Tag: Boy Scouts

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Boy Scouts of America to force gay Eagle Scout out while his straight twin allowed to stay

Twin brothers Liam and August Easton-Calabria are Eagle Scouts.   But soon, Liam (right) will be forced out of the Scouts because he is gay. His brother is straight.

From Seattle’s KOMO News:

Said Liam: “It was an interesting revelation to see the Boy Scouts come together as a non-inclusive organization. I don’t think it’s true to the scouting way. I mean, absolutely, scouting should be an inclusive organization.”

Liam’s sexual orientation has never affected his standing in the Scouts, but on his twenty-first birthday, when he completes his commitment to BSA’s Venture Crew, he will no longer be allowed to participate with the Boy Scouts of America.

Additionally, their scoutmaster Geoffrey McGrath is fighting the Scouts after being forced out over his sexual orientation.  Not only was McGrath forced out, but the BSA rescinded his troop’s charter for standing by him.

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Boy Scouts of America sever ties to Seattle troop over gay scoutmaster

Scoutmaster Geoff McGrath

When a Seattle-based Boy Scouts troop refused to kick it’s openly gay scoutmaster to the curb, the Boys Scouts severed ties to the troop.

From Advocate.com:

Geoff McGrath was told his scoutmaster registration would be revoked because he was openly gay (which the parents of the scouts were made aware of before their children joined Troop 98). The Rainier Beach United Methodist Church, which hosted the troop, refused to force him to leave.

BSA general counsel Steven P. McGowan notified the church Thursday that its charter would be revoked because allowing McGrath to remain a scoutmaster defied the organization’s policy barring openly gay scout masters.

Thirty-nine Washington state legislators have signed a letter standing by McGrath and the church, calling the Boy Scouts’ actions against McGrath on the basis of his sexual orientation “unacceptable.”

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Disney World pulls funds from Boy Scouts of America over adult gay leaders ban

Disney World has decided that, in light of the Boy Scouts of America’s policy of barring adult gay leaders, the company will no longer donate to local scouting groups.

Boy Scouts of America says they are disappointed by the decision.

From OUT:

“We believe every child deserves the opportunity to be a part of the Scouting experience and we are disappointed in this decision because it will impact our ability to serve kids,” BSA spokesman Deron Smith said in a statement issued to the Associated Press Sunday.

The company’s decision became public after the leader of a Florida Boy Scout council let members know Disney was discontinuing its support. “According to [Walt Disney World], their views do not currently align with the BSA,” wrote Central Florida Council board president Robert Utsey. “We will continue to keep an open line of communication with them, but at this time, are unable to reverse their decision.” Scouts for Equality, a group working for full LGBT inclusion in the Boy Scouts, posted his email on its website.

Zach Wahls, a cofounder for Scouts for Equality, agreed with Disney’s decision. “We’re never happy to see Scouting suffer as a result of the BSA’s anti-gay policy, but Disney made the right decision to withhold support until Scouting is fully inclusive.”

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Boys Scouts alternative Trail Life has a questionable “salute”

Trail Life members recite creed in Texas meeting

You may have heard about Trail Life. It’s the new “alternative” to the Boy Scouts that still bars gay members.

Via the Mercury News, check out the pic above showing the new members saluting and reciting their “creed.”

Anything odd jump out at you…?

(via Twitter)

UPDATE:  Via Business Insider, John Stemberger, the chairman of the board for Trail Life USA, says he initially saw the picture in a story that was published on MSN on Saturday.

“We were horrified when we saw the photo in question on the MSN site and immediately investigated the situation,” Stemberger said in a statement Monday.

“Many Boy Scout Troops have a tradition of ending their troop meetings with the boys gathering in a circle and then singing the song ‘Taps’ which is a slow ceremonial piece of music played or sung at the end of the day. The Boy Scouts that do this closing ceremony start singing the song with their hands raised straight into the air with the scout sign and then gradually lower their hands till they get to the end of the song when hands are at their side. This longstanding Boy Scout tradition was being followed with this Texas Trail Life troop using the Trail Life sign.”

