This story is a repost from Care2.com.
When Hans Zeiger — a Republican candidate for the state of Washington’s House of Representatives — isn’t condemning the public school system in his state for being “polluted with the filth of moral relativism that the typical public high school graduate moves into the world devoid of character, conscience or courage,” he’s busy pointing out the moral decay in the Girl Scouts.
According to Zeiger, the Girl Scouts promote tolerance of homosexuals and atheists and are a “pro-abortion feminist training corps.”
All of which is news to me, the mother of a brand new Brownie. I was expecting craft projects, sing alongs and hiking. Or at least that’s what the troop leader led me to believe the girls would be doing. Perhaps she waits until the parents have left before firing up the “how to burn the bra you’re not quite old enough to wear” power point.
Blogging Controversy
Zeiger, a published author and blogger, removed as many as 50 posts from the IntellectualConservative.com website after his views on the so-called “Girl Scout agenda” recently went viral. Rebutting claims by Democrats that he is trying to hide his real opinions, Zeiger told Tacoma’s The News Tribune that he had the blog posts taken down because they no longer represent his views and would be a “distraction” from the campaign.
Ancient History?
The posts were written in 2003 and 2004. Zieger, who is just 25 years old, was in college at the time. He feels he’s allowed to change, or refine, views he held as an 18 or 19 year old. And he’s right. Unfortunately, the near permanent virtual paper trail of the blogosphere means that regardless of his growth, Zeiger will be called to account for opinions he posted no matter how long ago. And he stands a good chance of not being given any benefits of doubt when he insists he’s changed his point of view.
These days, Zeiger devotes a good deal of blogging time to local public education issues, which he believes is more relevant to the role he would play in the legislature if elected. However, he maintains the opinion that the Girl Scouts have strayed from their original roots.
Girl Scout Origins
Juliette Gordon Low established the Girl Scouts in Savannah, Ga., in 1912 in an effort to get girls out of the relative isolation of their home environments. It was her belief that girls should be allowed to develop physically, mentally and spiritually to their full potential. Something that presumably wasn’t happening in an era when women were mainly confined to their homes and their growth was curtailed by society and the traditional patriarchal family system.
Women’s Rights
My daughter’s Brownie troop is lead by mothers. Mothers who work outside the home, vote and would be appalled by the notion that they or their daughters should be seeking to move backwards in terms of freedom and equality.
Accountibility
Mr. Zeiger is entitled to his views and should be forgiven for youthful exuberance, but he should be questioned and called to account for a viewpoint that appears biased and sexist. He is running for public office after all.
