Posted on 03/08/2003 9:38:19 AM PST by RonF
What began three years ago as part of a highly-publicized program to help troubled boys has been quietly dropped by the 19th Judicial Circuit Court. The charter of Boy Scout Troop 19, based at the Depke Juvenile Justice Complex in Vernon Hills, was allowed to expire March 1 in response to concerns by the American Civil Liberties Union.
"We decided it probably would be best served not to continue," said Bob Zastany, executive director of the court's administrative office. "We thought we were doing some good things out there." The ACLU and others, most notably Buffalo Grove resident and well-known atheist Rob Sherman, generally have questioned the use of public funds to operate what he once described as a "discriminatory private club."
Sherman was unable to be reached Friday for comment regarding Troop 19. Ed Yohnka, director of communications for the ACLU of Illinois, said this wasn't a new issue for the group. He said the court did the right thing. "We've expressed concerns to a number of government agencies, including this particular court about their serving as a sponsor of an organization that has a discriminatory policy," he said.
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2000 ruled that as a private organization, the Boy Scouts can restrict its membership and leaders. The decision originated with a lawsuit by a gay Scout leader who was dismissed from a New Jersey troop. Atheists also are prohibited from joining.
Established in February 2000, Troop 19 was touted as the first formed with boys sentenced to probation. The 19th Judicial Circuit Court was the chartering agency for the troop operated by the juvenile probation and detention services division. Participants were boys aged 14 to 16 in the in-house treatment program at Depke, known as FACE-IT, or Family and Community Engaged in Treatment. That program is limited to 12 boys and is not associated with the detention center's general population.
The Boy Scout connection, the 19th Circuit said in 2000, would help instill "the exemplary values of character, citizenship and fitness" and build the teens' self-esteem. On Thursday nights, the troop would meet for about 90 minutes to learn skills such as first aid. On weekends, the troop would go on nature hikes or other activities. Participants who were interested in continuing in the Scouts after their stay were given referrals, although Zastany was unsure if or how many pursued Scouting after they left the center. "You plant enough seeds and you get a tree here and a tree there and sometimes you get some fruit," he said.
Sherman took his case to the Lake County Board last year, saying the use of public funds to operate the troop violated federal civil rights laws. The county funds FACE-IT, which distributed money to the troop. He also objected to judges and other judicial system employees working with a group that has discriminatory rules. Zastany said he and his staff closely studied the matter before recommending to Chief Judge Margaret J. Mullen the charter be allowed to lapse. Mullen could not be reached Friday for comment. "It was just a prudent decision on our part to let it lapse and regroup," Zastany said. "We're going to create programming and opportunities for these kids that will be even better."
Yes. Now, can you distinguish between behavior discrimination and race/ethnic discrimination?
Those bastards at the ACLU may have done us a favor, its important for President Bush's faith-based initiatives to succeed legislatively.
I'm an agnostic, and still, I can see the need for the Boy Scouts to turn potential thieves and abusers into responsible citizens. I don't agree with the Boy Scouts on their atheist clause, but I respect their right as a private organization to make their own rules.
The good thing is, the Boy Scouts are still seen as a top quality organization by the vast majority of people, even those who sometimes support the ACLU's twisted aims. We need to build on that generations-long trust to show why faith-based private organizations can do our society a lot of good.
I see. So you do think government schools should be forced to hire ex-cons? That's behavior orientation. Is there no immoral lifestyle that would disqualify a candidate for school employment?
Pyromania is a behavior orientation. What if someone is just too loud. They have a booming voice and they want a job in the library? Some behaviors disqualify you for a job. You may feel it's unrelated but the employer may feel it's related. If the issue is children, I really do not think a community whose claim to fame is their devotion to unnatural sex acts that never produce children and families, are the ones who should have the final say in a free society over and above the children's parents and the parents chosen representatives.
A homosexual man is not a good camping partner for boys that need male role models. Would you force them to have transexual Scout leaders too?
So who needs the job interview anymore? An employer shouldn't get to see the prospective employee. Nor should they be allowed to ask questions about interests and background.
Being forced to hire someone whose beliefs and behaviors are contrary to the goals and beliefs of the organization is the same thing as being forced to hire someone whose skills and abilities are contrary to the organization or company. It is no different at all. The government has no right to intervene. It's that think called FREEDOM!
Have you heard of a church refusing to allow an atheist to LEAD services?
Do you take every Biblical passage so badly out of context? How about "covet thy neighbor's house"... is that a proper citation? It's surely in there!
Here's the entire passage (Matt. 7:1-5).
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measurement ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote (speck) that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
It does NOT command Christians to never use their judgement. It's a warning to people to be careful that they do not make hypocrites of themselves in their critiques of others, and to concentrate on their own behavior more than others. It's not an admonition to never think critically. In fact, at the end, it explicitly says that you can "remove the mote" from your brother's eye, once you have cleaned out your own.
Should Gay activist groups be forced to hire conservatrive Christians who believe homosexuality is sinful as leaders of their organizations?
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