Posted on 05/28/2014 10:30:17 AM PDT by Morgana
IRVING, TX, May 27, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who led the military to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell, says that he would have allowed homosexual leaders for Boy Scouts of America.
Gates, who was elected to head the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for a two-year term last week, said that he "would have supported having gay Scoutmasters, but at the same time, I fully accept the decision that was democratically arrived at by 1,500 volunteers from across the entire country."
A year ago, BSA allowed openly homosexual scouts for the first time. The policy reads that "No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone. The policy took effect on January 1, 2014.
Gates, who said he "was prepared to go further than the decision that was made," declared in a public statement last week that he did not intend to reignite the very public, months-long controversy. According to Gates, "to try to take last year's decision to the next step would irreparably fracture and perhaps even provoke a formal, permanent split in this movement - with the high likelihood neither side would subsequently survive on its own."
However, a "formal" split has already taken place. Due to last year's vote, the organization Trail Life USA was created. The new group says it aims "to be the premier national character development organization for young men which produces Godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens."
Furthermore, the decision by BSA to allow gay scouts has led to criticism from people on both sides of the debate. Homosexual activists say the group did not go far enough, whereas many Christian parents and groups say BSA is bowing to public pressure from homosexual advocates to affect its membership, despite its Christian roots.
Corporate pressure has been especially aggressive. Earlier this year, Walt Disney World threatened to not allow employees to volunteer for BSA as part of its VoluntEARS program in 2015 if the organization does not allow gay Scout leaders. Diversity Inc. reports that Merck & Co., Ernst & Young, Major League Baseball, and AT&T are just some of the other companies that have pressured BSA to change its policies.
Even President Obama has gotten involved, saying in 2010 that "gays and lesbians should have access and opportunity the same way everybody else does, in every institution and walk of life."
Trail Life said it had 500 groups join it as of December 2013. Over 70 percent of BSA's membership consists of faith-based organizations, and many of its Catholic, Mormon, and United Methodist-affiliated troops have expressed concern about the new policy. The Southern Baptist Convention, which has 4,000 troops affiliated with it, condemned last year's change.
BSA says its policies will protect its members from abuse by Scout leaders, whether homosexual or heterosexual. Those policies include a mandate that at least two adults are present at all times, and leaders are not allowed to touch Scouts.
“Boy scouts” sounds so inclusive, doesn’t it? And enough with the survival in the wilderness skills. When’s the last time you needed those in a gay bar?
Time to combine the BSA and the GSA and call it the GSA - Gay Scouts of America.
Reference the recent Homeland Security sweep in NYC in which, among other pedophiles, one arrested was a Boy Scout leader actively involved in the possession and exchange of child pornography.
“Worked out great to have gay pastors in the churches, right?”
The basic scientific method is to form an hypothesis, experimentally test it, and advance it to a theory if the initial experiments prove its likely validity. Thus, as far as homosexuals serving in positions with ready access to impressionable boys and teenagers is concerned, the hypothesis would be they would be no more likely to have sexual contact with their charges than heterosexual males would. The RC Church unintentionally volunteered itself to be the world’s greatest Guinea Pig for this experiment. The outcome was an absolute catastrophe of mass sexual abuse, perversion, and billions of dollars of lawsuits and settlements. Any logical person with a reasonably scientific mind would say the experiment was a catastrophic failure that decisively proved active homosexuals shouldn’t be let near impressionable young male humans. Gates and his many accomplices who have sodomized the Scouts are about to reap the legal nightmare that will assuredly descend on the organization, just as it did on the RC Church, except it will be far worse because the Church’s product is eternal salvation, while the BSA’s main product is only outdoor fun..
Gates does not have children in BSA, or he would be willing to protect innocent children from unnecessary dangers.
Since when can employers not allow people to volunteer for whatever they please?!
Incredible.
The Boy Scout Board knowingly put a person in charge of a boys problem who has no problem with them being led by homosexuals.
This is truly evil.
No *hit! Is there anything that he doesn't stick his nose in especially when it is none of his damn business?!
The only way for the BSA to survive is to give up the corporate sponsor revenue stream, and stay with private donations and fees.
Yea, I really want a man who is sexually attracted to males to be my son’s scoutmaster.
Grooming and recruiting.
Mitt Romney supported gay Scout leaders 20 years ago, and restated that support after winning the 2012 nomination.
Romney took action against the Boy Scouts in the 2002 Winter Olympics, because of their no-gays stance.
My son just earned his Eagle. I’m proud of his achievement. It’s the best leadership training in the world. I hate what they are doing to the Boy Scouts now. Why can’t we replace the leadership within the Scouts? Can’t we turn it back?
So when can men lead Girl Scout troops, not that there’s anything wrong with it.
I am proud of him for his convictions, I wish there was something else he could have gotten involved in. He loved being a boy scout.
Since when can employers not allow people to volunteer for whatever they please?!
Disney does not give direct donations to BSA, but Disney's VoluntEARS program allows its employees to do volunteer work in exchange for cash donations to the charities of their choice. Employees taking part in the VoluntEARS program will no longer be able to submit the funds to BSA. The change goes into effect in JAN 2015.
The Walt Disney Company's "Standards of Business Conduct" includes protections against "harassment or discrimination" based on, amongst other things, "sex, sexual orientation, and gender identification." Disney employees, however, will still be allowed to volunteer with the BSA.
The Boy Sodomites of America deserve to have this POS as their leader. Ta-Ta BSA . . . you used to be a wonderful program, but now you’ve descended to the depths that the Girl Sodomites have sunk.
The emphasis needs to be placed back on being sexually abstinent. We started down a slippery path to moral degradation when we started accepting premarital sex and divorce as normal. To win this battle we must regain our moral highground.
Always be prepared! So send your boy off to camp with a butt plug in his gear. As for bath house Berry he likes to stick his nose in others business.
I think it is California that prohibits judges from joining this organization for the same reason.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.