# Did Antonin Scalia resign from the boy scouts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 27, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434 "2013-05-27T00:44:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/1 "2013-05-27T00:44:36Z")
My dad (who is very conservative) told me that he got an e-mail saying that Scalia resigned from the Boy Scouts after they voted to allow gay scouts. He opined that it was a hoax because this would force him to recuse himself from any case about gay rights. I googled it and found several sites reporting it, such as this one: [Scalia Resigns Post as Scoutmaster | The New Yorker](http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2013/05/scalia-resigns-post-as-scoutmaster.html) While I don’t think that the New Yorker is on par with the National Enquirer, some of this article sounded bogus to me. For example: > [@](#): > > Shortly after sending the letter, Justice Scalia destroyed his scoutmaster uniform in the blazing fireplace of his Supreme Court office. What’s the Straight Dope on this? If it’s true, how does this affect his ability to rule on gay marriage, etc… Also, should questions like this be in Elections or Great Debates? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/2 "2013-05-27T01:23:13Z")
[Since it is only a satirical story from the New Yorker, Café Society would be a good forum.](http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2013/05/scalia-resigns-post-as-scoutmaster.html) ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/3 "2013-05-27T01:26:15Z")
Boy Scouts huddling under blankets with Antonin Scalia. :eek: Now that is a scary image! Why would he be resigning now, though? Surely the decision to allow openly gay boys to be scouts was ages ago? Has there been some new development? [This page](http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/275-42/17585-focus-scalia-resigns-post-as-scoutmaster) says it is satire. Probably it is, but it is not very obviously satire. Indeed, I am not sure I get what the joke is meant to be (beyond the idea of Scalia being a scoutmaster in the first place). ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/4 "2013-05-27T01:27:01Z")
How does one resign from the Boy Scouts, anyway? All Scoutmasters do it at will, and if they don’t want to do it anymore someone else steps in. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/5 "2013-05-27T01:39:20Z")
OK, I didn’t know that “The New Yorker” did “The Onion” type bits. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/6 "2013-05-27T01:41:38Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Why would he be resigning now, though? Surely the decision to allow openly gay boys to be scouts was ages ago? No, it was [three days ago]([http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/24/us/boy-scouts-to-admit-openly-gay-youths-as-members.html?\_r=0\](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/24/us/boy-scouts-to-admit-openly-gay-youths-as-members.html?_r=0%5C)): > [@The New York Times](#): > > \*\*Boy Scouts End Longtime Ban on Openly Gay \*\* > > GRAPEVINE, Tex. — The Boy Scouts of America on Thursday ended its longstanding policy of forbidding openly gay youths to participate in its activities, a step its chief executive called “compassionate, caring and kind.” > > The decision, which came after years of resistance and wrenching internal debate, was widely seen as a milestone for the Boy Scouts, a symbol of traditional America. … ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/7 "2013-05-27T01:45:07Z")
Goddammit, the forum listing only showed this thread title up to the fourth word, and I was seized with hope…! ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/8 "2013-05-27T02:18:44Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > OK, I didn’t know that “The New Yorker” did “The Onion” type bits. Neither did I ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/9 "2013-05-27T02:40:08Z")
The New Yorker has traditionally had a satirical column. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/10 "2013-05-27T02:41:20Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Goddammit, the forum listing only showed this thread title up to the fourth word, and I was seized with hope…! The same thing happened to me. I was hoping the thread title was, “Did Antonin Scalia resign because he finally had an attack of conscience?” or “Did Antonin Scalia resign because he knew he was just about to die?” or “Did Antonin Scalia resign with Clarence Thomas so that they could get gay married?” 🙂 Alas ☹ ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/11 "2013-05-27T02:55:50Z")
