NEW YORK (AP) — The Boys Scouts of America is considering a dramatic change in its controversial policy of excluding gays as leaders and youth members.
Under the change being considered, the different religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout units would be able to decide for themselves how to address the issue — either maintaining an exclusion of gays or opening up their membership.
The announcement of the possible change came Monday after years of protests over the policy — including petition campaigns that have prompted some corporations to suspend donations to the Boy Scouts.
Under the proposed change, said BSA spokesman Deron Smith, “the Boy Scouts would not, under any circumstances, dictate a position to units, members, or parents.”
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press via thegrio.com
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Interesting……in my childhood,I remember the reoccurring theme of “Leadership” being the primary focus of our activities. This statement by the BSA spokesman, now makes me wonder just how committed they are to the question of leadership within their own ranks. If the title of Boy Scouts of America implies a unified goal and aim of teaching young men the attributes of citizenship then they have entirely missed the mark.
Any group that suppresses the inclusion of any American child from an activity that will help them learn the skills of respect, compassion, and community is anti-American by nature. All the oaths, motto’s and promises fall short if in the end they do not meet the standards of the “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!”
If indeed the best solution is to side step the responsibility of national leadership and allow individual groups to decide for themselves, then all resources in funding and support that comes through that channel should be curtailed and left for those same groups to work out for themselves. The very notion of division in a group that emphasizes teamwork will in time prove to be the undoing of trust and with it all the reasons for any parent to consider letting their child join such an organization.
On a final note; since when did the idea of being “morally straight” have a sexual reference. At 8 years old, most boys haven’t begun to use the language of gay or straight to their sexual orientation. Let’s hope we aren’t looking at a new hate group haven for future bullies and suppressors of “Liberty and Justice for all.”