The Boy Scouts of America on Friday proposed lifting a ban on gay scouts but maintaining a prohibition on gay adults from leading troops, a compromise that attempts to end a fight that has split the century-old American institution into bitter factions.
Reaction from scouting supporters ranged from outrage to limited approval. The biggest organization in scouts, the Mormon Church, said it was studying the proposal, leaving uncertain the outcome of a May vote by scout leaders that will set policy. Gay rights groups said continuing to bar gay adults was unacceptable, but they welcomed the change for youths.
"The general feeling is that this is a bad move," which could precipitate a major crisis, A.J. Smith, president of the Association of Baptists for Scouting, wrote in a website post, attempting to summarize Baptists' views. "This is about a concerted effort to bring down a cultural icon. We must brace ourselves for the long haul on this one."
The scouts' decision is a focal point of a heated gay rights debate in the United States, where polls show public opinion is fast moving toward greater acceptance and a core of social conservatives stridently oppose such change.
Now you may be surprised to learn that I think this is a positive step.
It is NOT good enough by a long shot, but at least it is progress.
But here's the thing. The Boy Scouts depend on former scouts wanting to return as adults to become scout masters.
By accepting the children, but not the adults, they are sending the message that "Sure we might let you camp out and tie knots with us as young people, but once you are adults kindly fuck off."
That is a very hurtful message to send to a child.
However, and this point should be made, if the Boy Scouts suddenly find themselves infused with a large number of openly gay Boy Scouts, how much longer will it really take before the Scouts discover that they are not the frightening perverts that the Mormons and Fundamentalists have painted them to be?
In other words there is no such thing as going "a little gay."
Come on. We all know that they keep a few scout leader jobs are only for pedophiles. If they allowed gay leaders they might have to drop a couple of pedo's.
ReplyDeleteThat outcome doesn't make one bit of sense!
ReplyDeleteFuck Boy Scouts! It's nothing but a religious organization. I'm surprised you would support this organization Jessie.
ReplyDeleteI let my son join when he was about 7 or 8 but after about three meetings I withdrew him when they had an art project which involved painting "God loves me" on ceramic pots.
I apologize to the IMer's who are religious but "homey don't play that" in my life. I strongly feel that it is hypocritical to belong to a group who spouts god this and god that when I'm a devout atheist and I am disgusted by family, friends and acquaintances who go through the motions of archaic rituals like first communion when they don't even attend church.
Like I said maybe I'm coming off as too harsh but I'm sick and tired of people trying to look like they are something that they are not. Especially when you involve faking in front of your kids. Or doing it for your parents. Whatever.
If the Boy Scouts could completely disassociate themselves from any religiousness then I would back them 1000 percent because then they wouldn't discriminate against gay people.
Rant over.
Great Rant! I feel exactly the same way. My son couldn't join because we didn't raise him in any religion. We sent him to learn martial arts for self discipline, to socialize, and burn off some energy. What upset me most was the adults, not the kids.
DeleteI had to chuckle at the project involving "God loves me" on ceramic pots... hmm ceramic pots in the uber macho totally straight "Scout World" Wonder how that slipped by? (just joking)
I am so grateful my husband was never a scout, and that my son showed no interest in it. We had a leader in my church who was gung-ho scouting, his boys were in it, and he was a big shot in town and a church leader. Then he got fired for having an affair, left town with while telling us all he had some big job out of state. Within a year his marriage was done (he was cheating with his wife's sister, who happened to be married to HIS brother.) Yes, they are all southerners. And 'good Christians.' And the BSA loved him. See, heterosexual cheating is OK...committed gays are still evil. I hope the whole system shatters.
ReplyDeleteThey are thinking that gay and pedophile are the same thing which is the opposite of the truth. Like I have said before I worked for the Boy Scouts in the 70s right when they moved their headquarters to Irving Texas. There were two lesbians working in the area I was in which was the subscription department. No one gave a rat's ass. The employees were mostly from New Jersey where they had been previously located with me and a life long Texican added to the mix. I loved those people from New Jersey because they said what they thought and didn’t take any crap. The Boy Scout org. was changed by the culture in Texas towards hating L/B/G/Ts as the NJ people retired and were replaced by Texicans.
ReplyDeleteOh I am not a Boy Scout supporter. Far from it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid my mom put me into scouting at the urging of a male teacher I had to "teach me some discipline."
In those days it was not the religiosity that was the problem is was the pseudo military atmosphere. This was in the early seventies when the Vietnam War was just wrapping up.
I was a peacenik and had NO desire to ever join the military, or wear a uniform, or participate in marching and saluting.
It took no time at all for a conflict to arise between myself and my scoutmaster and I was out after just a little over three months time.
Still I know that some kids like it and I think the idea of them becoming more gay friendly is ultimately a good thing. After that they can welcome atheists and I will have very little to bitch about anymore.
Kids aren't stupid. Knowing that your fellow (gay) scout becomes a banned person on reaching the age of 18 has an impact. The organization's message is that gay is still unacceptable. IMHO, this half-way plan just exposes the deep flaws in the Boy Scout hierarchy.
ReplyDeleteI, myself, stayed in (girl) scouts as long as I got plenty of hiking, camping, cooking etc. in the great outdoors. When I realized the new troop leader couldn't read a map, I quit.
I'm so sick of the Scouts. Shit or get off the pot. First they say they'll accept gays, then that it's up to the "community" where the troops assemble, now they'll accept kids but not scout leaders?
ReplyDeleteThe Mormons and Fundamentalists are the perverts.
ReplyDelete(Remember, folks, the second "m" is always silent.)
Yes, but Mormons ARE also Fundamentalists, holding the exact same views as fundamentalists/ultra-orthodox of any religion. Fanatics are the same - across the globe.
DeleteI didn't even consider letting my two boys join the Scouts because of their early discrimination against Atheists. While I wasn't an Atheist I have always fought against discrimination of any kind. That was when the Morons (sic) were in the process of infiltrating and taking over the BSA but they hadn't yet gained control.
BSA is also a hotbed for pedophiles, as proven by the "Perversion files" recently revealed. Since Gay Scout Masters are not allowed, guess who's been committing the crimes and covering them up, not reporting them to the law and letting them operate in new & more fertile fields? Sound familiar? It's not just the RCC. They all refuse to accept the fact that pedophiles have no connection to being gay, they're in a class of their own & the highest number are hetero. It's so much more satisfying to "Blame the Gay." They get to publicly display their hatred & bigotry while protecting THEIR pedophiles.
Do I consider this a "first step?" Hell NO!
I guess BSA will need a new badge. Call it "Reality" A beautiful rainbow would be good.
ReplyDeletemermaid michele