Philly Boy Scout group loses major grant

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I have waited for many years to see this day.

I second that, bluebird. Something like this stands in stark contrast to the ruling earlier today by the Supreme Court, showing just how much division still exists in our society. Granted, there's a difference between consentual sex between two adults and an organization clinging to an antiquated and homophobic stance, but they are related. If the Boy Scouts are so bound and determined to interpret the phrase "morally straight" (which is from the Scout Oath, if memory serves) as an endorsement of heterosexuality, then they should fully expect to lose out on hundreds of thousands of dollars from people who disapprove of their position.

As a man who grew up in a situation where I was pretty much forced through scouting, starting with Cub Scouts, and with my father practically omnipresent as an adult leader wherever I went, I have a lot of bad memories from my youth. A few OK ones, to be fair, but it delayed my eventual 'coming out' significantly and has created a chasm between my father and I which still exists today. I've had nothing to do with scouting since just before I turned 18, and I don't miss it, but if I wanted to participate in the events and activities associated with them, I should have every right to do so. Without the inevitable 'child-molester' bullshit that always comes up when the issue is raised. I went to a high-adventure camp in New Mexico that included groups of girls and mixed-gender groups (Explorers, I think), and I don't recall anybody worrying about the temptation of having a straight guy accompany teenage girls while backpacking. Besides, don't most child molesters self-identify as straight? I know I'm largely preaching to the choir on this one; it's not something I spend my days dwelling on, but it seems like everytime I hear about it, the old feelings rise to the surface.

Actually, I didn't have any bad experiences the few months I was in Boy Scouts; but, found it excruciating to find, in later years, that a group I thought was benign and transparent was actually teaching that I was a criminal, staining the fabric of the United States.

That was a shock, to say the least.

It's very unfortunate for the Boy Scouts organization. I'm sure they have done a lot of good things for thousands of boys. They are willing to risk their very existance nad all they have accomplished because of fear and ignornace. In my opinion, this is just the beginning of the organization's downfall.

The United Way which withrew a $100,000 grant to the Cradle of Liberty Boy Scouts Branch two years ago is now reconsidering a $400,000 grant for the BS-sponsored Learning for Life Program which does NOT discriminate against gays. I'm not sure that's such a good example for organizations to follow. Unless the Learning for Life Program also demonstrates that it intends to reverse or not carry out its non-discrimination policy, perhaps they should receive the grant. That would set a better example. Maybe there are other factors the UW is considering.

Fear and ignorance? No.

Vicious bigotry is what it is!

The BS (the now appropriate acronym) are not fearful: they are one of the most powerful social organizations in the world.

The BS were not ignorant: they've probably spent millions of dollars for lawyers over the years, preparing the current legal defenses; in addition to knowing, at some level, about LGBT members and leaders in the BS all along.

Sorry to bust your bubble, Jorel; but, I cannot find a way to agree with fear and ignorance, when the BS were in a singular position to teach tolerance, goodwill, and respect for American citizens without whom the organization would not exist - instead, they've made someone like Steven Spielberg leave the Board of Directors, they've alienated thousands of former Scouts and set a poisonous tone of organizational and corporate discrimation that has rung throughout the land.

The Girl Scouts made their case for what is right in GS participation (regardles of sexual orientation) back in the early 1900's...because their organizational philosophy demanded that GSUSA do what was the right thing to do, and they have never wavered.

What was slowing the BS down? How can they resist integration, with the LGBT-rights forces that exist today, making perpetual cases for the dignity, potential, and basic decency of America's youth?

From this editorial in the Phila. Daily News:

So, basically it's a scam. And it's interesting that they don't want gays in the Boy Scouts, but gay is okay if you're part of this "Learning for Life" which, according to this editorial, "promotes scouting to inner-city kids"? Hmmmm...gay is okay for inner-city kids but not the suburbs?

Wonder why the Scouts national board hasn't gotten around to strong-arming Learning for Life if their so interconnected.

An editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer asks why the Scouts should continue to get a free ride at taxpayer expense:

The real alternative to \"affirmative action\" IMO

The same question might be asked of many groups that practice this type of unjust discrimination against any group.

The writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer hit the nail on the head -- it's time for the city of Philadelphia to "give notice that it will begin charging rent for the property while allowing time for the local Boy Scouts chapter to comply with the antidiscrimination law [he is referring to Philadelphia's 1982 Fair Practices Ordinance that that was amended in 2002 to include a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation] - or face the possibility of surrendering it."

Apparently the Boy Scouts prefer to turn a deaf ear to the impassioned statements made by Steven Speilberg and other former supporters who have been vocal in their opposition to the Scouts discriminatory practices....it's time for the individual jurisdictions and states to place pressure on the local chapters (i.e., impact the Scouts financially by continuing to cut their funding and grants) until changes are made.

More on the Philadelphia situation, and the issue in general, from the LA Times: \"Boy Scouts Under Fire\".

One interesting anomaly, "In February 2002, the Greater New York Area Council came up with a policy saying that 'prejudice, intolerance and unlawful discrimination in any form are unacceptable.' The policy has not generated headlines. Gay rights advocates have not tested it, and the national council has not challenged it."

