Philadelphia Boy Scouts to Lose Historic Building for Not Accepting Homosexuality

LifeSiteNews ^ | 12/11/07 | Hilary White

[fortunecookie]

Hey, fellow PA residents, let's ask our governor to help the Scouts out of this one! (can barely squelch laughter, end sarcasm)

What a shame that the scouts are the supposed real 'problem' for Philly in this story, not the murders, etc...

[plan2succeed.org]

Wagglebee, I want you and all others here to know I am making a small effort to try to assist the Cradle of Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and I am doing so within my particular sphere of interest, namely, the American Library Association's efforts to ensure children are maximally exposed to inappropriate material despite the law, the Court, community standards, and common sense.

So here's what I've done. I've added a direct demand that the ALA support the Boy Scouts in Philadelphia when the ALA has one of its annual meetings in Philadelphia in January. I did this on the Library Journal web site in response to its article about the meeting.

Here is the article: "ALA Midwinter Preview 2008: Programs and Play," by John N. Berry III, Library Journal, December 15, 2007. The bottom has a link to my comment.

Here is my comment and demand for ALA action:

The ALA, Philadelphia, and First Amendments Rights

The ALA in Philadelphia? The ALA opposes "censorship" of all kinds and strongly supports First Amendment rights as it should. The First Amendment includes the freedom of association, yes? There is an organization in Philadelphia that is being discriminated against for practicing its First Amendment right to freedom of association as confirmed by the US Supreme Court. I demand that the ALA remain consistent and support this organization's First Amendment rights since this organization is based in Philadelphia and the ALA will be meeting in Philadelphia, and for other reasons. Specifically, I am referring to the Cradle of Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts of America at "the birthplace of the Boy Scouts." See "Boy Scouts Lose Philadelphia Lease in Gay-Rights Fight," by Ian Urbina, New York Times, December 6, 2007.

The ALA must support the First Amendment rights of the Boy Scouts or it will again appear hypocritical in only selectively supporting only its political interests. The ALA has been accused of this before, so let's see the ALA break from its past and demand an equal application of constitutional law and legal precedent.

The ALA must support the First Amendment rights of the Boy Scouts in Philadelphia while the ALA meets in Philadelphia and thereafter.

The Library Journal is the most read library journal. Let's see what becomes of my demand.

SafeLibraries.org - Are Children Safe in Public Libraries?

[sure_fine]

philly just as well fall off the globe, nothing but trash and not going to be nothing but trash as long as the citizens sit on their asses and do nothing

[plan2succeed.org]

Right. That’s why this citizen is trying to do something. The ALA is the USA’s self-arrogated censorship police. The Boy Scouts just got censored out of Philadelphia. The ALA must support the Scouts if it does what to appear hypocritical on yet another issue.

[plan2succeed.org]

Right. That’s why this citizen is trying to do something. The ALA is the USA’s self-arrogated censorship police. The Boy Scouts just got censored out of Philadelphia. The ALA must support the Scouts if it does NOT WANT (typos in above comment hereby corrected) to appear hypocritical on yet another issue.

[sure_fine]

I fired this out to all my address book

[oldbrowser]

"Isn't it hypocritical, though, to be intolerant in the name of tolerance, to say that it's wrong to disapprove of the lifestyles of others but OK to condemn the religious and moral beliefs of others?"

We are a nation of contradictory laws.

[CindyDawg]

Is this the building the Boy Scouts built? If so and the contract has been broken, can’t they take it back?

[plan2succeed.org]

Thanks. The ALA should really speak up about this, if it were truly interested in First Amendment rights being applied equally. But some ALA Councilors have shown a hatred for the Boy Scouts in the past and likely still harbor that hatred.

Here are just a few examples:

• Annoyed Librarian American Libraries Column #1: ALA versus the Boy Scouts
• Librarians Debate Boy Scouts Affiliation; Pending Resolution Would Sever All Ties with Group Due to 'Discrimination'
• Librarians to Sever Ties with Scouts? Effort Underway Cites Discrimination Against Atheists, 'Gays'
• Resolution on the Boy Scouts of America
• D5 ACII Con't Resolution On The Boy Scouts Of America CD#36
• ACTIONS OF THE ALA COUNCIL 2007 ALA MIDWINTER MEETING
• Etc.