Scouting for Some Sense

Great article!

Nice reminder for those who may have forgotten the depth of Boy Scout bias and discrimination that reached its peak in 2000-01, validated by the Supreme Court. Locally, Len Lanzi, the Boy Scout Regional Director, was fired. They still discriminate.

Seems to me that the best way for them not to bring sexuality discussions into the Scouts is not to bring sexuality discussions into the scouts. Surely by banning a gay man and letting all the kids know that he cannot be accepted due to his sexual orientation is doing exactly what they claim they don't want to do.

If, on the other hand, they were just to ignore the fact that he was gay and instead focus on what a great job he did raising money, then the kids would be none the wiser. And sexuality would even enter the equation.

The Scout Motto is "Be Prepared".
http://usscouts.org/advance/boyscout/...

So how is an institutional standard operating procedure to discriminate against gay people in membership and employment a way for scouts to "be prepared" for the real world where gay, lesbian, etc. people are here and queer, and protected through various laws and policies.

The Boy Scouts of America needs to GET USED TO IT.

To quote from the Boy Scout Handbook, which is a big deal for those involved:

Be Prepared.
That's the motto of the Boy Scouts.

"Be prepared for what?" someone once asked Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting,

"Why, for any old thing." said Baden-Powell.

The training you receive in your troop will help you live up to the Scout motto. When someone has an accident, you are prepared because of your first aid instruction. Because of lifesaving practice, you might be able to save a nonswimmer who has fallen into deep water.

But Baden-Powell wasn't thinking just of being ready for emergencies. His idea was that all Scouts should prepare themselves to become productive citizens and to give happiness to other people. He wanted each Scout to be ready in mind and body for any struggles, and to meet with a strong heart whatever challenges might lie ahead.

Be prepared for life - to live happily and without regret, knowing that you have done your best. That's what the Scout motto means.

Brava, Star. The other comments here reflect exactly what I'm thinking, so I won't gild the lily. Thank you for taking on this very important topic, especially now!

Very important topic? Blah Blah Blah Every day of every year in just about every media outlet we are forced to contemplate the sexual indulgence of a minute segment of the population that has had the legal right to engage in consual behavior for over forty years. It is a trite and exploited subject that has wasted so much time and space that if the feds had a nickle for every time the word gay was printed we'd have no debt let alone a yearly defecate.

I'm bored with the whining, sniveling hand wringing drama queens. Get on with your lives and quit being such attention hos.

sa1,

Troll much?

So did those homophobic dads pay the Pack that $9000 missing popcorn sales cash per year because Langbert was not the Popcorn Kernel any more?

As stoopid as the USA military expelling arabic language translators who happen to be gay.

"was printed we'd have no debt let alone a yearly defecate."
I think you meant to say "deficit"

I'm not sure, billclausen. In light of all the other inanity in his post, that might well be intended. It's "defacatible" (shades of Sister Sarah). :-)

sa1 self-refutes.

I know phobias and irrational behaviors are omnipresent. But it seems as though the phobias and irrational behaviors are more often in the spotlight just prior to important elections; and especially illuminated by conservatives.

Be afraid of the growing list. Besides phobias of the married homosexuals or "agenda," locally you'll be afraid of homeless, roundabouts and bulbouts. Be afraid of alternative transportation advocates <<< a new phobia recently revealed by Council Member Dale Francisco.

Odd, my brother said his scout troop was, well, just about exclusively gay. A bit of self denial at work here.

But the scouts, as a private organization, have a right to kick out kids with funny voices, who wear glasses, who have a stutter, a disability, who are Catholic or Jewish, black, east indian, american indian, once wet their bed, only have1 kidney..... whatever. Odd we all forget that and think of the scouts in any other way but a private group that can and does boot out whoever doesn't look right to them.

Good column, Starshine; keep exposing the haters for the narrow-minded ninnies they are.

And maybe the Scouts (Boys and Girls alike) should think about preparing the kids for a society where people's skin color, nationality, attire, religious beliefs, and lifestyle choices have no direct bearing on their personal character.

@sevendolphins

A typical strawman/poor reading comprension/stupid comment. As Starshine wrote, "Wrong? Yes. But perfectly legal." and "just because they can doesn’t mean they should".

"I'm bored with the whining, sniveling hand wringing drama queens. " -Sa1-

I wish to take issue with this. I believe that "drama queens" should be capitalized.

billclausen; that is funny...