Posted on 07/30/2002 7:45:42 AM PDT by mikeb704
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), founded almost a century ago, is the largest one-on-one mentoring program in the world. With 500 affiliates across America, it’s been widely respected and boasts Microsoft, the NFL, Pillsbury, UPS and others as corporate sponsors.
That may be about to change, at least the part about being widely respected. BBBSA turned a corner earlier this month by approving a resolution not to exclude a mentor for various reasons, including "sexual orientation." Yes, we’re talking homosexuals here. This policy has been in effect at the national level for several months, but now it’s mandated for all affiliates.
Many folks will be uncomfortable about that. They believe that homosexuals tend to prey on children. The late Ann Landers said that wasn’t true. According to the American Psychological Association, "There is no evidence indicating that homosexuals are more likely than heterosexuals to molest children."
The Human Rights Campaign, busily "working for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equal rights," approvingly notes that the National Association of Social Workers, the American Academy of Child Psychiatrists and the Child Welfare League of America all have policy statements denying a connection between homosexuality and child abuse.
Still, such claims do nothing to alleviate the queasy feeling one gets when hearing about the notorious NAMBLA, the North American Man Boy Love Association. In existence for almost 25 years, NAMBLA claims it is "working to improve public information, to gain public understanding of the benevolent nature of man/boy love, and to raise the consciousness of boy-lovers through our publications, local working groups, international outreach, political and educational activities." As if boy-lovers need additional consciousness-raising.
Despite its avowed mission, some in "the homosexual community," wherever that may be, appear to have accepted NAMBLA. It’s been allowed to participate in gay parades in major cities.
NAMBLA was also welcomed into the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). About a decade ago, the ILGA was granted "consultative status" by the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
The indispensable North Carolina Republican, Senator Jesse Helms, sponsored legislation withholding funding for any UN agency condoning or promoting pedophilia. Defending his proposal, Senator Helms noted: "In a 1990 resolution under the heading of ‘Man-Boy/Woman-Girl Love,’ the ILGA referred to pedophiles as a sexual minority and called on its members to treat them ‘with respect, and to engage in instructive dialogue with them.’" Yeah, many of us would like to have a little instructive dialogue with them. And a baseball bat.
The point is that, to at least some homosexuals, pedophilia is tolerable. Moreover, there are studies strongly suggesting that there’s a connection between homosexual men and child molesters. A recent one was authored by Dr. Timothy Dailey for the Family Research Council. Before going any further, you need to keep in mind that the Family Research Council is considered by some to be one of the baddest bogeymen in the vast right-wing conspiracy.
A key finding in the FRC analysis is that homosexual men, while making up a very small percentage of the population, commit almost one-third of total child sexual abuse. As you can imagine, there have been charges that the study outrageously distorted statistics and logic. One researcher quoted in the paper asserted his views had been misrepresented.
Given the intense controversy, it’s probable Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will feel plenty of heat. Parents, mentors and contributors to the organization will have to decide if the new policy makes sense to them. What’s especially problematic is that parents won’t even be told if their child is affected by the new rule.
We have to hope that BBBSA doesn’t become a magnet for those wishing to harm children.
It would all be so much easier if everyone shared the perspective of a Log Cabin Republican leader who wrote: "Unfortunately, the homosexual community’s political leadership, which is dominated by radical leftists, has failed to denounce loudly the North American Man-Boy Love Association and other nefarious groups. But on this issue, as with many others, the leadership is removed from the constituency it purports to serve. For a sizable majority of gay men, sexual relations with children are viewed as morally appalling, and the adult practitioners of it are seen as pathological deviants."
There being so many more heterosexuals than homosexuals, maybe this is true.
But heterosexual child molesters are not a political constituency!
You think that you are being contentious but conservatives do tend to be consistent in our views. No. Men should not be Girl Scout Leaders. And neither should lesbians. There are two many coming out stories that start with a young girl being "brought out" by her leader at a campout. I suppose to a liberal those are heartwarming tales.
Don't let the DNC find out. It'll be organizing them, adding a special plank in the National platform, etc.
Well, using the logic of some, it was just about sex so we ought to just move on.
Actually I do agree. It may be the first time I have agreed with any of the liberal twaddle you regurgitate during one of your infrequent visits. I would not agree, however, that you would be a fit candidate to lead a group of girls. Your credentials are suspect to say the least.
Sounds Clintonesque, doesn't it? But I guess he's too busy pulling combat duty at the River Jordan.
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