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I subscribe to many different email newsletters including some that are very conservative or evangelical. For example, I get news releases from Liberty Counsel, a far right religious group connected with Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University.
Liberty Counsel (LC) scours the news looking for events that they can use to generate publicity. I suspect they care little for the people involved as long they can put out these notices making it appear as if they are doing so much to keep America Christian.
LC’s latest release opposes the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) considering the lifting of BSA’s ban on gay scouts and gay scout leaders.
As a former scout, two recent news items relating to the BSA appalled me. The first was their openly banning gay scouts. I did not like the idea of them banning gay scout leaders, but that was a little more understandable then their inflicting more emotional pain on youth who were already suffering. To be young and gay in America is harsh. BSA is available to young boys in almost every town in America. BSA actively recruits and to have them reject boys because they are gay only brings more pain.
The other news about the BSA is related. The leadership of the BSA has admitted to keeping secret files of scout leaders who were involved in sexual relationships with the scouts they were leading.
On the one hand, BSA is rejecting openly gay scouts and scout leaders but on the other hand, BSA is covering up the pedophilia of current leaders.
Liberty Counsel wants its followers to call the BSA leadership and support the ban on gay scouts and gay leaders. Other than being an attention-seeking device on the part of LC, it seeks to continue the damage inflicted on scouts and rejected gay youth.
What the BSA should do is determine what is best for the youth they claim to care about. Would it not be better to get gay or gay-inclined scouts into activities that are wholesome and community oriented? Would it not be better for scouts to serve everyone in a community and not exclude those who might benefit from scouting?
The bottom line in this case is that the BSA Board of Directors must consider the effects BSA has on American youth and ignore the imprecations of special interest groups like the Liberty Counsel.
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