Being Prepared

"Scouting touches members of every community," said the former Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan, speaking in his capacity as Chief Scout, as he launched new guidelines on sex-education. Rather an unfortunate turn of phrase, perhaps. Under the scheme, scout leaders will be encouraged to hand out condoms "if they believe the young person is very likely to begin or continue having intercourse with or without contraception". The plans have been greeted with predictable horror by Ann Widdicombe and equally predictable titters everywhere else.

Says the Telegraph, "family values campaigners accused the Scout Assocation of violating the principles of the 101-year-old movement". But I'm not so sure. Tom Lehrer got there fifty years ago:

Be prepared! That's the Boy Scouts' solemn creed,
Be prepared! And be clean in word and deed.
Don't solicit for your sister, that's not nice,
Unless you get a good percentage of her price.

Be prepared! And be careful not to do
Your good deeds when there's no one watching you.
If you're looking for adventure of a
new and different kind,
And you come across a Girl Scout who is
similarly inclined,
Don't be nervous, don't be flustered, don't be scared.
Be prepared!