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美國文化介紹
我們在學英語的過程中，無論是老師還是其他朋友經常告訴我們，學習一種語言，不只要學其語言，還要學其文化。現在就了解一下本文中出現的一些美國特色的文化吧！
美國童子軍（The Boy Scouts of America，簡稱BSA）是美國童子軍運動中成立的一個民間組織，在其他一些國家也有它的組織。BSA是美國最大的青年團體，成員超過100萬人。BSA成立于1910年（1月8日），截至2005年底，成員已達2938698人，其中領導級成員1146130人，分屬122582個基層組織。BSA主要接受由志愿者組成的管理委員會的管理，但在較高的組織級別上則聘請專職人員管理，某些商業性活動也由專人管理。
（20世紀初），美國一些專門為年輕人謀求社會福利的熱心人士非常關注美國的進步運動，BSA就是在這樣的社會背景下誕生的。BSA遵守童子軍宗旨：把一些（美國人認為重要的）價值觀傳授給少年兒童，諸如自尊、公民意識及野外生存技能（outdoorsmanship，今改為survival）等，這些價值觀的灌輸是通過參加一系列戶外活動而逐漸完成的，例如野營、水上訓練及登山等。
BSA對童子軍取得的成績的認可辦法包括級別晉升和設立各種特別獎勵，具體辦法根據不同對象或項目而定，例如7－17歲的男童子軍與14－21歲的女童子軍各有所區別。BSA一般由各地方自行組織和操作，當地的軍隊、特種兵及空軍飛行員則作為志愿者領導和組織有關活動。
童子軍會組織一些活動來給每個孩子提供獲得晉升的機會，每個孩子參加完一項活動之后，總能感覺到自己獲得了進步。很多晉升形式主要是“即時認定式”，也就是說，孩子一旦得到了應有的獎賞，晉升級別的認定會盡快完成。還有一些認定形式，就是在童子軍大會上，當著全體童子軍及其家長的面給予獎勵。
童子軍晉升制度由人為設置的一系列障礙和步驟組成，每個孩子都必須設法克服這些障礙，每個孩子都可根據相關規定來制訂自己的進步計劃，并通過參加軍訓而被承認其挑戰某些項目的成功。隊員每前進一步都會得到及時的獎勵，目的是增強自信心。每一晉升級別中所設置的若干個步驟則以鼓勵孩子獨立自主及幫助他人為主。“雄鷹獎章”是童子軍所能得到的最高獎勵級別，一旦獲此獎章，會被認為是至高無上的榮譽。很多成年人即使在獲此殊榮若干年以后，都不會忘記在其個人簡歷中給予重重的一筆，以示榮耀。的確，童子軍聚會的時候，你會聽到那些已經四十好幾、五十好幾、六十好幾甚至都七十多歲的老童子軍們用一般現在時態自豪地宣布：“我是雄鷹！”
童子軍運動和童子軍是美國文化中眾所周知的事物。在登上月球的12名宇航員中，就有11名曾是是童子軍成員。而長達半個世紀以來一直由童子軍組織的“春季慶典活動”——松木車德比大賽，則被美國《讀者文摘》評為美國百佳慶典活動之一。美國前總統福特說：“我可以毫不猶豫地說，如果沒有童子軍精神，我不會成為一名好運動員，不可能成為一名好的海軍軍官，也不可能成為一名好的參議員，更不可能成為一名隨時都能做好一切準備的總統。”
但是，BSA也制訂某些規定以限制某些人加入該組織，其中有些關于會員資格的規定頗受爭議，并導致一些童子軍或童子軍的成人領導者被開除出局，原因五花八門，如無神論者、異己分子或同性戀者，等等。
BSA及其支持者則認為，BSA之所以制訂這些規定，是為了給年輕人灌輸某些終身的價值觀和民族特征，并聲明這是完全必要的做法。批評家則認為，BSA的某些規定是錯誤的，且有種族歧視之嫌。
這個組織制訂有關規定的權利一直都得到聯邦政府和州政府的支持。2000年，美國最高法院認定：美國童子軍是一個純屬私人性質的組織，有權設置屬于自己的會員資格標準。近些年來，就有關規定的爭議甚至引發法律訴訟，例如對童子軍組織是否有資格使用政府公共資源（包括國有土地使用權問題）的有關法律條款所開展的辯論等。
The Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is a United States Scouting organization, with some presence in other countries. The BSA is the largest youth organization in the United States; over one hundred million Americans have been members. Founded in 1910, the movement had a registered membership of 2,938,698 youth with 1,146,130 leaders in 122,582 units as of the end of 2005. The BSA is administered mostly by committees of volunteers, but employs professionals at the higher levels of administration and for commercial activities.
The BSA sprang from the concerns of the progressive movement in the United States from people who sought to promote the social welfare of young men. The BSA adheres to the Scout method to teach values such as self-esteem, citizenship, and outdoorsmanship through a variety of outdoor activities such as camping, aquatics, and hiking.
The BSA recognizes the achievements of Scouts through advancement in rank and various special awards. It includes several program divisions, targeted at boys ages seven through seventeen and young men and women ages fourteen through twenty-one. The BSA operates locally, through volunteer-led units such as troops, packs, and crews.
Cub Scouting provides advancement opportunities throughout the program to help each Scout feel that he has accomplished something when completing an activity. Many advancements in Cub Scouting are of the "Immediate Recognition" type; that is they are designed to be given as soon as possible after the award is earned. Others are to be given ceremoniously at Pack meetings in front of all the Scouts in the unit and their parents.
The Boy Scouting advancement system consists of a series of obstacles and the steps that boys must take to overcome them. The system is designed so that a Scout will plan his advancement and by participating in the troop program, be recognized as he overcomes each challenge. The Scout is rewarded at each step of the way, which is intended to develop self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system are designed to help him grow in self-reliance and the ability to help others. The highest level of Boy Scout advancement is the rank of Eagle Scout; an award considered by some to be so prestigious that many adults continue to list it as a major accomplishment or award on their resumes or CVs, many decades afer they were initially awarded the badge. Indeed, the rank of Eagle Scout is generally spoken of in the present tense, and it is not unusual, at Scout gatherings, to hear men in their 40s, 50s, 60's or even 70's, proudly proclaim: "I'm an Eagle Scout!"
Scouting and Boy Scouts are well known throughout American culture. Eleven of the twelve men to walk on the Moon were Scouts. The "Pinewood Derby," for half a century "a celebrated rite of spring," has been named part of "America's 100 Best" by Reader's Digest magazine. President Gerald Ford said, "I can say without hesitation, because of Scouting principles, I know I was a better athlete, I was a better naval officer, I was a better Congressman, and I was a better prepared President."
But BSA has policies which prohibit or restrict certain people from membership and participation. Some of these membership policies are controversial and have resulted in the dismissal of Scouts and adult Scout leaders from the BSA or a Scouting unit for being an atheist, agnostic, or homosexual.
The Boy Scouts of America and its supporters contend that these policies are essential in its mission to "instill in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character".Critics believe that some or all of these policies are wrong and discriminatory.
The organization's right to set such policies has been upheld repeatedly by both state and federal courts. Moreover, in 2000, the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed that the Boy Scouts of America is a private organization which can set its own membership standards. In recent years, the policy disputes have led to litigation over the terms under which the BSA can access governmental resources including public lands.
