Written: 9/23/2012
At the beginning of the month, I took a new job, leaving the BSA (hence the post, “The King of Spades is dead, long live the King!“)
It is with trepidation of course that I left, it’s a big change, but it really is a good move for me. I was amazed at how much I was able to accomplish before I left. In the short term, I was able to close up summer camp in record time, and get everything else in order for the person coming after me, as well as training her. Now granted, there is a lot that I can’t teach someone else how to do (graphic design and creative), but I did what I can.
In the long-run, I’m super proud of what I was able to accomplish. Bringing things up to standards in terms of employment for the summer camp kids, the design, the websites and the events that I worked on really are amazing.
I’ve talked with a few of the volunteers, both before I left and after, and it’s nice to hear how much I will be missed, and how I was one of the few people that volunteers liked to call at Flag.
I’m not one to give myself much credit, but I did amazing work, and was one of the best members of the support staff, hands down.
But I have to say, it was a good time to leave. The BSA was under all kinds of public pressure before due to the discriminatory policies they keep. But that is nothing compared to what is coming.
And it is absolutely abhorrent that this even happened, but it is now coming to light that the BSA systematically hid child abuse from the authorities. Much like Penn State and the Catholic Church, the BSA has put their own image in front of the safety, dignity and respect of young people.
I still don’t know where there aren’t riots in the streets (and that applies to all those organizations named).
You don’t hide abuse from the police. You turn the monsters in and help the victims in any way that you can. It’s not the organization’s fault (well, it would not have been, had they not moved, hid and otherwise been accomplices to those abusers), but you do what you can to help the victims. This is not a question or a suggestion. And if you can’t pass this very, very simple moral test, that why should anyone trust you with any moral question, let alone their children? My mind simply cannot wrap around these questions.
I have been asked to volunteer with the BSA, to work with the alumni association. And I love my camp staff kids. They’ll never know how much I worked behind the scenes for them, as their advocate, and to make our camps safer and more accepting. But even though there’s no history in these files of anything in the Pittsburgh area, it’s so revolting that I can’t imagine giving time to the organization.
It’s a hard line to walk, I can still do some good, and help so many of my friends here in Pittsburgh, and honestly, I’m one of the few people that can span so many generations of camp staffs to bring alumni together. But on the other hand, I can’t give any part of the BSA anything until they clean up their mess.
I still don’t know exactly what I’ll do, and I’m not rushing to make any decisions, either.
All my best,
The King of Spades
