Posted on 08/16/2002 2:15:41 AM PDT by kattracks
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has told its 490 local affiliates to give openly gay and lesbian volunteers an equal chance to serve as one-on-one mentors to children, incurring the wrath of several conservative groups.
The 98-year-old organization - devoted to helping children from single-parent homes - says it is undaunted by the criticism, which includes calls for its corporate backers to halt donations.
"We're getting incredible, positive support for the action we took," the organization's president, Judy Vredenburgh, said yesterday.
Big Brothers Big Sisters has endorsed nondiscrimination principles for 25 years that cover sexual orientation, race, religion and ethnicity.
Only last month, however, did the provision about sexual orientation become mandatory policy for all affiliates, a few of which had been rejecting gays.
Parents will still have the option of rejecting mentors for various reasons, including sexual orientation. Still, the move has provoked outrage from several conservative organizations.
Donald Wildmon, chairman of the Tupelo, Miss.-based American Family Association, contends that Big Brothers Big Sisters "will become a magnet for homosexuals who exploit opportunities to engage young, impressionable children with their unhealthy lifestyle."
There has been no indication corporate backers will shy away from Big Brothers Big Sisters. Larry Plumb, a spokesman for Verizon Communications, said his company has a long track record in support of nondiscrimination.
Homosexuals are equal citizens. Always have been.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.