Moraga: Gay teen denied Eagle Scout submits petition asking Boy Scouts to change policy

mercury news ^ | 10/19/2012 | rick hurd

[redreno]

PLEASANT HILL -- A gay teenager denied his Eagle Scout award because of his sexuality turned in an online petition with more than 400,000 signatures Wednesday urging the National Boy Scouts of America to change its policies against allowing gay members.

Ryan Andresen of Moraga marched into the front office of the Mt. Diablo Silverado Council on Ellinwood Way along with his parents and a former member of the same Boy Scout troop who came out as gay two weeks ago. Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, also attended and presented Andresen with a resolution honoring his achievements with the Boy Scouts.

"It went about as expected," the 18-year-old said of the meeting with Alan T. Young, the program director for the Council, which oversees Andresen's troop. "I did get a chance to ask what I wanted. I didn't choose my sexuality, just like he didn't choose his. So I asked what made me any less adequate than him. He didn't answer. That says a lot."

Andresen collected 410,564 signatures on an online petition his mother, Karen, posted on Change.org after her son, a student at Maybeck High School in Berkeley, was denied Eagle Scout status after revealing he is gay. Young did not address the media directly, but his office issued a statement that said Andresen was denied his Eagle Scout status because "he does not subscribe to (Boy Scouts') Declaration of Religious Principle' and does not meet Scouting's membership

[Sacajaweau]

Call it anything you want....the kid is solicitating for homos.

[Paladin2]

A Boy Scout is Clean and Articulate.

[txrefugee]

Why don’t homosexuals establish their own organizations instead of trying to soil traditional ones? They are trying to force their perversion on normal people at every opportunity.

[American in Israel]

Note he is not petitioning to get his award, but to open the door for homosexuality in the boy scouts. Evil to the core...

[Varda]

“Gay” teens are the victims of child abuse. They turn around and become abusers themselves. That’s why I think homosexuality is a form of Stockholm Syndrome.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Ironically enough (or perversely enough), this is happening at the same time as BSA is being dumped on for the “perversion files”.

The homosexuals argue that not all homosexuals are pedophiles. That’s true — but, it’s also true that all male on male pedophiles are homosexual men.

[wvnavyvet]

I commend this kid for the effort he made towards attaining Eagle Scout; it's a shame he forgot the ideals that go with Scouting. It was obviously far more important for him to make a social political/political correctness statement than to adhere to the principals that have guided the BSA for many decades. The BSA was forced to release names of adults (makes me sick to call them leaders) that prescribe to the life style this young man chose to follow. I don't understand why people of his persuasions do not start their own organization and enjoy life as they choose. I wish him a happy life but hope the BSA rejects his petition.

[GeronL]

There is no good reason for the BSA to change their policy

[Hot Tabasco]

I wonder who his mentor was, you know, the guy that convinced the kid he was a homosexual..........

[Procyon]

5% of scouts attain Eagle Scout status. It takes, on average, 4.5 years to earn it. The average age upon award is 15.5 years. My understanding is that the cutoff age is 18. If you are that age aren’t we talking about mixing foxes with chickens, especially if the fox is thinking he’s gay? The assumption is that a “clean” scout is celibate. Methinks this young man needs to put away childish things and move on.

[jsanders2001]

Maybe he collected the 400,000 signatures to get a merit badge.../s

Sorry not willing to let young boys go out into the woods alone away from their family with other gay scout leaders or boy scouts. I wonder if NAMBLA is working behind the scenes to make this happen. It would give them access to young boys if the members applied to be scout leaders. I know its even sickening to even go there but in this day and age nothing surprises me anymore.

[soycd]

Too bad. Either you and your mom want to brag about how you like to play in poop with your sick perversions or you can work toward a noble goal.

You can have your crap and eat it too, but not as a Scout.

[jsanders2001]

I say go ahead and give him his damn Eagle Scout designation but not change any of the policies about admitting them. If they give it to him and it’s not enough then we will know his true agenda

[Biff55]

What part of "and keep myself...MORALLY STRAIGHT" don't they understand??? If they don't like it, then they can create their own gay organization that caters to them. I've had it with them shoving their agenda and "values" down my throat.

[Carriage Hill]

I earned my Eagle Scout at 12 in 1963; exception waiver given by Hon Pres, JFK, on Nov 20th, 2 days before he was assassinated. I still carry my dated, laminated BSA Eagle wallet card, and have my ES Certificate, God & Country, Order of The Arrow Certs in my office.

Let the homo/pervert kid join something else; the BSA is a private organization and can refuse membership. Screw the United Way etc funds; we can fund it independently and preserve the morals I pledged to, in my Eagle Ceremony.

[Biff55]

And yes, I earned my Eagle rank back in 1976.

[Figment]

Why don’t homosexuals establish their own organizations instead of trying to soil traditional ones? They are trying to force their perversion on normal people at every opportunity.

Your second sentence answered the first. It’s about recruiting

[Sacajaweau]

I agree with you....We never hear about what is likely “statutory rape”.

[yoe]

Oh for Heaven’s sake....here we go again with one more Communist step.....get rid of morals along with religion. Lets have names of his supporters....Leave this BSA troop alone.....form your own group and do as you wish...adequate has nothing to do with it.