Posted on 07/30/2002 5:23:54 PM PDT by Jim Scott
Court rules state can bar Boy Scouts from charity list
Tuesday, July 30, 2002
Associated Press
HARTFORD - Connecticut did not violate the rights of the Boy Scouts when it removed the group from a list of charities that state employees contribute to through a payroll deduction plan, a U.S. District Court judge has ruled.
The Connecticut State Employee Campaign Committee removed the Boy Scouts from its list in 2000. The move came after the state's Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities found that including the Boy Scouts on the list violated the state's anti-discrimination laws, because of the Scouts' policy that bars homosexuals from their organization.
The Irving, Texas-based Boy Scouts and one Connecticut Scouting council filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the state, arguing that exclusion from the list was a First Amendment violation.
The lawsuit followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found the Boy Scouts had a right to ban gay leaders.
In a decision dated July 22, U.S. District Court Judge Warren Eginton ruled in favor of the state.
"It has been readily acknowledged by all parties that the BSA may discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation," Eginton wrote. "But the issue before this Court is not a matter of the BSA's viewpoint on homosexuality, but of the BSA's compliance with the laws of the State of Connecticut."
State Comptroller Nancy Wyman, a named defendant in the lawsuit, said she was gratified by the court's decision.
"It just basically states that the state of Connecticut does not, and cannot by law, do business with organizations that discriminate," Wyman said.
George Davidson, a lawyer who represented the Boy Scouts, said the group would appeal.
"We remain confident that the Boy Scouts will be successful," Davidson said. They "have been singled out on the basis of viewpoint."
The campaign committee hires the United Way to collect the employee payroll deductions. But the state has the right to prevent the fund-raiser from giving the Boy Scouts any contributions not designated for a particular agency.
Now we see a ruling that says Connecticut law supercedes the Constitutional rights of an organization. I would like to see the opinion in order to find out how they argued their way out of this one!
Maybe it's time that Connecticut state employees withdrew from the payroll deduction program and began to make their own decisions without government direction/intervention.
Just so, but it wouldn't make any difference in any case. The liberal class is not constrained by law donchya know? All's I gotta say is, here we go again. The BSA will continue the fight until they are beaten into the ground by queers, lesbians, etc. These people have no conception of "On my Honor".
FGS
They don't have a problem with homosexuals spending "quality" time with youngsters.
Werksferme! We might want to add that to the swearing in ceremony: "Have you read the Constitution and understand it; and further are you making a committment to uphold our Constitution, or is this just so much lip service?"
FGS
I'm a Scouter. One of the requirements for 1st Class is for the boys to talk to a lawyer, teacher, elected official, etc., on their rights and obligations under the Constitution. So, I arranged for a State Representative to come by and talk to the boys. I did this via contacting someone in said Rep's office.
So, the Rep shows up. Asks me exactly what the requirement is. I had faxed it over, but I reviewed it. The response? "Oh, I'm not that big an expert on the Constitution." Well, they're 12 year olds. You don't have to go into depth, just the basics. "I don't know that much about it."
I couldn't believe that an elected official, whose job it is to make law, couldn't explain the basics of the Constitution to a bunch of kids. The results of her efforts have to be in compliance with the Constitution or it'll get repealed. You'd think they'd know the basics. Ahh....... A Reflublican, too.
Cute. Sounds like one slipped in under the fence when no one was looking. A Pubbie no less. Whaddaya wanna bet she did a little studying that evening? Some good may have come from the encounter.
The results of her efforts have to be in compliance with the Constitution or it'll get repealed
Would that it were so. It SHOULD get repealed. Our Constitution has been all but gutted over the last 40 -50 years. Maybe some examples of unconstitutional laws(take your pick) would be a good starting point for your boys. But on second thought they would want to know how that can happen; disillusionment might set in at too early an age....
I do admire your efforts at trying to bring along some potential patriots.
FGS
Because of this, the real conservatives are demoralized and are planning on not voting for the Senate race. The base is unenthused with their prospects.
Plus, Iowa has a budget crisis. The Republicrats control BOTH houses of the State Legislature and spent every dime that the Democratic Governor wanted.
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