In employment, housing, lending, and several other areas, private actions by private individuals become firmly controlled by government agencies. Every boy will be taught in school that it is a matter of personal choice whether he marries a man or a woman. The family depends upon and is defined by sacrifice and responsibility, and the triumph of love over lust. For decades the Scouts have been a pillar in preserving the family. They have flourished because they have earned the trust of the American people, the parents of the young men who join, and the boys themselves.
Scouts participate in a range of activities, including retreats and camping trips.
The trust given by the boys and their parents must not be abused. The New Jersey Appellate Court is attempting to shatter that trust. That fear is, indeed, generally unspoken. It is hardly sinister. The Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that there were 60,000 offenders convicted of child sexual abuse in 1996.