The Assault on the Boy Scouts of America (May Imprimis)

Imprimis | May02 | Midge Decter

[ventana]

Sigh, leadpenny. A sigh for the overwhelmingly sad truth of the article. V's wife.

[RJayneJ]

Click the icon.

[leadpenny]

I came away with a feeling of sadness also.

I raised three sons in the 'burbs of DC, who I proudly refer to as average men and all-around good guys. When they were in their teens they were all exposed to the BSA, as I was in the 50's. Quite honestly, there were so many competing demands on their time, soccer, piano, crew, etc.; scouting took a back seat. We did have some fun father/son outings though.

The sad truth that comes out of Ms Decter's speech for me is a feeling that the Assault she defines and describes is irreversible.

[leadpenny]

Thanks for the laugh. And a Happy Mother's day to all. Be assured that that poem will be finding its way around the web today.

[JCG]

The BSA is target number one of the homosexual lobby. See the list on this page:

Lambda

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
Download 8 Mb zip file here (60 minute video)

[airborne]

We will continue to fight against all groups who seek to destroy the ideas of the BSA. BTW, Mr. Dale was dishonest every time he spoke the Scout Law. The very first part (for a reason) is ..."A Scout is TRUSTWORTHY..." He hid his homosexuality, while publicly promising to be " morally straight." Deceipt and dishonesty is not a Scouting virtue.

[leadpenny]

Very depressing. Thanks, I think.

[Non-Sequitur]

Would James Dale have been kicked out if, instead of being homosexual, he had been living with a girlfriend at college? Or would he still be considered 'morally straight'?

[Ligeia]

Don't be too discouraged. The troubles within the Catholic church and other youth-related organizations have vindicted the BSA's position on homosexual leaders. The facts speak for themselves and should stop anyone pushing for homosexual leadership for a good while. No one in his right mind would advocate putting those people in positions of authority over children.

[leadpenny]

I have no problem with someone who is gay being in the BSA, the military or any other organization/endeavor. In fact I know I served with Officers and Enlisted Personnel who were gay during my 21 years in the Army. I do have a problem when someone wants to join an organization BECAUSE they are gay and, in doing so, push their sexual preferences and their life style on others.

A good and simple example of the gay agenda and activism is the way in which they have co-opted the use of the rainbow. My mother, rest her soul, loved anything with a rainbow on it. I would be a fool to put a rainbow on the bumper of my car without an explantion that said, "I'm Not Gay. This Rainbow is in Memory of My Mom!"

There would be fewer problems if the Gay community did just one thing. That is: Shut Up About It.

[leadpenny]

Good Point!

[airborne]

Mr. Dale not only professed his homosexuality, but wanted to teach his beleifs to his Scout unit. IMO, there is a difference.

[Non-Sequitur]

I'm sorry but you are mistaken. The only way that the troop leadership found out about it was because he was interviewed in the course of an article about his membership in a gay and lesbian group at his college. Dale never brought up his sexual orentation during scouting activites. He never connected his sexual orientation with his membership in scouting, never discussed it with the scouts under his leadership. My question still stands. Would he have been kicked out of scouting if the troop leadership found out that he was living with a girlfriend rather than finding out he was homosexual?

[DKM]

"Would James Dale have been kicked out if, instead of being homosexual, he had been living with a girlfriend at college?"

If this had been the cornerstone of Mr. Dale's involvement in scouting, yes, he would have been kicked out on his rear. He would be just as wrong describing this situation to somebody elses kid, as was his promotion of his chosen homosexual lifestyle.

My how we have evolved from the age-old addage of "What I do in my bedroom is my own business" to "What I do in my bedroom is your kid's business, and I'll sue if you try to prevent me from making it so"!

[airborne]

His Scout troop was put in the national spotlight over his court case. I have no problem with him or his sexuality, but to say the boys in the Troop were not affected is, IMO,not accurate. And if he came to our Troop meeting and discussed living with a girl in college, he would be called in front of our committee. I guess I won't convince you, and my feelings are old-fashioned and out of date, but that's just how I am.

[StACase]

My question still stands. Would he have been kicked out of scouting if the troop leadership found out that he was living with a girlfriend rather than finding out he was homosexual?

Probably not. But you miss the concept at work here. He is not wanted as a leader in the Boy Scouts for the same reason that normal young men are not recruited to be leaders in the Girl Scouts. Sending a young man to go camping in the woods alone with young girls is not a good idea. And....I don't really have to spell this out do I?

[Non-Sequitur]

No, but you make the point that he was kicked out for who he was and not any misbehavior on his part. And you make it clear that 'morally straight' can mean whatever it is convenient for it to mean. Finally, let me make it clear that I have no problem with the Boy Scouts as a private organization establishing their own standards for who they will admit as scouts and scout leaders and who they will not. That is their right and nobody can or should be able to take that away from them. But I find it pretty dumb on their part that apparently they could assume that people wouldn't find their discrimination objectionable and this whole thing would blow over. What did they expect?

[ventana]

It's not irreversible. Never give up, never give in. V's wife.

[Free the USA]

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