The original ethos of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), established in 1910, centered on fostering traditional masculine virtues, rugged outdoor skills, and moral character development in young boys through a structured, male-only environment. Rooted in the ideals of its founder, Robert Baden-Powell, and American influences like Theodore Roosevelt’s rugged individualism, it emphasized self-reliance, patriotism, and leadership through activities like camping, hiking, and survival skills, often taught in wilderness settings. 

The Scout Oath and Law underscored duty to God, country, and others, promoting a code of honor, loyalty, and ethical behavior grounded in Judeo-Christian values, which resonated with its largely conservative, church-affiliated membership. This ethos, focused on preparing boys for manhood through adventure and discipline, was seen as a counterpoint to modern distractions. 

The decline of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was influenced by societal shifts, legal battles, and criticisms from various groups notably the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) which criticized its exclusionary policies on homosexuality and religion. 

When ever the ACLU is involved, I must remind folks it was founded by a Progressive Jew and whose membership today consists still of Jews way out of proportion to their percentage of our population. And as my Favorite Jew, Dennis Prager says, Progressives always destroy everything they touch.

The ACLU challenged the BSA’s ban on gay members and leaders, culminating in the 2000 Supreme Court case Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, where the BSA’s right to exclude openly gay individuals was upheld but sparked ongoing public backlash. Although the BSA won their case by 5-4, the publicity turned corporate sponsors like Disney, Lockheed Martin, Merck, Intel, and United Way to withdraw funding after 2012, citing the BSA’s anti-gay policies, which strained finances. The righteous Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), a major sponsor representing nearly 20% of membership, also severed ties after the BSA admitted girls, accelerating membership loss. 

The coup de grâce were the hundreds of sexual abuse victims that came out to the woodwork and with their legal representatives filed over 20,000 lawsuits, leading to a multi billion bankruptcy settlement in 2023, which further  damaged the BSA’s reputation and resources.