I was in the BSA for 3 years. But not because of the BSA. (I never understood all the Scout rituals.) All my friends were there, and the Scoutmaster (father of one of my friends) was a good man. At some point, I found out I was related to Baden Powell (who was also apparently an accomplished spy), but that was no more than the source of bad jokes in our home. In retrospect, I suspect I was in the Scouts because it served as another babysitting service (like school) giving my parents some time away from me. In the end, I quit BSA one merit badge short of Eagle Scout because my friends and I drifted in different directions and because Mr. Judson, the Scoutmaster, died of cancer. I don't think BSA really had any effect on my life. If back then (I'm now 76) I heard about sexual abuse or discrimination in BSA, neither I nor my parents would have allowed me to stay in so long. But that was the 50s, when controversy was kept under wraps. So the garbage was probably happening, and I just didn't see it.