5/24/2013: Finally some common sense from the group that taught me:
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
I had to lie about the God part, and in exchange I learned how to shoot straight, self-rescue a capsized canoe, start a fire without a match, tie a bowline with one hand and my eyes closed, hike 30 miles in a day, build and operate a telegraph, cook over a fire, lead the Wolverine Patrol up the wrong valley in Shenandoah NP and have to bivouac over-night, and make horrible dandelion wine in the church basement. Much of which I learned from a closeted gay scout-master. We all knew he had a thing for boys, but he kept it under control, and why else would he put in so much effort? Someday soon they’ll allow openly gay adult volunteers too. Donate to the Oregon Trail Council here. There’s a line on the form where you can write that now’s the time.
Here here.
The currently policy would allow a gay youth to get an eagle scout, serve with honor, and then force them into closet if they want ever be a scoutmaster.
I think the current policy change is the first step, with the other steps coming once the churches see the sky doesn’t fall with openly gay scouts. Soon (3 years is my bet) all leaders will be allowed regardless of their sexuality.
Yes, a step in the right direction, but one that will still indicate to scouts that gay men and women cannot be trusted, further instilling prejudice in impressionable minds, and fostering shame in the scouts that are themselves gay. My suggestion: Make a donation of $0.01 (a value above 0 is required), and leave a short message (must be 60 characters or less) chastising them for their half measure. Here’s mine: “A real donation awaits the admission of gay leaders as well.”
Does the BSA know that it’s 2013? Scouts and leaders must be laughing about how old-fashioned their parent organization is. Everyone is gay, they’re all getting married, there’s no stopping it, and nobody cares except the old farts who think that they somehow govern the self-governing local scout troops.
Silly old farts. We never cared about them when I was a scout, and I can’t imagine that today’s scouts and leaders care about them now. They’re too busy teaching boys to be tomorrow’s men.