The ACLU, the Courts and the Boy Scouts

[fgoodwin]

The ACLU, the Courts and the Boy Scouts

 

http://www.americandaily.com/article/8563

 

By Paul M. Weyrich (08/03/05)

 

While growing up I was a proud member of an organization that emphasized the importance of honesty and being clean in thought, word and deed. We vowed to serve God and our country. If you think that this organizations philosophy is non-controversial you are sadly mistaken. We live in an era of Political Correctness. The beliefs and values that our society broadly embraced when I was a member of Boy Scout Troop 77, chartered by Holy Trinity Catholic Church of Racine, Wisconsin, are now endangered.

 

Unfortunately, our federal courts often make decisions that assault our countrys most cherished beliefs and values. Many of the nations 3.2 million Boy Scouts and 1.2 million adult members must be hanging their heads low right now. A recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Blanche Manning in Chicago indicates how much our society has declined in understanding the difference between paying homage to God and the intermingling of church and state. Winkler v. Chicago was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois on behalf of Methodist Minister Eugene Winkler, Rabbi Gary Gerson and others. Thanks to their misunderstanding of the separation of church and state, as well as that of Judge Manning, the Pentagon cannot use federal funds to support future National Boy Scout Jamborees such as that held last month.

 

The argument in this case is not that the Pentagon transfers money allocated for weapons systems to the Boy Scout Jamboree. It is that the Pentagon uses federal funds to support the event of an organization that develops our youth and acknowledges God. According to the plaintiffs and the ACLU, the Pentagon violates a fundamental stricture requiring the government to be neutral in religious activities although the Pentagon is authorized by Congress to support the Boy Scouts of America. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is a non-denominational youth organization that seeks to make young men good citizens. It does require Boy Scouts to affirm a belief in God, or any God for that matter.

 

Methodist Minister Eugene Winkler insisted, Government must be neutral because we are a nation of many religious views as well as those who do not practice a religion. The expenditure of $7.3 million by the Pentagon or an organization that requires young people to affirm a belief in God and the simultaneous exclusion of secular organizations from this benefit undermines that principle of neutrality.

 

The ACLU argued that the money expended by the Pentagon is alarming because BSA distributes to Jamboree attendants a guidebook that lists a prayer book as required personal camping equipment. BSA also distributes Duty to God, a booklet suggesting daily prayers that could be said during the Jamboree. What the ACLU so aggressively protests is indoctrination but this is much ado about nothing. Devout Boy Scouts will use the prayer books and be sincere in the thoughts they express to God. Most will be sincere in what they say and do. Some Boy Scouts will not be so sincere, perhaps not even say the prayers at all. That is for God to judge.

 

Judge Manning in the earthly court the U.S. District Court incorrectly interpreted the Constitution. The First Amendment does not call for separation of church and state; it says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. BSA does not favor any religious denomination; the organization truly is non-denominational. This was clarified in the motion for summary judgment filed on behalf of the Department of Housing & Urban Development. In the motion, HUD sought to have the judge issue a ruling without a trial because the arguments of the plaintiffs, Reverend Winkler and Rabbi Gerson, were baseless. The motion said:

 

While a Boy Scout accepts an obligation to do ones duty to God and to be reverent, BSA leaves the implementation of the Scouts religious beliefs up to the Scout and his family. BSA encourages members to practice their religious beliefs as directed by their parents and spiritual advisorsBoy Scouts leaves sectarian religious instruction to the members religious leaders and families, does not require its members to attend or participate in any sectarian religious ceremony, welcomes young people of all religious backgrounds, and in fact includes members of every religious denomination as well as those who affiliate with no organized religion whatsoever. While many religious organizations charter Scouting units, BSA prohibits them from requiring boys who belong to other denominations or faiths to take part in or observe their religious ceremonies.

 

The Department of Justice has not decided whether to appeal this case. Millions of Americans who care about an organization that promotes wholesome values in our countrys young boys have a vested interest. They should hope the Department would not let this egregious ruling go unchallenged.

