robert12 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Your thoughts on this quote from Gates' 2014 NAM address... A year ago, this meeting saw a respectful and civil debate over membership policy. In a democratic process, a strong majority of the volunteer leadership of this movement from all across the nation voted to welcome gay youth into scouting. In all candor, I would have supported going further, as I did in opening the way for gays to serve in CIA and in the military......Given the strong feelings — the passion — involved on both sides of this matter, I believe strongly that to re-open the membership issue or try to take last year’s decision to the next step would irreparably fracture or perhaps even provoke a formal, permanent split in this movement — with the high likelihood neither side would subsequently survive on its own. That is just a fact of life, and who would pay the price for destroying the Boy Scouts of America? Millions of scouts today and scouts yet unborn. We must always put the kids and their interests first. Thus, during my time as president, I will oppose any effort to re-open this issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00Eagle Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Your thoughts on this quote from Gates' 2014 NAM address... He wasn't counting on the Supreme Court decision to allow gay marriage, councils to go into outright revolt in critical mass, or GNYC to hire a gay summer camp staffer with threats of employment lawsuits if he was terminated. Three factors that totally changed the landscape since May '14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 People always reject the prophets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John-in-KC Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 (edited) Stosh nailed it. His words were prescient. At the same time, multiple realities hit. He made a judgment call. He's made a few of them, many involving life and death decisions. MODERATOR'S NOTE: FOLLOW THE SCOUT LAW, FOLKS. Friendly Courteous Kind Edited July 31, 2015 by John-in-KC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 He wasn't counting on the Supreme Court decision to allow gay marriage, councils to go into outright revolt in critical mass, or GNYC to hire a gay summer camp staffer with threats of employment lawsuits if he was terminated. Three factors that totally changed the landscape since May '14. Rather than rolling over one half the membership Gates decided to roll over the OTHER half. That makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 "Yes, I knowed it was wrong, but I doed it anyway!" - Red Skelton, Mean Widdo Kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAKWIB Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Gates' words then, like his more recent claim that BSA will solidly defend the rights of religious COs, are full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.He was elected (or perhaps, it was more like selected) to the President position because he was seen to be a symbol of moderation and measured steps. The heir-apparent to the President slot at the time was AT&T executive, Randall Stephenson. He is much more of a steam-roller in his views on inclusion--and, like many of the activists, is not content with "local option." Should he become President in the next term, I think Mr. Stephenson will do very little to advance Mr. Gates' shallow promise to religious sponsors and will be more inclined to pull in the complete opposite direction. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Should he become President in the next term, I think Mr. Stephenson will do very little to advance Mr. Gates' shallow promise to religious sponsors and will be more inclined to pull in the complete opposite direction. Should that happen they we have the answer to Mr. Gates' question, "...who would pay the price for destroying the Boy Scouts of America?" But Mr. Gates will have to live with himself as the person who opened the cash register and allowed his successor to finish off the local option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJCubScouter Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I think Mr. Gates addressed that in his speech in May 2015. He mentioned what he had said a year earlier but said the situation had changed. Of course, it would have been better if he had not made a definitive statement in 2014 that he then had to retract. It is typical of the whole clumsy way the BSA has handled this issue, especially since 2012. First they said they weren't going to revisit the issue, then a few months later a proposal for local option was made behind closed doors and "leaked", then they did that whole survey thing, then they withdrew the proposal for local option and replaced it with the proposal regarding youth members and there was the whole thing about that, and their resolution said they weren't going to revisit the adult leader issue, then in 2014 Gates says what this thread is about, then a year later he changed his mind and the BSA said the change will be voted on in October, but then it's July and they're voting. The whole process reminds me of a chicken running around with its head cut off. None of which changes the fact that I agree with the ultimate conclusion and think it would be best if people stop making doomsday predictions and try to make it work for the benefit of the Scouts. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashmaster Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 How many threads are we going to have on this topic? The decision has been made, we are all waiting for the responses from the LDS church. Whether you agree with it, it is done. Time to move forward, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 How many threads are we going to have on this topic? The decision has been made, we are all waiting for the responses from the LDS church. Whether you agree with it, it is done. Time to move forward, IMHO. Unfortunately there is a ripple effect (or maybe a tsunami effect) that has to play itself out due to the initial action. It's really not done as of yet. The decision is the only thing that is done, now we will find out what it means and with the magnitude of the action it may take a couple of years to find out whether it was a good or bad thing for the BSA. The ship may weather a lot of storms over the course of time, but eventually if not captained correctly it will go down. With 70% of the units faith based this could have a major effect on the future of Scouting. LDS plays a big role, as do the Methodists Baptists and a few Lutherans. Scouting has had a pretty clear vision of what it is all about, but now I'm thinking a lot of people no longer know what that may be. So the question remains, move forward? Where? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJCubScouter Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 (edited) WAKWIB, what is your basis for saying that Randall Stephenson is "not content with 'local option'"? Is there a quote somewhere that you can link to? Edited July 31, 2015 by NJCubScouter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 How many threads are we going to have on this topic? The decision has been made, we are all waiting for the responses from the LDS church. Whether you agree with it, it is done. Time to move forward, IMHO. I' not Mormon so I don't care what the LDS units do. I am waiting to see what my CO does. They are meeting in late August, but for now they said proceed under the local option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashmaster Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I' not Mormon so I don't care what the LDS units do. I am waiting to see what my CO does. They are meeting in late August, but for now they said proceed under the local option. I'm not Mormon either, I'm on district and a large number of our units are. So our district will be affected if they leave. Our CO has already told us they are fine with the decision, they are Lutheran FWIW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc763 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I' not Mormon so I don't care what the LDS units do. I am waiting to see what my CO does. They are meeting in late August, but for now they said proceed under the local option. If you don't mine, who is your CO? I am SM of a troop here in CO that is chartered by the Knights of Columbus (Catholic). We are also waiting to see what the Knights will do. I just hope that we do not lose our charter before my youngest son has a chance to make Eagle. He is Life and a year or so away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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