Boy Scouts Discrimination (beliefs, homosexuals, attending, America, atheist)

[BrandonE]

Originally Posted by Maize

It is my understanding that they are a private organization, so I have no comment on who they exclude from membership other than to say that my son will never participate in that anti-gay organization.

Seconded.

[nutshell]

Originally Posted by Maize

It is my understanding that they are a private organization, so I have no comment on who they exclude from membership other than to say that my son will never participate in that anti-gay organization.

But what if he wants to be a Boy Scout?

[Ryan2065]

Originally Posted by Pah

Whoa! Some mis-information here. The armed forces, when it sponsers a jamboree does not provide housing, it does allow existing structures to be used for community function (dispensory, admin units, car pool lot for donated school buses, etc.) However, the land use, security and other base-type functions are provided.

Ahh, when I went the tents were already set up and then later I heard somewhere that the military uses it as a training exercise for tent cities and assumed that... Here is what wikipedia says about this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Scout_jamboree_(Boy_Scouts_of_America)

The U.S. military regards the national Scout jamboree as beneficial for public relations and recruitment, and is a unique training opportunity, particularly in testing operations needed to support large scale military encampments or refugee tent cities.

Originally Posted by Maize

It is my understanding that they are a private organization, so I have no comment on who they exclude from membership other than to say that my son will never participate in that anti-gay organization.

The heads of the organization are "anti-gay" but the lower parts of the organization hardly ever display signs of homophobia or anti-athiest. I spent a good 11 years in the scouts and I do not remember any incidents of even the council (all of Chicago) supporting homophobia or some anti-athiest agenda. The administrations view that being homosexual or atheist does not agree with "morally straight" does not usually filter down to the troops.

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by nutshell

But what if he wants to be a Boy Scout?

There are other organizations that do similar activites that do not discriminate. I would explain to him why the Boy Scouts do not represent what we value and belief in and he would understand.

Hold on, let me ask him....

(exact conversation)
Me: "Jacob, have you heard of the Boy Scouts? Is that something you would like to do?"
Jacob: "Yeah, I think so."
Me: "I have to tell you something about them first. They don't let certain people be a part of their group."
Jacob: "Really? That is definitely wrong. I wonder why they do that."
Me: "I'm not sure, some people have funny ideas about other people."
Jacob: "Well, I would like to do something that lets everyone have fun."

Spoken like a true UU kid.

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by Ryan2065

The heads of the organization are "anti-gay" but the lower parts of the organization hardly ever display signs of homophobia or anti-athiest. I spent a good 11 years in the scouts and I do not remember any incidents of even the council (all of Chicago) supporting homophobia or some anti-athiest agenda. The administrations view that being homosexual or atheist does not agree with "morally straight" does not usually filter down to the troops.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Sco...on_homosexuals

"Boy Scouts of America believes that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the obligations in the Scout Oath and Scout Law to be morally straight and clean in thought, word, and deed. The conduct of youth members must be in compliance with the Scout Oath and Law, and membership in Boy Scouts of America is contingent upon the willingness to accept Scouting’s values and beliefs."

If active discrimination of gays exists at any level in the organization then I cannot and will not support that organization.

[nutshell]

Originally Posted by Maize

There are other organizations that do similar activites that do not discriminate. I would explain to him why the Boy Scouts do not represent what we value and belief in and he would understand.

Hold on, let me ask him....

(exact conversation)
Me: "Jacob, have you heard of the Boy Scouts? Is that something you would like to do?"
Jacob: "Yeah, I think so."
Me: "I have to tell you something about them first. They don't let certain people be a part of their group."
Jacob: "Really? That is definitely wrong. I wonder why they do that."
Me: "I'm not sure, some people have funny ideas about other people."
Jacob: "Well, I would like to do something that lets everyone have fun."

Spoken like a true UU kid.

May I ask how old your son is?

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by nutshell

May I ask how old your son is?

He's 7. Just started 2nd grade today.

[MaddLlama]

The issue is really very simple....if they want to refuse gay and atheist members, then the BSA needs to really be a private organization (i.e, one that does not use public money). That's all. They need to understand that they can't operate like a private organization by discriminating against people, and then turn around and say "hey, where's our free money" to the government. They need to pick which one is more important - money, or thier standards, because they can't have both.