Posted on 06/01/2003 6:33:34 AM PDT by TLBSHOW
The End of the Boy Scouts in Philadelphia
By.... Hans Zeiger
Philadelphia’s Cradle of Liberty Boy Scout Council self-destructed last week. Its executive board voted unanimously to include "sexual orientation" in its nondiscrimination code. The outrageous move came after years of intense pressure from radical homosexual and atheist rights groups in the area and nationwide.
The Philadelphia Council is the third largest local council in the country, serving 87,000 boys and men. It is an unfortunate addition to a list of councils that have eagerly given the finger to the Boy Scouts of America and its associated moral codes. Last year, San Francisco and Boston became the first branches to reject the concept of “moral straightness.”
We must be reminded that the Boy Scouts are not an intolerant, homophobic, racist, anti-Semitic bunch. In fact, the Boy Scouts have always taught tolerance and have been at the forefront of celebrating diversity. Since 1911, the BSA has reached out to disabled youth, racial and ethnic minorities, Native Americans, and inner city children.
And Scouting has also taught the difference between right and wrong, between honor and indecency, between justice and perversity.
When it comes to a Scout troop, sexual orientation is an issue that goes beyond differences in skin color or economic status. It affects such matters as tenting arrangements and the development of pre-teenage masculinity in a close-knit group of boys and men. But the BSA’s position against homosexuality is not just an issue of moral principle in an effort to affirm the Scout Oath and Law, it is a serious safety effort to prevent cases of sexual abuse and harassment.
To the vast majority of Americans who understand the importance of Scouting in every community across the nation, preserving the traditional moral code of Scouting is a no-brainer. It is time for families in Philadelphia to show that they oppose the leadership of their local council by leaving the organization.
Furthermore, the BSA national office must entirely disconnect itself from the Philadelphia, Boston, and San Francisco Councils. And Boy Scout councils around the country must take notice that their entire mission is staked upon the moral character of the boys and men involved, and that if they sever those core principles from the program they will destroy the entirety of Scouting.
The pressures from the radical Left must be dealt with as well. As the Left has opened fire on the Scouts, the reaction of Americans has been interesting. I’ve heard some say that the Scouts don’t need to be defended because they are strong enough. Many would argue that ignoring the opposition is the best thing for the Scouts. Perhaps that would be true in a small-scale conflict, but those who lead the drive against the Scouts have proven their capacity for a dangerous perversion of morality when, in a hundred other scenarios they’ve struck deepest when decent Americans chose not to fight back. They didn’t fight back because they weren’t looking in the first place.
Now, America - now is a time to turn our sullen eyes on Philadelphia. Now is the time to awaken to the awful stench that arises from the moral relativism condoned by Boy Scout Councils in Boston and San Francisco. Now is the time to fight back and defend the Boy Scouts from further damage.
As an Eagle Scout and an assistant Scoutmaster, I cannot couch myself in the dark chamber of apathy as my organization is taken over by special interests whose political agenda contributes to a breakdown of character and the family. The Boy Scouts have the God-given right to establish standards for membership, and those standards have been highly respected for over 90 years. Citizens across America have the God-given obligation to see to it that the Boy Scout Oath and Law are upheld for another 90 years.
Hans Zeiger, 18, is an Eagle Scout and an outspoken advocate on behalf of Scouting with the Scout Honor Coalition. He is a Seattle Times columnist and chairman of Washington Young Americans for Freedom.
May 29 — PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The third-largest Boy Scout council in the United States has decided to defy a national scouts policy of refusing membership to homosexuals, members said on Thursday.
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No more cash donations either!
As usual, the leftists twist the issue to claim, "its all about the children." An artful way to get rid of virtue by substituting a nebulous plurality, "children" for the true virtues to be held high.
This issue was, of course, never about young scouts, but about scout leaders.
Scouts are youth and the yongsters should never be classified in a sexual manner to begin with.
Scouting has always had youngsters that have gone on in later life to take that sad path. It has actually been a tolerant organization that has accepted boys on the merit of their conduct and not the height of their dunk shot or adolescent sexual exploits in puberty.
This actually works out well for Predators and poorly for youngsters that may, later in life, be in that sad category. Caring parents of any young boy will now be more hesitant of their childs involvment. Probably a growing percentage will send that child to Journalism Camp.
Or maybe they need to be called the Log Cabin Scouts.
Or, in keeping with the Monty Python sketch, "Lumberjacks."
This is the problem we face. Giving awards or incentives to sin some more or to become sinners. That is the crux of the matter and that is what the government with their pro gay laws are doing to Americas youth.
We hate the sin but will help the sinner. We will not reward you or help you sin. There will be no cash rewards if you sin. No govt programs or handouts or laws to help you sin or sin some more.
It is now more important than ever that charitable people shun scumbag outfits like United Way and be careful to direct charitable giving to deserving organizations which reflect traditional American values. The Salvation Army is a good one.
Seems like they could well succeed in destroying scouting. If the Scouts do allow gay scoutmasters, a lot of parents will probably find something else for their boys to do, membership will decline, perhaps to very low levels.
If Scouts continue refusing to accept gay scoutmasters, it seems like the forces of political correctness (these days including churches, temples, local governments and school boards) will continue to ostracize them, perhaps until they are successfully demonized.
Scouts may well be screwed no matter what course they take.
The only hope that I see is that the kind of folks who want their kids in scouting are those who believe in absolute values, in other words, not "liberals."
"Men men men men, a ship all filled with men men men men...."
Let's see. What word doesn't belong?
SANTORUM/TANCREDO?
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