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When the BSA was first created, blacks had a hard time joining. Within a few years, African-American Troops were created, as were segregated summer camps. Understand that we're talking about the 1910 - 1920 timeframe. BSA units are operated by sponsoring organizations, who were and are free to admit or deny membership to anyone, for any reason. The pressure to integrate units came from above, not below. Even into the 1970's one of the BSA's major sponsors, the Mormon church, denied election as Senior Patrol Leader (the highest youth leadership position in a BSA Troop) to black youth, since this position goes to the leader of the main youth leader in the local Mormon stake (parish), and that was not allowed due to Mormon racist beliefs. It was pressure from National that helped get the Mormons to change that policy.

The BSA would be quite free, legally, to ban all members of a particular race or religion from membership tomorrow. What they would risk is the loss of public, not legal, support. And it seems that while the public would be revulsed if the BSA banned blacks or Jews, causing them to lose public support, the public is perfectly willing to accept the BSA's ban on homosexuals and atheists.

Why? I figure there's three different groups involved. First, there are people who believe that gay men are much more likely to be child molesters than straight men. I've seen arguments on both sides, but this group doesn't seem to be a majority in and of itself. Second, there are people who believe that homosexuality is either immoral or at least highly undesirable, and they do not wish their sons to be set an immoral or undesirable example by adult leaders and thereby become influenced towards such behavior themselves. The concept that homosexual behavior is 100% innate, and is not a learned behavior, does not have majority support in the U.S.

Thanks for the info.

Why? I figure there's three different groups involved. First, there are people who believe that gay men are much more likely to be child molesters than straight men. I've seen arguments on both sides, but this group doesn't seem to be a majority in and of itself. Second, there are people who believe that homosexuality is either immoral or at least highly undesirable, and they do not wish their sons to be set an immoral or undesirable example by adult leaders and thereby become influenced towards such behavior themselves. The concept that homosexual behavior is 100% innate, and is not a learned behavior, does not have majority support in the U.S.

I belive this to be quite close to the truth, and also, since I belive both stands to be ilogical, I belive that eventually, as public opinion changes, so will the BSAs opinion. I would assume that the racist position of the BSA in the 1910-20's had public support back then, too? BTW, you mention three different groups? As I read your post, you only mention two?