Link:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134564883_boyscout29m.html
What kind of fascist organization has the Boy Scouts turned into?
The exclusion of gays made me think twice; this has settled it for me. I’m not particularly interested in my son belonging to such an organization.
The boy scouts have kicked out atheists for a while now. I remember the controversy over the Randall case.
AFAIK the boy scouts have always required a belief in God for advancement to a certain level. I once discussed the point with my Eagle Scout son-in-law. He said the boy scouts did question him about having religious belief when he bacame and ES twenty years ago, but they were pretty loose about the questioning.
You have every right to not participate in this organization; they, in turn, have every right to exclude gays, atheists, and Red Sox fans, for that matter.
What’s the problem?
Now Bricker, why did you have to throw a perfectly reasonable and factual solution in the ring.
You are depriving us a potentially amusing display of ignorant ranting and hysteria.
(Really, I am not complaining)
However, a more lively offshoot of this idea is what should be done to dry BSA’s access to public funding and facilities. I would completely agree that they are within their rights as a private institution, but completely outside those rights if they expect to be publicly (tax) subsidized or wish to use public property (schools and such) for free to hold their meetings and activities.
The problem is that its a pity. I’ve talked to lots of guys who were in the Boy Scouts, and they tell me what a great experience it was. Its a shame that certain people don’t get to participate in that experience. And for what purpose? How is it hurting the boy scouts to allow this guy to be an eagle scout?
I’m not saying that they don’t have a right to exclude certain groups, I’m saying its a shame that they do.
Is that hysterical enough for you, scotth?
No ouisey, you are much to calm and measured. Keep it up and you will go on my list of posters that I would probably like to have on my side in a fight.
to = too. I am so sloppy about posting while I am working.
I didn’t want my kid in the scouts because of these reasons. And I don’t give to the United Way because of this. I don’t know if they’re holding meetings in the schools in my area…I should look into that. It’s just the worst sort of bigotry when you make kids feel less than OK due to orientation or religious belief. I wonder how Muslim kids are making out in the scouts!
I thought that the BSA got government money, or something. I heard that tangentially, and don’t have a cite. Anyone hear (and able to prove) anything?
As somebody said in another thread, they don’t care who your imaginary friend is, just so long as you have one.
:rolleyes:
Primary funding for the BSA has been through United Way and local and state government (beside large private support by churches (Mormon and Catholic being the leaders here). I am unaware funding (to any significant degree) from federal sources.
However, here are some traditional federal perks.
I was heavily involved in scouts. I was an athiest at the time, as I still am now.
I never had any problems about it. I just didn’t make my atheist beliefs the defining characteristic of my life when I was around scouts.
A scout is:
trustworthy
loyal
helpful
friendly
curtious
kind
obediant
cheerful
thrifty
brave
clean
and reverant.
So, I didn’t meet one criteria. I agree with the rest of them.
I would even say that one could easily be “reverant” without being a theist.
Geez, thats couteous.
BTW, the scouts argument is that clean is the requirement that prohibits homosexuals.
Still having trouble with curteous, Debaser?
Dang, forgot my smiley face… yes, I know how to spell courteous.
I think that would be “morally straight”, from the Scout Promise.
I think that the BSA organization is not as monolithic as people believe. My experience with Scouts was a lot like Debaser’s no mention of religion at all. When I joined a Boy Scout troupe I went to two different meetings one every body had to dress in the uniform and there was inspection the other went camping a lot. I joined the camping one.