I actually agree more with the Romney quote than the White House’s statement.
No one is more opposed to the scouts banning openly gay members than those of us who are themselves gay scouts. I assure you of that. Nevertheless, it isn’t a state-run organization. (Although I do think crique of the state offering up public space to an organization with such discriminatory policies is criticisim deserved.)
But it requires the Scouts themselves to make change happen. I’m convinced the day will come to pass. Its hard to reconcile the values the BSA instills in you with such obvious discrimination.
As I was taught, “A Scout is Reverent” (the last piece of the Scout Law) has far more implications on your conduct towards those of differing belief systems than it does you and your own faith.
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Over here girls can be Boy Scouts.
Seems like a logical progression to me – after all, the physical attributes of a gay relationship shouldn’t be an issue until 16 (legal age over here) by which time they are Venture Scouts, and if you can risk having girls in the Unit a couple of gays aren’t going to create issues.
Boys + Girls = babies.
Boys + Boys = no babies.
Which one is more risk?
]]>Over here the explorer scouts are co-ed, and I have never gone to scout camp and not had female staff similiarly aged to our venture scouts. Hell, i was on staff one year… and sure, stuff goes on, but nothing that wasn’t also going on at my high school every day between class…
]]>Come to think of it… we’ve been camping with girl scouts too… so… yeah…
]]>And in any case, it shouldn’t be an issue.
Isn’t our motto “Be Prepared”???
]]>Considering everything else they teach you about being a descent human being in this world (in particular, the only place in America where you get schooled on what it actually means to be a citizen of this nation), I actually think these are topics the Scouts should be taking head-on.
]]>BSA gets federal funding. The IRS does not discriminate. Neither candidate will stop this contradiction.
I left the scouts many years ago. I could not reconcile my beliefs with theirs.
I have a persistent soft-spot for scouts though.
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