Carol Soelberg
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) will announce next week whether they will retain a long-standing policy of not allowing homosexuals to serve as volunteer leaders or whether they will now allow individuals who are openly homosexual to participate in the scouting program.
The Boy Scouts of America have been under attack from homosexual activists for many years and with integrity and courage, they have withstood the onslaught, but it appears the unrelenting pressure has weakened their resolve. A January 28 statement from BSA leadership offered this explanation:
“Currently, the BSA is discussing potentially removing the national membership restriction regarding sexual orientation. This would mean there would no longer be any national policy regarding sexual orientation, but that the chartered organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting would accept membership and select leaders consistent with their organization’s mission, principles or religious beliefs. BSA members and parents would be able to choose a local unit which best meets the needs of their families… The policy change under discussion would allow the religious, civic or educational organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting to determine how to address this issue. The Boy Scouts would not, under any circumstances, dictate a position to units, members or parents.”
Some would say that allowing each Scout council and each troop the option of determining whether or not to allow homosexual participation in the program is an acceptable compromise. But those with that attitude and understanding fail to recognize that this proposed change to the Boy Scout policy would signify acceptance, normalization, and validation of behavior that many individuals find unworthy of the stated goals and mission of the Boy Scouts.
Whether or not a particular troop chooses to allow homosexual volunteers and leaders, this potential change in policy puts all parents and their children in the untenable position of paying dues and allegiance to an organization that has now given the stamp of approval to same-sex behavior.
And what will happen to each of these individual councils and troops should they choose not to follow BSA’s lead to accept and endorse same-sex behavior?
Tony Perkins of Family Research Council warns:
“The BSA would peel away the national prohibition on open homosexuality and pass the political hot potato of “sexual inclusion” to individual troops–most of whom won’t have the financial means or the will to beat back the coming onslaught. A new policy would only shift the attention to local councils, who would be under unfathomable stress to fall in line with BSA headquarters. And as homosexual activists well know, it will be a lot easier to pick off one council at a time than to take down the entire Boy Scouts of America.”
One of the main concerns regarding this change in policy would be the destruction of parental confidence in what their children are being exposed to as they participate in Boy Scout programs. We recognize that there are well-meaning homosexuals who desire to be a part of the scouting movement. But when one defines himself by his sexual practices that changes perception and alters the terms of natural male interaction. Innocent boys will too quickly become not so innocent as sexual orientation, of necessity, becomes a part of troop dialogue and culture. Involvement in scouting has been a protection from sexual preoccupation not exposure to it.
This possible change is not something that the majority of Americans would like to see. A recent Gallup Poll showed that only 42 percent of Americans support a policy of allowing openly gay adults to serve as Boy Scout leaders. If a poll were taken of strictly parents with sons participating in Scouts, I am certain that level of support for gay scout leaders would drop substantially lower. One has to wonder who BSA is trying to serve – corporate sponsors and gay activists or the boys and their parents – the people the Boy Scout organization exists for.
United Families International continues to value the values of this 100-year-old-organization that has done so much for young boys and men, but we view this possible change as comprising those values and places BSA supporters in a position of compromising their own if they remain in association with the Boys Scouts.
Please email the National Offices of the Boy Scouts at: nationalsupportcenter@scouting.org
There is still time to impact this possible policy change.
UPDATE: United Families International originally gave the BSA phone number to call. (972-580-2000) The Boy Scout phone lines, however, have been overwhelmed. Be aware that you will need to let the phone ring as many as 20 times before the call is picked up. BSA has asked that people consider an email instead. Be sure to put the thrust of your statement to BSA in the subject line of your email as it may be the only thing that is read and noted.