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In reply to the discussion: NBC News: Boy Scouts Close to Ending Ban on Gay Members, Leaders [View all]Xithras
(16,191 posts)Leave it up to the CHARTERING ORGANIZATION. If a church sponsors a scout unit and doesn't want gay leaders, then fine, whatever, let them do what they want. We all know how to avoid their bigoted asses.
My sons, on the other hand, belong to scout units chartered by a local law enforcement agency. NOBODY, from the current leadership to our chartering organization, has any problems with either gay scouts or gay leaders. In fact, the ONLY worry expressed by people who knew that I was a bi leader was concern over the possibility that I'd be "outed" to someone far enough up the chain to get me booted. They weren't worried ABOUT me, they were worried FOR me (I'm no longer a leader, but I left because of a shift in employment, and not for moral or political reasons).
The reality is that most scouting units are chartered by private groups, government employee groups, and private businesses that have no real incentive to keep gays out. The only groups that would do so in any real numbers are the units chartered directly by the churches, and church-chartered groups are generally not inclusive to ANYONE who isn't already a member of their church.
It isn't a perfect solution, but as far as compromises go, it's a pretty good one.