Hey, Chris, that was just an outstanding post!

You obviously look at it the way that I'd intended my remarks to reflect. The bad always, always drowns out the good. It is sad that it is so, but that is human nature, I suppose.

However, I'd point out that you typify the problem pointed out in the article: you and the others that you work with find the national "guidelines" inadequate for safe conduct of these activities, which they seemed to document. This would go along with your and DUG's personal experiences.

And that would be the issue, not what local leaders, like yourselves, and the people in Orange Co cited in the article, who have chosen to lead at a higher standard, but what is allowed to happen based upon who happens to become a leader locally. As the article said:

"Some parents think the organization should not depend on local councils and troops to comply with voluntary national safety recommendations."

When I read "Adding even more rigid rules would increase bureaucracy and make activities even harder to organize, some parents say."---I think, Oh, my God...we are back to priorities.

The response from the organization just didn't seem quite on point, in the article.

I suppose that is the problem with guidelines: you are then going to be at the level of the least skilled, least experienced, for the entire organization.