In 1972, during my Jr High School years, I participated in the Boy Scouts of America. As I remember, I was a bit reluctant to join. I was also participating in the Jr High School band as well. I remember both would be very serious challenges to face my fears of attention. My fear of attention was because of too many previous experiences where I got attention and paid a serious price for it! More than once.
One was a very very good experience! And, that was the Jr High School Band.
One was most damaging to me.
I created a Forums Website to collect, list and comment on the various subjects in my life. The "Cost of Damage" forum is there to help me talk about my family background that influenced and caused damage in my life. As well as much of the details of my experiences that started when I was little. And, the latest social experiences, through which I have recently lived and here bearing witness!
February 18, 2020 ~ The Boy Scouts of America has filed for bankruptcy, with officials saying the move is the only way they can deal with the growing number of sexual abuse lawsuits and still maintain scouting programs for its current members. But, as John Yang reports, losing the chance to bring alleged perpetrators to justice is a bitter pill for former members who were abused as Scouts.
February 18, 2020 ~ The Boy Scouts of America is filing for federal bankruptcy protection to prepare for a potential avalanche of sexual abuse judgments. The organization has about 2.2 million youth members and 800,000 volunteers, with millions more over its 110-year history. Errol Barnett breaks down the case and hears from a former Boy Scout who said he was abused.
September 19, 2017 ~ A man claims his Boy Scout troop leader sexually abused him when he was an adolescent and alleges that the Boy Scouts organization turned a blind eye. The investigative reporter says it all. "It's a life-long scaring thing..." period!
June 18, 2015 ~ Applause erupted Wednesday in a New Jersey courtroom after Clark Fredericks pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing the man he says molested him as a child, a man who was his Boy Scout leader and a family friend. CBS2's Dave Carlin reports.
When I joined the Boy Scouts, I was timid, and unsure of taking the risk. And, at first it was great. I most loved the backpacking & camping. That was my element!
But, the deeper reason I joined was to find connection and support from adults. What my life was deeply lacking in my home life! My father had deep issues that I noticed growing up. But, that's what I knew. That's what was familiar. However, it was far from normal!
On May 7th, 2020 I followed through on seeing a TV ad about a law office inviting former Boy Scouts, that had been sexually abused while in the Boy Scouts, to contact them regarding their experiences. And, I did!
On May 11th, a lawyer called me to talk further about the process. He also took more information from me, and email me a form to fill out regarding my sexual assault while in the Boy Scouts.
After I hear back from my legal council regarding the suit against the Boy Scouts of America. And, after my case is established and the investigation is more than on it's way. I will reassess the process of telling the details of my story.
This was my life, and what I knew about my life. There are many facets and connections regarding my experiences, and my process of investigating my own story. Being born into a domestic violence & alcoholic family was the set up that lead to my being assaulted outside the family.
In 1983, I stopped attending classes to be a Director of Christian Education, with a emphasis in Music, after 1 semester at Concordia College in the Midway, St Paul, MN. It's now a University. I left because I couldn't focus on school, on my classes. My mind was full up. I had just buried my father two years earlier. During the Holiday Break of 1982, I was feeling rather depressed. I went to talk to the school nurse. She spoke more from a personal perspective than an official one. She mentioned that her son was an alcoholic, after I mentioned my father was one. She suggested I try going to Al-Anon, because that's what genuinely helped her. She didn't have answers or fixes for me. She just knew a personal, positive experience.
Following her suggestion, I began going to Al-Anon, and then ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) meetings. And thus, began my experience, education, training, personal work, and life practice learning and living a life outside the alcoholic family system. This most significantly speaks to the more important part of the process... healing and freedom!
To quote a famous line from a movie "get busy livin, or get busy dyin..."
Copyright © 2021 David Jordahl - All Rights Reserved.
New Age Norseman | aka David Jordahl