set on staying with the scouts until I was of legal age. I’m thankful for the time I did spend scouting; they’re times I treasure.

  30. This guy is a Joke. Promoting lies and deceitful comments about one of the nations most empowering organizations of women? Who are these “Well informed Constituents”? this sounds like another attack of a group simply to create some drama/excitement in the legislative bodies. what a fail.

  31. My GS leader was Jewish and co-leader was Hopi. I had the super best experience ever. They even allowed my little brother to join. We were constantly doing charity work with the poor. I sent my daughter to GS at the same elementary school and she had a bad time. They learned how to do make-up and saved up to go to a resort. I suppose it really depends upon group leaders? I donno, but GSA allows boys, gays, and any religion. What does the BSA do? Cover up child rape and not allow gays or girls. I would never allow my son to join that group.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting_sex_abuse_cases

    http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2011-12-01/news/boy-scouts-of-america-explorers-sexually-molested-by-police-learning-for-life-exploring-program/

  32. Sadly the military style uniforms and trans fat containing scout cookies do not provide enough conservative values for some people. My mom always though scouting was facist, I guess I can tell her she was wrong, they are actually communists.

  34. The Scouts in the UK definitely allowed girls when I was kid and that was around twenty years ago. Not sure if the Guides (the British equivalent of the Girl Scouts) allowed boys to join, I didn’t know any boys who tried.

  35. What a bigot. I wish politicians were better at setting aside their personal bias and doing their job of representing the people in a reasonable and respectable manner.

    I was just thinking about what happened to that poor little trans girl recently, and how much better the Girl Scouts are than the Boy Scouts (one is trans accepting and at least somewhat feminist, the other virulently homophobic and militaristic), and I realized just how lucky we all are that Girl Scout cookies also happen to me much more delicious

    No kidding, I always thought Girl scouts was slightly anti-feminist? Well go Girl Scouts, and their cookies. Coincidently, selling those popcorn tins is a nightmare! I have to say I hate when people lash out so violently against Boy or Girl Scouts. Sure they have some issues (like the occasional bout of homophobia and the ridiculous requirement to have a faith) but they’re great programs that promote leadership, self-reliance, and confidence. Not to mention, from the staggering percentage of leaders both in politics and industry that have been scouts, they must be doing something right!

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