Homosexuals in Scouting

[BPwannabe@137]

OK-if this topic was discussed already, please forgive me.

 

Before we all start yelling at each other and name calling and reciting the good book, I am just curious what the feeling of the rank and file are about this topic. Please-I am not trying to start fights or arguements, I just want to hear some opinions from the field. I am also not a gay activist or homophobic. I just think that this is a topic that is hurting the BSA politically and we need to talk about it a little more openly. (I have visited the BSA legal issues page-I just seeking an open forum for this issue).

 

Since I will put my money where my mouth is...

 

In my years in scouting, I can remember at least 2 boys in our troop that we suspected as being gay. Never any problems I can remember (but then, I was a rather ugly child and thus not very interesting). I know of one assistant scoutmaster and one scoutmaster who were gay. We discovered this fact long after they had retired from scouting. While I was on camp staff, two fellow scouts were gay.

 

My point is: Scouting does not teach sexuality. Anyone who promotes their private sexual activites to youth (homo or hetero) has no place being a youth leader.

 

The final say should be up to the parents and the chartered organization. If the scout unit is in an community that is more opened minded (lets say a Unitarian Church in New York), then it's there choice. A American Legion Post sponcering a troop in Texas may feel different. Again, it should be up to the unit.

 

Now I might be totally wrong in my opinion. I am just throwing out this topic for some intelligent and interesting conversation.

[Laurie]

BP: This subject has been discussed in depth over in the Issues and Politics forum. Just a friendly note to let you and anyone else who may wonder that topic may be found there.

 

Edit: I'm sorry--I thought I was reading open discussion when I read this.(This message has been edited by Laurie)

[OldGreyEagle]

BPwannabe@137 orginally posted this in the Open program section, I moved it to Politics and Issues

 

[evmori]

All the tents at the summer camp we attend are tattooed with "No Flames in Tent" 'nuff said.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eamonn]

At first I thought that I would steer clear of this thread. Mainly because we have been there, done that and been there again.

However in my opinion the BSA has a very clear policy on this, just like two deep leadership. I at this time do not see the policy being changed and would much rather spend my time discussing other topics.

Eamonn.

[buffalo2]

Thank you Eammon

[Fat Old Guy]

"My point is: Scouting does not teach sexuality. Anyone who promotes their private sexual activites to youth (homo or hetero) has no place being a youth leader."

 

The Scoutmaster kisses his wife before he leaves for summer camp is that okay? What about if your Scoutmaster kisses his "life partner"?

So now we need to eliminate public displays of affection?

[NJCubScouter]

BP, this subject has been discussed in many, many different threads and at great length and with a lot of "heat" (sometimes boiling over) as well. There are people on both sides with strong opinions. I have explained my own position many times, and one of the great things about this forum is, all the old posts (at least for the time period I have been posting here) are still there to be read.

 

I will just say this: Of the people who have posted in this forum who do not favor the current BSA policy (including me), virtually all (including me) would agree with the basic premise of your next-to-last paragraph. That is, no unit should be forced to accept an openly gay leader, and no unit should be forced not to.

[NJCubScouter]

Oh, and BP, regarding your examples from your Scouting days: Keep in mind that the policy only excludes those who are "avowed homosexuals," or in the more common term, "openly gay." Therefore the Scouts who were "suspected" of being gay would not be excluded. The BSA does not ask people if they are gay; it is only if they say they are gay that the policy is involved.

[BPwannabe@137]

WOW-I really stirred the pot on that topic.

 

I will go and look at the old threads and check it out.

 

Since I can sence a fight coming on, I am willing to just drop this topic and go back to arguing about what color the scout uniform should be.

[kenk]

Excuse my laziness, but where do I find the relavent official policy?

[OldGreyEagle]

Off the BSA web site

 

 

February 6, 2002

 

Boy Scouts of America

Resolution

WHEREAS, the Resolutions Committee of the Boy Scouts of America (on behalf of the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America) on June 1, 2001, assigned the Relationships Committee of the Boy Scouts of America with the responsibility for considering and making recommendations to the Executive Board with respect to various resolutions submitted by members of the National Council at the annual meeting concerning the appropriate flexibility to be employed by the Boy Scouts of America in establishing standards for leadership; and

 

 

WHEREAS, the Relationships Committee duly formed a Task Force on Resolutions, composed of a cross section of representatives from religious and civic chartered organizations and others represented in Scouting, to consider these resolutions and make recommendations to the Relationships Committee; and

 

 

WHEREAS, the Task Force has reported the results of its thoughtful and extensive deliberations to the Relationships Committee, which submitted the report to the Relationships/Marketing Group Committee, both of these committees having approved and adopted the Report of the Task Force on Resolutions as their own; and

 

 

WHEREAS, the national officers, having received and considered the Report, unanimously adopt the recommendations of the Report without reservation; and

 

 

WHEREAS, the national officers agree with the report that "duty to God is not a mere ideal for those choosing to associate with the Boy Scouts of America; it is an obligation," which has defined good character for youth of Scouting age throughout Scouting's 92-year history and that the Boy Scouts of America has made a commitment "to provide faith-based values to its constituency in a respectful manner;" and

 

 

WHEREAS, the national officers agree that "conduct of both Scouts and Scouters must be in compliance with the Scout Oath and Law" and that "membership is contingent upon one's willingness to accept the values and standards espoused by the Boy Scouts of America," and

 

 

WHEREAS the national officers further agree that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the traditional values espoused in the Scout Oath and Law and that an avowed homosexual cannot serve as a role model for the values of the Oath and Law; and

 

 

WHEREAS, the national officers reaffirm that, as a national organization whose very reason for existence is to instill and reinforce values in youth, the BSA's values cannot be subject to local option choices, but must be the same in every unit; and

 

 

WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America respects the right of persons and individuals to hold values and standards different than the Boy Scouts of America, the national officers also agree that the Boy Scouts of America is entitled to expect that persons and organizations with different values and standards will nevertheless respect those of the Boy Scouts of America;

 

 

THEREFORE, the national officers recommend the National Executive Board affirm that the Boy Scouts of America shall continue to follow its traditional values and standards of leadership.

 

 

[Fat Old Guy]

"n my years in scouting, I can remember at least 2 boys in our troop that we suspected as being gay."

 

I long ago gave up trying to guess who is a homosexual and who isn't.

 

I was greatly surprised to discover that two friends were "lovers." One liked to dress well and cook but both liked cars, motorcyles, beer, guns and could belch and fart with the best of them. Seems that I was the last to discover that they were homosexual. They were also babe magnets, maybe that should have been a clue.

 

Then there was the guy in college that we all "knew" was a homosexual. Imagine our suprise when his girlfriend from home showed up. She could have been a supermodel in training. They got married after graduation and at last word, he has a half dozen kids. If he's a homosexual, he must be working hard to supress his natural urges.

 

[Big_Dog]

BPwannabe,

 

Being from the heart of Texas, I'm just glad that when you came up with a place that "may feel different" about a troop with a homosexual leader, you thought about TEXAS!!!

 

The stars at night, are big and bright,

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS!

 

The sage in bloom, is like perfume,

 

well, you know the rest.

 

bd

[BPwannabe@137]

Big_Dog

 

Funny thing is that I thought of Texas right off the top of my head.

 

Never met a Texan I didn't like.