Posted on 11/22/2004 7:49:05 AM PST by tuesday afternoon
The ACLU is trying to limit the military's support for future Boy Scout Jamborees at Fort A.P. Hill in Caroline County.
A lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union in U.S. District Court in Illinois challenges the Defense Department's financial support of the Boy Scouts.
A decision isn't expected until after next summer's Jamboree, but the ACLU won a concession on one aspect of the case Monday when the Defense Department agreed not to sponsor Scout troops on military bases.
That does not appear to be an issue for Scouts in the Fredericksburg area, but the Jamboree has a major economic impact here.
"We're not trying to throw the Boy Scouts off federal property," said Adam Schwartz, senior counsel for the ACLU of Illinois. "We just want the cessation of special treatment for the Boy Scouts."
The ACLU claims that by supporting the Jamboree, the Pentagon is backing an organization that discriminates based on religion because Scouts are required to believe in God.
Fort A.P. Hill, which has played host to the last six Jamborees, will receive approximately $12.7 million to prepare for and support the 2005 National Scout Jamboree, according to Army figures.
Ken Perrotte, A.P. Hill's spokesman, said in an e-mail that the funding supports a variety of projects, including security, repairs and medical support.
The ACLU acknowledges the military training value of the event, but accuses the Pentagon of spending money on nonmilitary uses such as hiring civilian personnel to erect tents and buying cookie dough to feed Scouts.
"A lot of this money doesn't look anything like training," Schwartz said.
The Boy Scouts say they don't feel threatened by the lawsuit, which was filed in 1999. The director of the 2005 Jamboree was not familiar with it. And a spokesman said he anticipated no effect on the Jamboree's future.
"The Department of Defense makes no actual contribution to this event," Scouts spokesman Bob Bork said. "They do use it as a training opportunity. They do have units there doing first aid. [But] there's no actual cash contribution."
If the suit precludes the Scouts from using A.P. Hill for the Jamboree, it would be a blow to the area. The total economic impact to the Fredericksburg region from the 10-day event has been estimated at $20 million. Caroline County officials tout the Scouts' quadrennial gathering in marketing materials and on county welcome signs.
Gary Wilson, Caroline's director of economic development, said he was unaware of the suit.
"We will monitor the situation," Wilson said. "That's all we can do at this point."
Aid for the Boy Scouts is outlined by federal statute, which authorizes the Defense Department to lend the Scouts cots, blankets, flags and other equipment without reimbursement. It also directs the agency to furnish services and medical supplies if they are available.
One part of the ACLU's lawsuit was settled Monday when the Pentagon agreed to warn U.S. military bases not to directly sponsor Boy Scout troops.
The rule does not prevent service members from leading Scout troops unofficially on their own time. And Scouts will still be able to hold meetings on areas of military bases where civilian organizations also are allowed to hold events.
The Scouts' Bob Bork said fewer than 400 of the nation's 120,000 troops are affected by that ruling. None appear to be local.
Two Boy Scout troops and a Cub Scout pack at Quantico Marine Corps Base are sponsored by an on-base family support group--not the military, said Tim Richardson, a senior district executive with the Scouts' National Capital Area Council. A Quantico spokeswoman, Sgt. LaToya Graddy, confirmed that the base does not sponsor any Scout troops.
And while troops use A.P. Hill for the Jamboree and for camping trips, none are sponsored by the Army post, Perrotte said.
A Dahlgren spokeswoman said she didn't know if any Scouts met at the King George County naval base.
The Associated Press and staff writer Pamela Gould contributed to this story.
ACLU = Anti Christian Lawyers Union
Yeah, sure! Saving that particular lawsuit for next year, are we?
The military, instead of banning the Boy Souts on military bases, should ban the ACLU...it is preposterous that a religious organization can access a base (for services - I agree with this access by the way) but a non-sectarian, non-profit organization trying to help its members is denied access. If the military yields to the ACLU on this, then their so-called leaders are nothing but spinless eunuchs (like most politiicans.)
www.stoptheaclu.org
Again, I would strongly suggest that everyone write to the Pentagon, and President and express their displeasure over this "ruling". While neither can probably do "anything" right away, it's time to make sure our voices are heard, loudly and clearly, that the ACLU is nothing more than an anti-Christian group trying to make trouble for the scouts. They simply can't handle the fact that there is "discrimination" against Gays (Sorry, I meant HOMOSEXUALS) in the scouts. That's their problem, they are just approaching it from a new angle. That's all. Mark my words on this, they won't stop filing lawsuits over the scouts on THIS issue. They will be suing others soon. Wait and see.
"We are trying to shut them down. People who oppose out radical agenda need to be crushed in one way or another under our power."
(Or at least that how he should have finished it.)
This group really needs to be stopped. The Boy Scouts is a vital part of the real America and they should not be able to just walk in and shut down the Boy Scouts.
The Boy Scouts have made many a good man.
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