Paroles de scouts: Le malaise américain

This is not a particularly well done documentary, but I think it is a very important story. It's the story of how the Boy Scouts of America hid abuse from parents and the authorities. It's also the story of how an immensely powerful organization is using bankruptcy proceedings to evade justice. It's also the story of how an organization can claim on the one hand that it doesn't have any problems with abuse and on the other blame any problems it does have on homosexuals. Because, the logic goes, if they can keep homosexuals out of the organization, they can keep abusers out. But that does not make any sense whatsoever. Just think about the logic of that argument for one second, and you'll see how flimsy it is. It's an important story, as I have said, but I think the history of it is much better detailed in a podcast serious called behind the bastards. So if you want it better understanding of this topic you would do better to listen to that podcast about the founder of The Scouting movement Lord Baden Powell.

A powerful ninety minute documentary detailing the systemic abuse and subsequent cover ups that went on for decades inside the scouts.

I watched this from the point of view of being a boy scout many years back, a time for me which was one of learning, socialising and fun, you can only imagine the horrors faced by these men.

Some incredibly powerful testimonies from victims, and input from those that were involved in The Scouts also, several conflicts in accounts, very interesting.

If you're able to get through this without sobbing, feeling shocked, or feeling positively sick in your stomach, then I'd argue that something is maybe a little wrong.

It's well made, but one criticism I have, is the deliberate attempt to add a bit of antagonism between to of the interviewees, I didn't think it was necessary given the harrowing topic.

It's an outrageous story, genuinely sickening, it makes you wonder how many other organisations were as rotten at their core.

8/10.

First of all I am appalled by the abuse showed in this documentary. As a parent of a Boy Scout and a group leader and friend of many leaders please let the public realize that not all groups or leaders were involved in criminal abuse of children. This makes me so sad! I believe that every organization has good and bad people involved and in my experience I never saw any abuse. There was much good done and is still being done by this group. While I would never defend the terrible things that did happen please recognize the good done by BSA. Please show the good along with the horrible! There are a lot of good leaders still!

As someone who was a scout for nearly two decades, this tore my heart apart. I was a camp counselor, Vigil member of our honor's society, and an assistant scoutmaster for my home troop, so when I watched this documentary, I couldn't help but to put myself in the shoes of these victims, and it was sickening to see the complete lack of consideration of the safety of children in this program.

As long as scouting is treated more like a business than a service to our young people, these horrific things will continue to happen. There are absolutely 0 excuses that can make this alright. I hate to see people saying "this kind of stuff happens everywhere" as if that makes the complete lack of national oversight acceptable. This documentary perfectly captures how this organization values money over safety for the kids that make the organization what it is.

I cannot begin to express how important it is to see this film in its' entirety. It is difficult to watch, but these stories deserve to be heard, not just by current and former scouts, but also by the general public.

I am so grateful for the victims who bravely stepped forward to tell their stories, and for the filmmakers who gave them a platform to be heard.

This documentary is not about "destroying the boy scouts" it is a call to action for meaningful change so that future scouts do not have to experience the same horrendous treatment at the hands of adults who were supposed to protect them.

If you are on the fence about watching this documentary, I implore you to watch every minute of it. Unfortunately, I think the only way that we will see real change in the organization is if their bottom line is affected, and the only way that can happen is if enough people start making their voices heard.

I hope to see a second part to this documentary, because I think there are still a lot more stories to tell from the inside of this organization, and this film only scratches the surface.

I'll start off by saying how incredibly brave it is for these grown men to talk about what they survived as children. This was hard to watch, these poor boys really suffered at the hands of such evil men. To think these children's parents were so unaware of what was happening really bothered me, common was your young boy not acting out of character after the sexual abuse he was going through? This is not a series but it took me a few days to finish because that's how much their torment affected me. Again I am so proud of these men who finally get to tell their stories and can hopefully start the healing process if it has not begun.