Looks like the United Way has decided to withhold about $400,000 from the Philadelphia Boy Scouts. But hey, at least the Scouts still get to keep the queers out:

http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/news?e=pr...ewslifescoutsdc

It's good that United Way is keeping communication lines open and continuing to hope for a change of policy by the Scouts. Hopefully the City will also decide not to continue the free use of the property by the Scouts. I ride by that building to work every day and though it's architecturally powerful (resembling the style of official buildings in Washington on a smaller scale) but the thought of what they espouse sours the experience. The building itself may complicate any action the City might decide to take.

The remarkable thing here is that the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania hasn't defunded the Boy Scouts program -- they had done that some years ago. This decision defunds Learning for Life, which is a separate, classroom-based character development program designed and "provided" by the BSA, but implemented and taught by local schools and workplaces.

The Scouts have always held that Learning for Life does not discriminate against "avowed homosexuals" because those who present the program are regular classroom teachers not selected or evaluated by the Scouts. However, the local council's "Learning for Life Director" is a Boy Scout employee who sits at council headquarters and has other duties within the organization, so the supposed "veil" between the two is flimsy, at best.

The UW-SEPA "determined that there was not sufficient organizational separation between the Learning for Life program and the overall Boy Scouts organizations to be assured that UW-SEPA dollars would only be used for Learning for Life programs." As far as I'm aware, this is a first, and hopefully will inspire other United Way offices to cast a critical eye at the relationship between their local BSA council and its Learning for Life program.

The United Way is to be commended for making such a difficult decision. Learning for Life (like the Boy Scouts) is clearly a worthwhile program, but its funds are being diverted to its parent organization, which discriminates. The UW-SEPA has done the right thing.


THIS JUST IN
Also today, according to the San Diego Union-Trib, a federal judge ruled that "The Boy Scouts' lease of public land in Balboa Park violates constitutional separation of church and state. The city gave preferential treatment to the Scouts when it leased the 18-acre Camp Balboa, even though there is 'overwhelming and uncontradicted evidence' showing that the Boy Scouts are a religious organization. The city handpicked an organization that describes religious belief and practice as fundamental to the services it provides."

The "religious organization" interpretation is also a first, apparently, but well-argued IMHO.

[ August 01, 2003, 10:41 PM: Message edited by: redsoxbreath ]

The Philadelphia mayor's office has notified the local Boy Scout council that it must vacate the city building that the Scouts have been using free of charge. After a meeting with the city last Friday, the Scouts chairman said "I'm optimistic that we'll be staying in the building because we'll be in compliance with the city ordinance."

That'll be a neat trick, since as recently as last summer they caved to the BSA's threats and agreed to continue excluding gay scouts and leaders. It's obvious that they want to do the right thing, and don't want to lose their lease, but it'll be interesting to see how they plan to escape from between the rock and the hard place...

Another loss for the Boy Scouts...

The Link

After 76 years, United Way Capital Area (Austin, Texas) will no longer partner with the Capital Area Council of Boy Scouts, resulting in a loss of almost $160,000 a year for the Scouts. This equates to about one month's worth of programs. The article makes the split sound cordial. Even Capital Area Council spokesman Bruce Walcutt said:

"United Way has to be reflective of the community, and not all cities have had to deal with this issue, but because of the diversity of this city, which is one of the great aspects of living in Austin, that's why it became an issue here."

If diversity is so great, why are you upholding a non-inclusive policy set at the national level and taking a loss of $160,000? That just baffles me. Walcutt has vowed that they will raise the money in other ways. I don't understand why they don't just ignore the policy and continue the partnership. Will they lose money at the national level, or possibly be kicked out of the BSA organization? I think it's a weak position and they squandered an opportunity to make a statement that would most likely be supported by the community at large (Austin, not a state or national level).

I saw this last night on Austin's KXAN and cheered. Of course, they had a bigot on who said, "I am proud of the Scouts for not compromising their morals just for money."

If the Boy Scouts organization doesn't get with the program, they will "not compromise their morals" right out of business.

Geez this is taking a long time!

Philadelphia City Council has finally gotten around to authorizing the Scouts' eviction from their city-owned building -- with another year's notice. And they're still hoping for "compromise". Haven't the Scouts have proven again and again that their bigotry isn't negotiable?

I saw that tonight

the vote was 16-1 in favor to kicking them out

In news of WTF???, a federal jury decided that the Scouts are entitled to remain in the building, rent free, forever.

Just last month, the US Supreme Court upheld the plaintiff's standing in a case about San Diego's right to refuse to subsidize the rental of public facilities by religious organizations.

I suppose both of these cases will eventually make their way back to the Supremes. The wheels of justice grind exceedingly slow...

It's not quite "they can stay in the building forever." The city tried to get them out in a poor way. Here's another read on it.

I think the city can do two things quite easily, if they really want to: find someone to rent the space and pay fair-market value or something close, and tell the Scouts they have to match that offer or leave, or just sell the property.

A much more thorough and nuanced report -- thanks Joe.


Can I have another WTF??? The city has been entirely too patient with these bozos.