Freepmail or ping me on the thread to be added to the John Armor for Congress ping list.
Posted on 03/28/2008 9:13:23 AM PDT by Congressman Billybob
Ask Candidates about the Boy Scouts
Dear Member of the Media:
The city of Philadelphia is a war zone.
Philadelphia has the highest murder rate of all major U.S. cities and one of the highest overall crime rates. One in thirteen young black males in the city was shot or killed in the past 5 years. Over 1,000 youth under age 24 were shot in 2006 alone. Philadelphia has one of the highest high school dropout rates of all major cities and is among the highest in gang membership, gang violence and drug use.
One answer to this crisis facing Philadelphia’s youth is the Boy Scouts of America. For nearly 100 years, the Scouts have helped young men develop into responsible and contributing citizens. Scouting is particularly important for inner city youths, who often live in fatherless homes. The Scouts’ Philadelphia Cradle of Liberty Council is the third largest in the nation, serving some 64,000 boys, thousands of whom live in the inner city or are otherwise at risk.
But instead of embracing the Boy Scouts, the Philadelphia City Council is harassing them over their national policy of excluding adult leaders who are avowed homosexuals. Despite the fact that 80 years ago the Scouts built their headquarters building and entered into an agreement with the city to lease it back for $1 a year in perpetuity, the city is now using a tortured interpretation of a non-discrimination ordinance to force the Scouts to either pay more than $200,000 a year in rent on this building or vacate it!
Aside from the basic question of equity and good faith raised by the city breaking this lease agreement, the constitutional right of the Scouts to set their own standards for membership was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000.
Philadelphia’s inner city children are at great risk. But it’s more than a city issue. Pennsylvania’s quality of life depends on young people who are committed to the Scout Oath and Law. We strongly urge you, as a member of the media, to ask candidates running for local and state offices whether they support the Boy Scouts.
You should also ask candidates running for federal offices whether they support the Scouts. Since 1916, when Congress approved its federal charter, the federal government has maintained a close relationship with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Furthermore, the president of the United States is the honorary national president of the BSA. At least one presidential candidate early in the contest announced that if elected he would not accept this honorary post.
The most important federal support for Scouting is provided by the Department of Defense, which opens Camp A.P. Hill in Virginia for the Boy Scout National Jamboree every four years. Former Attorney General Janet Reno considered ending this arrangement and all federal partnerships with the Scouts—and she only backed off when her plan became an issue in the 2000 presidential election campaign.
We call upon all of the members of the Pennsylvania media outlets to help clarify for the voters of Pennsylvania and the nation where all of the candidates stand on the Boy Scouts.
This is based on a real event in Philadelphia, and it is intended to reach the media and candidates in Pennsylvania during its pending primary election. The purpose of this Coalition is to invite signatures on a Petition in support of the Boy Scouts.
I think this subject will be of strong interest to Freepers. If this does not belong in News/Activism, the Mods should feel free to move it and relabel it.
John / Billybob
ping
bump
If the city is allowed to go back on the original agreement, the Boy Scouts should be able to do the same and take the property back. As for the city itself, it’s a ghetto and needs the National Guard to go in and clean it up. How many more of our cities are going to go down this road.
I live in the Philly suburbs and have no problem with the city demanding fair rent regardless of whether or not it has to do with the Scouts excluding gays. There are plenty of places in the city that would allow them to hold meetings at low cost.
It certainty didn’t take long for one of FRs many homo-defenders to pop up. These people are sick.
BTTT
What is “fair” when the contract that turns the property over to the city specifically stipulate $1 for the scouts?
Why does the city own the land?
Freepmail or ping me on the thread to be added to the John Armor for Congress ping list.
The problem is not the rent it's the property.
The Scouts originally owned the property but gave it to the city with the stipulation that annual rent would be $1.00. Many, if not all of us here, believe that if the city, and the homosexual councilman who is driving this idea, wants the Scouts to pay fair rent, then the Scouts should consider the agreement abrogated and sue to take their property back.
So in my view, the Scouts should at least sue the City for $5 million for breach of contract and fraud. Then the Scouts can decide whether to use the interest on that amount to lease the building at the rate the City demands.
John / Billybob
Who?
John / Billybob
Boy Scout Ping!
http://www.vdare.com/buchanan/071004_election.htm
“In the last presidential debate, at Dartmouth, Bill Richardson said that, as president, he would refuse the honorary chairmanship of the Boy Scouts. Why? Well, the Boy Scouts does not allow homosexual scoutmasters to take Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts on camping trips.”
Great post, great thread. Thanks for the ping MitchellC. Thanks to all posters.
America’s finest young men! BTTT!
Thanks for such a mature response. I’m sorry if this sounds gay (and if it offends you) but you show your lack of balls by not addressing your response to me.
I’m not defending anyone. If the Scouts do have an actual written contract that says they sold the building to the city with the intention of renting it for $1 a year for infinity they should produce it. If it’s a verbal agreement, it’s moot. It turns into a she said, he said argument and won’t hold up in court.
I’ll wait for the Scouts to produce such a written contract but time is running out.
No reason to get your panties all in a wad.
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