Homosexual Scouts

[Narraticong]

Beavah hits the nail squarely on the head. "Just be a Scoutmaster to the kid". The wisest words I have seen on this topic.

 

I believe homosexuality is a sin. I have no doubt about it. It is my right to believe it. I also know that I have a whole pocket full of my own sins and where I would be headed were it not for the Grace of God. So I surely won't be the one to browbeat this particular Scout or any other. In the "old" Scoutmaster Handbooks, Greenbar Bill quotes BP as saying the Scoutmaster should lead by example.

 

What simple, straightforward advice that is. It might be interpreted as "Do unto others...". If those of us who are Christians would just strive to live a Christlike life by setting the good example, we might bring others into the fold.

 

As far as the youth in our units are concerned, they surely do make 180 degree turns on many topics seemingly every day. That is part of growing up. We have all gone through it. But if the adult leadership remains rock steady in our love for the boys, they will surely know it. And maybe they will appreciate the example we set and strive to be like us. Why? Because we have acceptd them and loved them equally on both their good and bad days.

 

God sees me, homosexuals, heathens, murderers, and even Democrats as his children and loves us all jut the same. Even though we let him down terribly every day. As Scout Leaders, we would do well to follow THAT example.

 

Ken

[Beavah]

Yah, well. I'm not sure about Democrats.

 

B

[packsaddle]

Homophobia is such a waste.

I agree with Lisa, Calico, NJ, and Dan. This shouldn't be an issue at all. It is an issue contrived by judgmental people who think they understand a unclear and (I think) dishonest policy. The gay scouts who I know in troops around here are fortunately accepted as they are and have adult leaders who are supportive in the sense that Beavah mentioned.

[BulldogBlitz]

as quick as some are to damn homosexuals in general... some are really quick to pick up their flag and run with it, handing out eagle badges along the way.

 

seems as though we have two teams, both willing to play "political football" - that ball just happens to be an eagle badge. if the scout kept his sexual preferences secret, and then went running to the paper a month after receiving the award, then there is a problem with trust.

 

participation in the boy scouts is not mandatory. if they'd like to make a rule prohibiting right handed, brown eyed people from participating... i'd likely find somewhere else to go - rather than putting in blue contacts and trying to be left handed.

[NickP412]

I would ask him kindly to leave, even if he is a youth I wouldnt want him around the other youth for several reasons:

 

1-Hes an Eagle making him a role model, do you want a gay person to be the boys role model?

 

2-I doubt many boys will want to tent with him( I wouldnt)it wouldnt be safe.

 

3-Its dangerous.

 

If he try's to fight it send it to national, if he still proudly touts his orientation after he turns 18 report that to nation and they might strip him of his eagle.

[Lisabob]

Let's just make some clarifications.

 

1. In all the posts here on this forum, there haven't been verifications that I have ever seen of anyone being "stripped" of their rank.

 

2. Conflation between sexual orientation and sexual predation are problematic. Someone who is gay is no more likely to assault another person, than someone who is not gay.

 

3. There is no clear statement in the news article in question that says this boy is gay. It is clear he attended a dance where there were gay people. Guilt by association is not exactly virtuous.

 

4. So much for "a scout is a friend to all." You'd kick him out because you think he might be gay, even though the policy about "avowed homosexuals" applies only to adult leaders, not youth, and even though you don't actually know the boy's sexual orientation, and even though (at age 16) the boy has presumably been with this troop for 5 or 6 years and shown sufficient character to have earned the rank of Eagle.

 

 

[Bando]

Nick, you stated:

 

"1-Hes an Eagle making him a role model, do you want a gay person to be the boys role model?

 

2-I doubt many boys will want to tent with him( I wouldnt)it wouldnt be safe.

 

3-Its dangerous."

 

1- The BSA agrees with you, but the question is why?

 

2- Why wouldn't it be safe? Are all homosexuals inclined to automatically attempt to have sex with anything they're attracted to? Do heterosexual boys feel unsafe being in a classroom with heterosexual girls? If the boy was good enough to be friends with and have the trust of his peers in all of his years of Scouting before he earned his Eagle award, what makes it different if he decides to make public something he has likely known about himself the entire time?

 

3- Dangerous? Again, why? That's the fundamental problem I have with the homophobia here and elsewhere when it comes to this issue: There's an underlying sense that there's something inherently menacing about gay people. I had a gay dorm roommate in college. I had a gay housemate in college, too. Was it dangerous? Did I feel endangered? Absolutely not.

 

If you don't believe a gay person isn't a correct role model for children as an adult leader, fine. But let's not sit here and pretend that it's a menacing danger. Especially for a youth member, who is, by BSA rules, asexual to begin with. That's just ignorance at work.(This message has been edited by Bando)

[DanKroh]

Lisabob,

 

Thank you for coherently stateing what I was just too gobsmacked speechless to even begin to articulate. Very well said.

[OldGreyEagle]

I have always found it amusing that some males lock up in terror at the prospect of having to talk to a girl to ask them out on a date and then at the same time, think of every gay guy as being after them for their "Body", what makes these guys think they must be repulsive to females while being absolutely itrrestible to gays everywhere?

[NickP412]

Lisa the original post made it sound as if he was an open homosexual, please understand where I got that from. Also people have been stripped of there eagle rank, most notably the founder of the "Scouting for all" movement.

 

Now as for them being a danger. Theres a reason venture scouts of different gender dont tent together. Gay or not teenage boys want (you finish the sentence)

 

I didn't know prior to this thread the boys were considered asexual, so does that mean a boy could be the most open and flamboyantly gay person and still be allowed in scouts?(This message has been edited by NickP412)

[OldGreyEagle]

Nick, I would not welcome an extreme over the top heterosexual in the Troop I serve anymore than I would want an extreme over the top homosexual as well

 

If the scout law is being followed, hetero or Gay shouldnt be a real issue

 

[Beavah]

Do heterosexual boys feel unsafe being in a classroom with heterosexual girls?

 

Yah, to be fair, we don't have heterosexual boys tenting with heterosexual girls as a matter of policy, eh? Too much room for misinterpretation for da most part; some small but significant room for temptation. Not really a "danger" thing except to risk of reputation or STDs.

 

Can't see why the same wouldn't apply here. Too much room for misinterpretation and all that.

 

Gotta agree with Lisabob on the guilt-by-association thing, too. Just adults adding drama to somethin' that could be as ordinary as supporting a friend, being curious, just being a teenager...

 

That's why da BSA takes a much gentler and more nuanced stance on scouts "being" homosexual, eh? Tryin' to avoid bad adult behaviors toward lads who are just kids in need of understanding and support.

 

Beavah

 

 

[Lisabob]

Nick, you may want to read the article that jblake linked to in a subsequent post.

[Bando]

"Also people have been stripped of there eagle rank, most notably the founder of the "Scouting for all" movement. "

 

Steven Cozza has not been stripped of his Eagle award. If I'm not mistaken, both he and his father had their membership revoked, but Steven is still an Eagle Scout. Likely an urban legend you picked up along the trail.

[NickP412]

I heard it on the "Penn and Tellers "B.S" " episode on the boy scouts.