Chivalry marches forward

We support Scouts.

Proudly.

All of them.

In 1908, British Lt. Col. Robert Baden-Powell wrote and illustrated “Scouting for Boys.” Baden-Powell’s groundbreaking book on Boy Scout training has seen a revival and is in broad distribution today. In light of the Boy Scouts of America decision this week to accept transgender boys, we went back to Baden-Powell for some perspective.

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Under a heading “THE KNIGHTS’ CODE,” Baden-Powell wrote:

The laws of the knights were these:

Be Always Ready, with your armour on, except when you are taking your rest at night.

Defend the poor, and help them that cannot defend themselves.

Do nothing to hurt or offend anyone else.

Be prepared to fight in the defence of England.

At whatever you are working try and win honour and a name for honesty.

Never break your promise.

Maintain the honour of your country with your life.

Rather die honest than live shamelessly.

Chivalry requireth that youth should be trained to perform the most laborious and humble offices with cheerfulness and grace; and to do good unto others.

These are the first rules with which the old knights started, and from which the scout laws of to-day come.

A knight (or scout) is at all times a gentleman. So many people seem to think that a gentleman must have lots of money. That does not make a gentleman. A gentleman is anyone who carries out the rules of chivalry of the knights.

A London policeman, for instance, is a gentleman, because he is well disciplined, loyal, polite, brave, good-tempered, and helpful to women and children.

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Baden-Powell also highlighted kindness:

“The great point about a knight was that he was always doing kindnesses or good deeds to people… Something good ought to be done each day of your life, and you should start to-day to carry out this rule, and never forget it during the remaining days of your life.”

Let’s review keys to being a Scout. You’re always ready to help. You’re honest. You defend the defenseless. You’re cheerful, disciplined, polite, loyal, brave, kind, and you do good deeds because it’s the right thing to do.

These are all characteristics of a good and virtuous human being. They’re characteristics that, adopted broadly, would dramatically change the world for the better.

That’s why we proudly support Scouts.

Yes, all of them.