 

Congress has a role to play, too. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D. (R-TN introduced the Support Our Scouts Act (S. 642) to guarantee that Scouts shall have fair and equal access to all public facilities and forums. Senator Frists bill would amend the Housing and Community Development Act to prohibit any state or local government from discriminating against any youth organization such as the Boy Scouts or its affiliates.

 

A bipartisan group of Senators co-sponsored the bill, which the Senate recently approved as an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill (S. 1042). Senator Frist emphasized how proud he was that his amendment received bipartisan support. The battle will continue within the House/Senate conference committee on the DOD authorization bill.

 

The ruling in this case reaffirms the need to place judges on the federal bench who are committed to interpreting the law, not actively re-writing it. The Pentagons support of the Boy Scout Jamboree does not establish a religion and surely does not violate the First Amendment.

 

Many similar decisions, based upon the personal prejudices or gross misinterpretations of a judge, recently have been handed down. At risk, due to such activist-driven rulings, are beliefs and values that have united us as a country.

 

When the BSA finds itself in legal hot water because it wants its members to honor God this is not the America that I knew growing up. In my youth acknowledgement of our faith and our countrys Judeo-Christian heritage was common and accepted practice. Our country has lost its moorings and too many Americans of Christian and Jewish heritage willingly have abandoned the faith that held their forbearers in good stead.

 

Our nations youth are too complacent, taking for granted what has been given them. They mistake Hollywood and sports celebrities as accomplished, not only in their performances on stage and on screen and on the playing field but in their lifestyles. Glitz outshines living a life that truly honors God. The Boy Scouts challenge our young men to set higher goals and higher standards for themselves, including belief in God.

 

A Federal Judge has told the Boy Scouts that belief is unacceptable because the government must be neutral. Millions of Americans do understand the importance of faith. They are not neutral when recognizing God and do not put a denominational stamp on faith. A Boy Scout may believe in his country but his belief in God instills real mettle in that conviction.

 

Ed: Views are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of American Daily.

[Prairie_Scouter]

An interesting editorial, and well written, at least until he went off the deep end with his assertions at the end of the piece.

 

For one, making heroes of movie and sports stars is nothing new. Babe Ruth, Clark Gable, etc, come to mind from times past.

 

The federal judge said absolutely nothing about BSA "beliefs" being unacceptable. She said that government has to be neutral. They're not even close to be the same thing.

 

And, the author seems to be placing himself as a higher Constitutional authority than a judge. That seems, well, wacky. If the judge did not intepret the law correctly, than the Dept of Justice should appeal to a higher court.

 

Personally, I think there ought to be a way for the government to support organizations like the Scouts. And I think that until recently, there really wasn't a problem. Scouting used to have a lot of components, "religion" being one aspect of that. Now, tho, it seems like the powers that be have decided that "religion" needs to be "RELIGION", and I think that that is what's causing the problem. I don't think B-P meant for Scouting to be RELIGIOUS, just that this was another component, as important as many others.

 

Interesting editorial, tho. Thanks, fgoodwin, for posting it.

[Fuzzy Bear]

At one time, Scouting was politically neutral. The President was honored as a position of authority and not as an advocate of special interests. Scouting supported the overall institution of government and Scouts were considered as an army of helpers to the whole process, thus Jamboree or celebration was in order. Today, partisan politics has become a standard throughout the nation as people have taken sides. We are defining our beliefs and making our camps further apart, thus widening the gulf and deepening the chasm. Churches on both sides have been both victim and perpetrator in using politics as a lever to achieve their agendas. Institutions are doing all they can to quicken the separation. As being a moderate becomes anathema, the center will become a void and we as a nation will reach a threshold of hatred where it will spew from both sides on all issues and that includes judges who are part of the whole and cannot possibly exist on their own. We may still have an opportunity to mediate our differences instead of attacking but many believe it an inevitable righteous battle of good against evil required to fulfill a mission. We appear to no longer celebrate liberty as our mission instead we crave the opposite. People still have a choice to just say no.

 

FB