I have fond memories of my time in the Scouts in Mexico, even though the story doesn't have a happy ending. I cherish those early years. Would you like me to share the story with you? Keep reading to find out.
The Beginning
At the age of 12, I became a member of Group VII after my grandfather's passing. Despite having friends, cousins, and a brother in the Cub Scouts, I was the only Trooper in my age group (the Group was a little different, being divided into Cub Scouts for ages 7-12, Troop for ages 12-18, and Clan for ages 18+. At that time, I was the youngest in the Troop by a large age gap that made interaction between Troopers difficult). I felt isolated and ignored, but I remained committed to Scouting in honor of my grandfather, who was a passionate supporter of the organization.
After a year, the Troop disbanded, leaving me as the only member. Even the chief had vanished, leaving me in an empty meeting place. Despite this setback, I remained determined to keep Group VII alive. My grandfather had helped found the group, and I wanted to honor his legacy. So, I approached the Cub Scouts and asked if I could join. The chief agreed, and for the next year and a half, I served as the "second in command”, or something similar, though it was never official. Unfortunately, I couldn't advance in the ranks of the Troop since there was no one to test me. Thankfully, a new Troop chief was elected during a group camping trip that year.
Leader
In our Troop, we had smaller groups called "Patrols" with a leader in each. These Patrols competed against each other in various activities. Each group had a pair of colors and an animal to represent them, and a unique call that members shouted at the beginning and end of each event or ceremony.
The patrol I belonged to was called the Rhinoceros and it was founded by my grandpa. There were other patrols too like the Owls, the Tigers, the Condors, and the Falcons. The Rhinos' colors were dark blue and orange, and our call was "Gung-Ho". However, we didn't use it in the colloquial sense. Instead, we used its original Chinese meaning which was to work together.
Since the new chief took over, the Troop expanded to include two Falcons and one Condor. During a camping trip six months later, a ceremony was held where my brother, cousins, and others were accepted into the Troop. My family members were Rhinos, and as the oldest, I automatically became their leader. Although I was not yet officially the Patrol leader at that time, I was given the rank two months later.
As a leader, I was committed to protecting my Troopers at all costs, even if it meant standing up to my superiors. Despite being a rebellious teen, I held the safety of those under my watch in high regard. This sense of responsibility was instilled in me at a young age when my younger brother was born and I was just three years old.
Throughout this chapter, I faced numerous challenges and often felt like giving up. Despite this, I persevered and ultimately led my Patrol to success.
Clan
After experiencing countless adventures and mishaps with my Patrol, the time had come for me to bid them farewell. Although I was reluctant to leave, I made an effort to keep the mood light and enjoyable. Our group journeyed to the Patrol's hidden camping spot to hold a special ceremony during which I handed over my leadership role to my brother. It was a bittersweet moment, but I knew it was time to move on.
After that, I took a long break from Scouting. It was more out of necessity than anything else, for I had just started college and I was busy, getting used to more active learning and the significantly increased work.
When I left, my brother also departed and left the Patrol in the hands of my cousin. As I settled into college life, I made the decision to return. By that time, my cousin had joined the Clan and a younger cousin was leading the Patrol. Unfortunately, only two people remained and the Troop was struggling. It was not the same as I remembered and not what I had fought to protect.
The Clan was no longer focused on the aspects that made Group VII distinct. Instead, they were struggling to stay afloat in a fast-evolving world and had to adjust accordingly. They stopped venturing into the woods as frequently, but when they did, they brought along alcohol and cigars, which were previously forbidden.
I went on a trip with the Troop then to relive some memories, but I was only disillusioned, being greeted with industry and deforestation in the place we had used to camp at. It was the last straw, though admittedly not the group's fault.
It was good that my grandpa was not with us but in a better place, because all this would have caused him such pain.
I then left the group. I knew that try as I might, it was too far gone to try to save.
Later, now living in the United States of America, in a fit of nostalgia, I decided to visit Group VII's website. I knew deep down that I would not find anything comforting, but I was still hopeful. As I expected, it brought me great sadness to see that they were celebrating the first badge awarded to a female.
I am absolutely not against women being able to have something like the Scouts, but I do think they should be separate. The Boy Scouts were founded by Robert Baden-Powell for men and the Girl Scouts were founded by his wife later on. This was for a reason.
In the Scouts we had lots of activities where a boy would not be comfortable with a girl and it is not some evil bias that children have that they must get rid off, it is their natural instinct. One of the wonders of the human body is its difference between male and female, and many of the activities we did were to train those features that make us different, for it was this one of the reasons the movement was founded.
Furthermore, these changes are only conducive to more undesirable changes. Anyway, it is this also what I fought so hard against during my time in the Troop, and it was not easy. Many times it cost me great relationships, and in that moment I felt it had been for nothing.
It is not for nothing, now I see. Holding fast to your values will always be worth the effort, for it makes us who we are. And when the time comes, it is these things that will count in our favor.
SAPIENTIA ET VENUSTAS
Santiago Muguiro