“Unfortunately the reporter (either intentionally or unintentionally) caught this photograph at the exact angle which makes their arms look like they are in some kind of a stationary mid-air salute– which they are not.”

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Boy Scouts to begin admitting gay scouts January 1st

Beginning January 1st, the Boy Scouts of America will begin admitting openly gay scouts:

The new policy was approved in May, with support from 60 percent of the 1,400 voting members of the BSA’s National Council. The vote followed bitter nationwide debate, and was accompanied by an announcement that the BSA would continue to exclude openly gay adults from leadership positions.

Under the new membership policy, youths can no longer be barred from the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts or coed Venturers program solely on the basis of sexual orientation. However, gay Scouts will face some limitations.

“Any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to the virtues of Scouting,” says one BSA document. “No member may use Scouting to promote or advance any social or political position or agenda, including on the matter of sexual orientation.”

While the new policies gained national attention earlier this year, Brad Haddock, a BSA national executive board member who chairs the policy implementation committee, says there been little fallout since the announcement.  “If a church said they wouldn’t work with us, we’d have a church right down the street say, ‘We’ll take the troop.'”

(source)

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Trail Life USA launches – new anti-gay scouting alternative

From the WashingtonTimes:

At the opening session, John Stemberger, chairman of the board of Trail Life USA, teased the crowd of 1,200, saying he would not be surprised if there were “spies” from Grapevine, Texas — BSA’s home base — in the audience. That would make sense, since everyone from supporters to the curious want to know what’s being planned, he said, adding that Trail Life USA will not be “anti-BSA.”

The conference’s theme is “Honoring the Legacy, Raising the Standard.” Trail Life USA’s name, drawn from more than 300 options, was carefully vetted and is intended not to be political or controversial, organizers said. “Trail” refers to a pathway and being outdoors, but also symbolizes the passage of life, where there are moral choices, and right and wrong paths, said Mr. Stemberger.

Adult leaders will be required to submit to a background check and sign a statement of faith.

According to reports, Trail Life USA will accept boys who are experiencing same-sex attractions or gender confusion, but not those who are openly gay.

So you can “think” about sex with another boy, you just can’t “be” gay.

Got it?

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Caterpillar says no more funds for Boy Scouts while discriminating against adult gay leaders

Caterpillar Inc. has announced it will no longer be donating to the Boy Scouts of America due to the continued ban on adult gay Scout leaders, ABC News reports:

Caterpillar spokeswoman Rachel Potts says Thursday that the Caterpillar Foundation made the decision while reviewing the groups it supports.

“We have inclusive policies here at Caterpillar Inc., and the foundation abides by those,” she said. “We just don’t feel that our two organizations align.”

“However,” she added, “if there’s a change in the Boy Scouts’ policies, we would certainly consider a change in the future grants — if there was a change that aligned with what our non-discrimination policies are.”

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Southern Baptist Convention supports churches cutting ties to Boy Scouts over gay scouts

The Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution today opposing and expressing disappointment in the Boy Scouts of America’s recent decision to allow openly gay youth to participate in the organization.

While the resolution does not require individual churches within the convention to cut ties with any scout troops, it does express solidarity with churches and leaders who decide to do so, according to the AP.

In May, the BSA reversed its long-standing ban on “open or avowed homosexual” youth within its ranks, but continues to bar openly gay or lesbian adults from serving as leaders or volunteers with the organization.

(via Advocate)

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Bryan Fischer: Mormon Church supports gay scouts with secret polygamy endgame agenda

Bryan Fischer has been in search of a reason for why the Mormon Church supported the decision by the Boy Scouts of America (or “Boy Sodomizers of America,” as he calls them) to lift its ban on gay scouts, and now he’s found one.

Of course, he has no proof, but he “believes” that the Mormon support comes from a secret plan to bring back polygamy.

And there you have it.

What an idiot…

(via Right Wing Watch)