In a new list of approved activities for scouts the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) make clear that water gun fights are not allowed because “pointing a firearm” at someone–even a “simulated” firearm–is not “kind.”
The ban on water gun fights was first addressed on a BSA blog, but was fleshed out in greater detail in the Boy Scouts of America National Shooting Manual.
According to The Washington Times, scout leaders discussed the impetus behind the ban on a leadership blog, saying: “Why the rule? A Scouter once told me this explanation I liked quite a bit: A Scout is kind. What part of pointing a firearm [simulated or otherwise] at someone is kind?”
The BSA Shooting Manual clarifies: “For water balloons, use small, biodegradable balloons, and fill them no larger than a ping pong ball. […] Water guns and rubber band guns must only be used to shoot at targets, and eye protection must be worn.”
The ban includes “marshmallow shooters that require placing a straw or similar device in the mouth.”
The rules set forth in the BSA Shooting Manual are for “Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Venturing, Sea Scouting, or shooting sports committees.”
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