When Juliette Low started Girl Scouts in 1912, her vision was an organization for ALL girls. At the time, the only people who "really counted" were affluent whites, especially in the South.
This weekend was the Annual Meeting for our local Girl Scout Council. Sitting at the table at lunch, I was talking to a Muslim (in full garb) and a Jew. One of them was in her mid-50s and the other her 20s. Then there was me - a Roman Catholic in my late-30s. Between the diverse religious differences and the age differences, we probably wouldn't have met under other circumstances. What made me realize the diversity of the three of us was the Muslim lady sharing about going to a Catholic school.
Girl Scouts is an organization that promotes "colorblindness". Although we celebrate our diversities, we also meld into one group. We are all human beings and even though we each have our own story, we are all Girl Scouts (or Girl Guides).
I have talked to a couple of ladies who were military brats while growing up. As the military would move the family all over the world, these girls-at-the-time, would have to change schools, and often countries. They have all said that no matter where they ended up, they had built-in friends in their new Girl Scout troops.
We have a long way to go before we can all look at each other and not see our differences first. When that happens, World peace will be a lot closer.
I wish Juliette Low could have seen the three of us visiting last Saturday. I think she would have been proud to see that her dream of diversity is coming true.
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