Supreme Court offices are furnished with fireplaces? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/12 "2013-05-27T03:20:03Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Goddammit, the forum listing only showed this thread title up to the fourth word, and I was seized with hope…! Same here! > [@jtgain](#): > > Supreme Court offices are furnished with fireplaces? Well, they’ve got to have something to burn the Constitution in! [/snark] ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/13 "2013-05-27T04:12:03Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Goddammit, the forum listing only showed this thread title up to the fourth word, and I was seized with hope…! THIS. Seeing that, I opened this thread in eager anticipation of seeing the good news and reading the stimulating discussion that would certainly ensue. Question: If he really hates gays so much, how could he fairly judge any gay-related case that comes before the court – _whether he resigned from Boy Scouts or not_ ??? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/14 "2013-05-27T12:45:47Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Question: If he really hates gays so much, how could he fairly judge any gay-related case that comes before the court – _whether he resigned from Boy Scouts or not_ ??? Where’s the idea that Scalia “hates” gays? I think that he has simply articulated his position that homosexual sodomy was prohibited at common law and has generally been proscribed since ancient times, and therefore has no protection in the Constitution. Agree or disagree, but that hardly qualifies as a hatred of gays, and he should no more recuse himself on gay-related cases anymore than most other justices should recuse themselves on abortion-related cases since they have also made their opinions known. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/15 "2013-05-28T03:18:26Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Question: If he really hates gays so much, how could he fairly judge any gay-related case that comes before the court – _whether he resigned from Boy Scouts or not_ ??? So, you’re suggesting that only judges who agree with gay rights should be allowed to hear cases about gay rights? I’m not saying I don’t like the idea, I’m just saying I see some conceptual issues with it. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/16 "2013-05-28T04:37:56Z")
Maybe so, but I’d love to see him prove it. Pics, or it didn’t happen, of course. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/17 "2013-05-28T04:55:35Z")
Andy Borowitz has a gotcha list at least as long as the Onion’s or the Daily Currant’s. Reality has been lapping satire for a while now. Poe’s Law is the law of the land. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/18 "2013-05-28T06:58:42Z")
The trouble with this piece is that it absolutely sucks as satire. It is not funny, it provides no insight into Scalia’s actual character or defects, and it does not even effectively mock him. Yes, be would be absurd if if he did something absurd that he hasn’t actually done (and would never be likely to). Well, so would we all. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/19 "2013-05-28T11:40:16Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > The same thing happened to me. I was hoping the thread title was, “Did Antonin Scalia resign because he finally had an attack of conscience?” or “Did Antonin Scalia resign because he knew he was just about to die?” or “Did Antonin Scalia resign with Clarence Thomas so that they could get gay married?” > > 🙂 > > Alas ☹ I had similar thoughts. I was sort of hoping it was “Did Antonin Scalia resign to begin fundraising for Hillary 2016?” ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434/20 "2013-05-28T14:12:46Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > How does one resign from the Boy Scouts, anyway? All Scoutmasters do it at will, and if they don’t want to do it anymore someone else steps in. I know there was a movement of Eagle Scouts “resigning” their… Eagle Scoutdom? in protest over the no-gays thing. I suppose now there will be a counter-movement of Eagle Scouts resigning due to, I suppose, the rampant faggotry that will now infect the Boy Scouts. :rolleyes: [QUOTE=jtgain] Where’s the idea that Scalia “hates” gays? I think that he has simply articulated his position that homosexual sodomy was prohibited at common law and has generally been proscribed since ancient times, and therefore has no protection in the Constitution. [/QUOTE] This particular horse has been beaten into a large pulpy red spot elsewhere on the board (I know; I was at least somewhat involved). Suffice it to say that if you read Scalia’s dissents on the various gay rights decisions, it is not unreasonable to walk away with the distinct impression that he is not too fond of teh ghey. On the other hand, you can make a perfectly coherent argument that he’s doing what you just said. Short of popping open the man’s skull, we’re never going to know for sure what his personal feelings are. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-antonin-scalia-resign-from-the-boy-scouts/659434.md?page=2)