Politics and Scouting?

[Rooster7]

Before I become the poster boy for the "local option" (i.e. local troops having the option to allow gay membership or to allow atheist membership, etc.) - I just want to point out that when I made my argument it was with a disclaimer:

 

"That does not mean that such efforts can or should be to the exclusion of BSA values and goals."

 

In other words, if a CO is going to adopt a policy - it shouldn't contradict the values and goals of the BSA. Reserving a day of the week for worship (i.e. banning it as a Scouting activity day), does not contradict the values or goals of the BSA. In fact, one could argue that such a policy is complementary to that of the BSA. Likewise, encouraging Scouts to participate in patriotic activities is not contradictory to the BSAs values and goalsNor is encouraging Scouts to study American history. However, homosexuality and atheism conflicts with the BSA's values and goals. This is obvious - at least it is obvious to most.

 

[Hunt]

"However, homosexuality and atheism conflicts with the BSA's values and goals. This is obvious - at least it is obvious to most."

 

I'm always uncomfortable when these two issues are grouped together as if they are the same. I find them to be quite different (including how "obvious" it may be where they fit into BSA's values and goals). Rooster, I think those who have been following these forums are well aware that you don't support local options for these issues--and I suspect that we are all over the map on which things we would support local option on. (You can throw the co-ed issue into the mix here, too.) But I think your post was still a good explanation of how a particular unit can be quite different from others based on its CO's values, and yet still follow the BSA program. I continue to think that if all three of the G's were couched as whether to allow "local option" or not, the rhetoric would not be nearly as heated. One can point out that we already have "local option" on a number of controversial issues, such as whether to have female leaders, or coed Venturing crews.