Boy Scouts of America: le verità nascoste

Brian Knappenberger is like a dog with a bone when it comes to documentary filmmaking. He is not afraid to ask the right questions of the right people and doesn't let anything keep him from telling the story authentically. As a result, we are left with an anger inducing, no holds barred dose of reality as it pertains to the Boy Scouts of America and their history of protecting their image at the expense of thousands of boys who were subjected to criminal rape at the hands of scout leaders, employees, volunteers and others associated with scouting. Interviews with survivors are sad but it's empowering that they are given a platform to tell their stories. Really an excellent film.

The movie "Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America" is a documentary that deals with unsettling allegations of sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The documentary provides a platform for survivors to share their harrowing experiences. Very similar to the documentary "Procession", which explores sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, the director, in this case, Brian Knappenberger embarks on a journey to interview lawyers, journalists, victims of sexual abuse within the Scouts, and senior leaders of the Scouts. This is done to construct a comprehensive view of the decades-long sexual abuse perpetrated against young Boy Scouts.

The most alarming aspect is that the leadership of The Boy Scouts of America was reportedly aware of all the cases. Yet, they seemingly prioritized financial power and chose to "sweep the issues under the carpet". This raises serious questions about the organization's commitment to the safety and well-being of its members.

At times, the documentary tends to be sensational, with a significant number of interviews with young boys who have suffered molestation. There's a sense of an unfinished task. It gives the impression that the movie may not have fully delved into the issues it aimed to tackle.

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.

I haven't even had the opportunity to finish this documentary and I'm already mortified. I am 25 minutes into it and the testimonies are awful. These poor kids had their safety, security and their childhood ripped away from them from disgusting and sick perverts. It's a really good documentary with some unfortunate graphic details that must be heard because we don't understand the gravity of what they gone through if you've never been abused in your life. We're at a time in a country where now we're more aware of these things and people can hide behind their name, title, or employer to protect themselves. Be vigilant for the kids!

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.