Boy Scout discrimination: It’s not just gays

[one...two...tree 2,762]

As the Carpetbagger mentioned on Thursday, the city of Philadelphia has denied the Boy Scouts access to a building where the Scouts have for years enjoyed a sweetheart rental deal.

The Scouts have been meeting in the municipal Beaux Arts Building since 1928. They lease it from the city for the token sum of one dollar a year. They won’t be meeting there any more. The city has decided it does not want to subsidize a group that discriminates.

Most of the talk about the Boy Scouts and their discriminatory policies centers on homosexuality. If you’re gay, you can’t be a Scout leader. They’ll even kick out a young man who has been involved for years if he emerges from the closet while in a leadership position.

That’s abhorrent. But I want to take a moment today to focus on the other people the Boy Scouts discriminate against: atheists, agnostics, humanists and other religious skeptics. Although often overlooked, this form of discrimination by the Scouts is equally obnoxious. Yet I sometimes get the impression that if the Scouts would drop their anti-gay policies, most people would assume everything was cool.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/

[Dan J 277]

As the Carpetbagger mentioned on Thursday, the city of Philadelphia has denied the Boy Scouts access to a building where the Scouts have for years enjoyed a sweetheart rental deal.

The Scouts have been meeting in the municipal Beaux Arts Building since 1928. They lease it from the city for the token sum of one dollar a year. They won’t be meeting there any more. The city has decided it does not want to subsidize a group that discriminates.

Most of the talk about the Boy Scouts and their discriminatory policies centers on homosexuality. If you’re gay, you can’t be a Scout leader. They’ll even kick out a young man who has been involved for years if he emerges from the closet while in a leadership position.

That’s abhorrent. But I want to take a moment today to focus on the other people the Boy Scouts discriminate against: atheists, agnostics, humanists and other religious skeptics. Although often overlooked, this form of discrimination by the Scouts is equally obnoxious. Yet I sometimes get the impression that if the Scouts would drop their anti-gay policies, most people would assume everything was cool.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/

Boy scouts have some special privileges granted by the government. But they are still allowed to discriminate as a private group would. In my opinion, they should loose all their public benefits and be treated as any other private religious group, unless they drop their discriminating practices.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

As the Carpetbagger mentioned on Thursday, the city of Philadelphia has denied the Boy Scouts access to a building where the Scouts have for years enjoyed a sweetheart rental deal.

The Scouts have been meeting in the municipal Beaux Arts Building since 1928. They lease it from the city for the token sum of one dollar a year. They won’t be meeting there any more. The city has decided it does not want to subsidize a group that discriminates.

Most of the talk about the Boy Scouts and their discriminatory policies centers on homosexuality. If you’re gay, you can’t be a Scout leader. They’ll even kick out a young man who has been involved for years if he emerges from the closet while in a leadership position.

That’s abhorrent. But I want to take a moment today to focus on the other people the Boy Scouts discriminate against: atheists, agnostics, humanists and other religious skeptics. Although often overlooked, this form of discrimination by the Scouts is equally obnoxious. Yet I sometimes get the impression that if the Scouts would drop their anti-gay policies, most people would assume everything was cool.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/

Boy scouts have some special privileges granted by the government. But they are still allowed to discriminate as a private group would. In my opinion, they should loose all their public benefits and be treated as any other private religious group, unless they drop their discriminating practices.

Yep. Good for the city of Philadelphia (city of brotherly love) to stop their sweet $1 a year lease.

[eric&gen 0]

Gay boy scouts lol what is this world coming to lol.

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

Boy scouts have some special privileges granted by the government. But they are still allowed to discriminate as a private group would. In my opinion, they should loose all their public benefits and be treated as any other private religious group, unless they drop their discriminating practices.

the boy scouts are not a religion.

[Dan J 277]

Boy scouts have some special privileges granted by the government. But they are still allowed to discriminate as a private group would. In my opinion, they should loose all their public benefits and be treated as any other private religious group, unless they drop their discriminating practices.

the boy scouts are not a religion.

I didn't say they were, just a religious group, after all, you have to be part of a church to be part of the boy scouts.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I wa sin boy scouts in Canada, but was never part of a church!!

[golias 0]

I wa sin boy scouts in Canada, but was never part of a church!!

Me either. We met in the National Guard armory.

[Drew and Tik 0]

I was in Boy Scouts and not part of a church in Texas, but it was more of a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" thing regarding religion rather than me being openly atheist/agnostic.

[DerekJ 0]

I was in Boy Scouts and not part of a church in Texas, but it was more of a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" thing regarding religion rather than me being openly atheist/agnostic.

The religious aspect comes from the Boy Scout Oath and the Boy Scout Promise. Both of those mantra contain references to God or religion. As someone mentioned earlier, they are an organization of public accommodation. Constitutional law dictates that they are not allowed to discriminate if they receive public benefits/funds. Yet lawmakers have looked the other way. There was a Supreme Court case some years ago concerning a gay scout or leader. IIRC, the Court came down in favor of the Scouts. I was in scouts many years ago and enjoyed every second. Now, my son is involved in cub scouts and enjoying. These issues have not come up in our group and I hope they never do. I don't agree with the policies of the national organization and I hope that local boy scout councils and troops are more tolerant.

Edited December 9, 2007 by DerekJ

[Drew and Tik 0]

I was in Boy Scouts and not part of a church in Texas, but it was more of a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" thing regarding religion rather than me being openly atheist/agnostic.

The religious aspect comes from the Boy Scout Oath and the Boy Scout Promise. Both of those mantra contain references to God or religion. As someone mentioned earlier, they are an organization of public accommodation. Constitutional law dictates that they are not allowed to discriminate if they receive public benefits/funds. Yet lawmakers have looked the other way. There was a Supreme Court case some years ago concerning a gay scout or leader. IIRC, the Court came down in favor of the Scouts. I was in scouts many years ago and enjoyed every second. Now, my son is involved in cub scouts and enjoying. These issues have not come up in our group and I hope they never do. I don't agree with the policies of the national organization and I hope that local boy scout councils and troops are more tolerant.

Exactly, I think the issue won't come up on the local level unless the national leaders decide to make a point of it, which they may not since it would cause even more controversy than leaving it alone.

[eric&gen 0]

The gay boy scouts can team up with the YMCA lol.

Edited December 9, 2007 by evdogg412

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

Boy scouts have some special privileges granted by the government. But they are still allowed to discriminate as a private group would. In my opinion, they should loose all their public benefits and be treated as any other private religious group, unless they drop their discriminating practices.

the boy scouts are not a religion.

I didn't say they were, just a religious group, after all, you have to be part of a church to be part of the boy scouts.

i certainly don't recall having to be part of a church

Edited December 9, 2007 by charlesandnessa

[natty bumppo 297]

Boy scouts have some special privileges granted by the government. But they are still allowed to discriminate as a private group would. In my opinion, they should loose all their public benefits and be treated as any other private religious group, unless they drop their discriminating practices.

the boy scouts are not a religion.

I didn't say they were, just a religious group, after all, you have to be part of a church to be part of the boy scouts.

i certainly don't recall having to be part of a church

What's this "part of a church" stuff. My troop wasn't part of a church.

[DerekJ 0]

Boy scouts have some special privileges granted by the government. But they are still allowed to discriminate as a private group would. In my opinion, they should loose all their public benefits and be treated as any other private religious group, unless they drop their discriminating practices.

the boy scouts are not a religion.

I didn't say they were, just a religious group, after all, you have to be part of a church to be part of the boy scouts.

i certainly don't recall having to be part of a church

There is no church requirement but as I intimated above, the Oath and the Promise presume a belief in God or religion.