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Boy Scouts of America |
- United Way
- The BSA aims for the United Way to realize Scouting's value to the potential, dignity, and worth of all people, regardless of their background.
Posted on 01/04/2003 1:26:40 AM PST by JohnHuang2
The United Way chapter of Ventura County, Calif., has decided to stop funding local Boy Scout troops after more than a half-century of support because of the national organization's policy prohibiting homosexual scout leaders.
"We were getting allocations from United Way of about $50,000 a year," Dave Graska of the Ventura County Boy Scouts told CBS News late last month.
The charity had funded the Scouts for 57 years before it adopted a policy stating it would only fund "agencies that provide services ... without discriminating on the basis of ... sexual orientation."
Dave Smith, president of the local United Way chapter, said donors supported the decision.
"The reality is there are a lot of people in Ventura County who happen to agree with our policy," he said.
But not all donors were pleased, including some who donate large amounts to United Way.
Denny and Allyson Weinberg, who gave $100,000 to the United Way last year, were upset.
"This was very confusing, because this inclusiveness policy came out of nowhere," said Denny Weinberg. "It wasn't promoted, there was no press release, there was no letter to donors about this."
Because of the chapter's new policy, the Weinbergs have stopped giving to United Way and instead will support the youth group via Friends of Ventura County Scouts, an organization they began. So far, the group has raised $80,000, more than the United Way planned to give.
"People love scouting; it's an American tradition. It's like baseball, for heaven's sakes," said Allyson Weinberg.
The Supreme Court ruled in June 2000 that the national Boy Scouts of America organization did not have to accept homosexuals because it is a private organization. CBS News said since the decision, about 50 local United Way chapters have pulled their support – only around 5 percent of the total local chapters nationwide.
United Way of Ventura County did attempt a compromise. It offered to donate $50,000 to an educational group affiliated with the Scouts.
"We respect the right of the United Way to establish its values, just as we have the right to establish ours," said Graska.
Shortly after the high court's ruling, some homosexual groups began threatening the BSA with action aimed at curbing their funding. Some homosexual activists even taunted young Scouts at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles in 2000.
The ruling also prompted Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., to introduce legislation – unsuccessfully – to repeal the BSA's federal charter.
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Boy Scouts of America |
Way to go, Weinbergs!
I got that pressure too. But it felt good to tell the united way where to go and why. Of course the boss didn't like it and I took the heat, but it was worth it.
Sounds like a "hate crime" to me (sarcasm intended).
The way the above should have read:
" "We were getting allocations from United Way of about $50,000 a year," Dave Graska of the Ventura County Boy Scouts told CBS News late last month, "and they can hereby keep their fifty large and stick it exactly where they would obviously like to have it. I'll help."
Three words: It's HER money.
I've had a few try lame attempts at "pressuring" me into such as well.........but A) they know me far too well, and B) one look and they scurry off, never to raise the subject with me again.
National leadership: United Way of America invests in the programs and services that strengthen the ability of local United Ways to identify and build a coalition around a set of community priorities and measure success based on community impact.
Apparently United Way acts according to local Special Interests only. We give directly to the BSA home office in our town and we don’t give to the United Way specifically because of their refusal to honor the rights of other organizations to have their own set of rules. If Gay and Lesbian Rights activists can bend this organization to their will, then NO ONE should have any use for their charity, as it isn’t charity you are giving to, it is Special Interest.
What kind of damn fool manager sets a "100% goal" for anything OR projects participation rates without first asking those who will be involved in it's implementation?
They did the same crap where I worked. They even had vice-presidents calling worker-bees "asking" for a contribution.
The manager who called me stated "we're looking for 100% participation rate". I thought, but didn't say, "well, you're f*cked now".
Needless to say, the bastards didn't get a dime from me, or from anyone else capable of thinking for themselves. There were a few manager-wannabees and suckups who forked over some money, but most of us didn't.
On a footnote, my company provided data on participation rates by job function. It appears that this rate was inversely proportional to the intelligence of the members of each group. HR and business groups had the highest rates of participation, while engineers and technicians had the lowest rates. That should tell you something.
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