Philadelphia: Scouts should confront anti-gay rule

[WillParkinson]

Philadelphia: Scouts should confront anti-gay rule
By The Associated Press
06.15.2010 4:27pm EDT

(Philadelphia) City lawyers called on local Boy Scout officials to muster “the courage of their convictions” and challenge their national group’s ban on gays as a trial over government funding opened Tuesday.

The city of Philadelphia wants to end its $1-a-year lease to the local Boy Scouts chapter unless it rejects a Boy Scouts of America policy banning “avowed” gays. The city says the national rule violates a local law banning discrimination on sexual-orientation and other grounds.

Local scout chapters, including the Cradle of Liberty Council in Philadelphia, have struggled in recent years to satisfy both public and private funders as well as their national leadership’s dictums. The Boy Scout oath calls for members to be “morally straight,” which the national group interprets to mean that gays cannot participate.

http://www.365gay.com/news/philadelphia-scouts-should-confront-anti-gay-rule/

[RKP5637]

1. Bull Shit Interpretation by BSA - The Boy Scout oath calls for members to be “morally straight,”

which the national group interprets to mean that gays cannot participate. Absolutely a Bull Shit interpretation by BSA.

[bluevoter4life]

2. Completely agree

Earned my Eagle in 2003 at the peak of this controversy. For an organization that supposedly promotes tolerance and acceptance, they sure are hateful toward the gays. If your organization accepts even a single cent of public funds, you should not be allowed to discriminate.

[RKP5637]

3. Same here, Eagle scout, years ago... I'm disgusted with BSA. Also what

I see around here now is RW religious support of troops. More and more I'm thinking BSA now represents the Bigot Society of America. I've thought of cutting my Eagle badge in half and sending it back to HQ, but then some of my friends have reminded me that what I worked for years ago was different and to just cool off.

[One_Life_To_Give]

4. Gotten worse the last 10 years?

I thought the policy was GLBT Youth could join, just not be Scoutmaster/leader or assistant. Not that that would be acceptable either. I used to think that in time the organization would migrate to a more liberal view. Instead it appears the fundgelicals are taking control. Perhaps it is becoming time for the organization to split into the Red Scouts and Blue Scouts. Although it bothers me that without any contact or conversation with liberal viewpoints. They will only self affirm and drift deeper into their hatred of all those who are not just like themselves.

[bluevoter4life]

5. It has gotten worse

BSA has taken a very far right turn in the last 10 years. I know of troops that knew they had gay members and leaders, and 10 years ago, would have said nothing. Now, they would be strung up by their toes. I have a theory that if DADT goes, so will the BSA ban on gays. They tend to follow in lock step with military procedures.