Folks, I've just re-read at all of my posts in this thread (and several others) and I really do not understand where all this umbrage directed at "us" (us? us who?) is coming from.<br><br>Some examples: <br><br><<I am quite shocked as to some of the peoples views on kids and knives>><br><br>Whose views are those you refer to? I didn't appreciate a couple of anti-whatever posts that were preachy and seemed to put words in my mouth and ascribe actions to me that are completely false, but it seems to me - re-reading these posts - that you might be refering to those allegations about others views of youth rather than any expressed by me or other scouters? Or perhaps I misunderstand what you wrote...?<br><br><<I think you are definitly not giveing them any where near enough credit>><br><br>Who is"you"? I've made no statement about what kids may or may not be capable of and I'm trying hard to keep from responding in detail to a rather presumptuous, insulting, and inflamatory post made recently. Again, could it be that your comment derives from that post and similar (more restrained) ones, rather than anything I or other scouters have written? If so, your comment is mis-aimed. Again, I may be misunderstanding what you mean...<br><br><<insulted at what you think of the "youth of today". >> <br><br>I do not believe I have stated in this thread or others what *I* think of today's kids. Neither I nor my kids remotely resemble those persons described in other posts, and some folks don't have a clue about how some of us raise our kids (in the city), although if they weren't so quick with the keyboard, they could actually read some previous discussions and get a strong idea that it isn't anything like the derisive picture that was painted.<br><br>I believe that I agree with a LOT of the sentiments expressed by folks who seem to think very poorly of parents, scouts, scouters, etc. I am pretty upset with the choice of apparant targets of some of those posts. Please go back and note WHO wrote the passages that have inflamed you - was it us evil-stupid-parent-scouters who wrote those passages, or...?<br><br>Now, if I completely mis-understand your post, forgive me. Tell me exactly what I said that triggered your remarks so I can understand where you are coming from.<br><br>I am NOT trying to insult you or anyone else, nor do I wish to inflame matters. But if the loud noises are coming from a contemporary, accurately informed, knowledgable source, I will fall out of my chair in shock. Some of the loud noises sound like fanatic religious rants against some mythic evil doers - how ironic!<br><br>I sure hope this is the last post I make on this topic - I wish it would drop and die, because I'm not learning anything useful from this, and some folks seem to have their undies in a bundle for reasons that don't make sense to me.<br><br>Thanks for reading through this post - I enjoy 99.99% of the posts and dialogues here and have learned a number of useful tidbits. More than enough said by me; I'm quits with this thread.<br><br>Tom