Boy Scouts vote to allow gay members

[Anti Federalist]

Boy Scouts vote to allow gay members

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...-vote/2352077/

Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY6:20 p.m. EDT May 23, 2013

The Boy Scouts of America voted Thursday to allow gay youth to participate in scouting. The historic vote, with 60% in favor, signals another shift in American public opinion about homosexuality but still leaves the organization with many future hurdles.

[Anti Federalist]

AmeriKa:

Free to smoke dick.

Privacy to have an abortion.

Not so much for anything else.

[TaftFan]

Dumbass stupidity bowing to public pressure.

[sailingaway]

Meh. The biggest troop in Los Angeles has annually sent a memo to national reiterating that they are staying in scouts to get change from within, strictly follow youth protection procedures including never letting a child sleep in a tent with an adult other than parent, and that they absolutely refuse to ban gay scouts or leaders as a class. Note that the problems BSA ever had were with people called straight, in any event.

If it is voluntary change, I am all for it. I do think private organizations have the right to make their own rules.

[QueenB4Liberty]

Who cares? There's no reason gays shouldn't be allowed in the boy scouts, if they are indeed boys.

[Anti Federalist]

If it is voluntary change, I am all for it.

Well, I'm not so sure a generation of badgering, heckling, lawsuits and threats of legal action are what I would call "voluntary".

Not the biggest issue for me, Scouting comes out of the "progressive" era, and is much too focused on loyalty to the state.

Scouting will probably go the way of most "mainstream" religions in another 20 years.

[sailingaway]

scouting teaches self reliance and skills. If it becomes mainstream it will teach fear and avoidance, not gun safety and survival.

[V3n]

It looks like it is still under debate whether they are a public organization or a private one. They like to say they're private, but they accept tax perks and other fiduciary perks from State and Federal government - accepting one red cent from the Feds means they are not private in my book.

If they were private - I agree they should have the right to accept or deny whomever they want on any basis they want.
If they are public - I think they should have to accept gays.

I think they are public, and I view this as a victory. IMO

[donnay]

This is not the country I was born in--seriously!

They are really jamming this life-style down our throats to try and divide this country further. It is neither government nor the people's business what people do behind closed doors.

They are seriously exploiting homosexuals anymore. If I were a homosexual I would take offense at their exploitation.

The only way, IMHO to stop this is to not give-in to it. This is nothing more than a hijacked version of the Boy Scouts that I remembered growing up around. Boys went into boy scouts to learn skills and survival. Of course TPTB don't want boys learning that!!!

[donnay]

scouting teaches self reliance and skills. If it becomes mainstream it will teach fear and avoidance, not gun safety and survival.

On the contrary they are teaching boys that guns need to be controlled.

This is what they are training boys to be...

The Explorers program, a coeducational affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America that began 60 years ago, is training thousands of young people in skills used to confront terrorism, illegal immigration and escalating border violence — an intense ratcheting up of one of the group’s longtime missions to prepare youths for more traditional jobs as police officers and firefighters.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us...ers.html?_r=2&

[VoluntaryAmerican]

I don't think this is that big of a deal, either way. But I think the Boy Scouts made the right decision.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

Death of a once-proud organization. All they did was piss off the side that liked them, the other side will still hate them no matter how much they pander to them.

[PaulConventionWV]

Seems kind of an usual topic for AF, but I am not necessarily disapprove.

[PaulConventionWV]

It looks like it is still under debate whether they are a public organization or a private one. They like to say they're private, but they accept tax perks and other fiduciary perks from State and Federal government - accepting one red cent from the Feds means they are not private in my book.

If they were private - I agree they should have the right to accept or deny whomever they want on any basis they want.
If they are public - I think they should have to accept gays.

I think they are public, and I view this as a victory. IMO

If I get financial aid to go to school, am I public property?

[Anti Federalist]

Seems kind of an usual topic for AF, but I am not necessarily disapprove.

You do mean, UNusual, am I right?

Because I normally steer clear of such topics...

[V3n]

If I get financial aid to go to school, am I public property?

You're not an organization.

[Keith and stuff]

Wow at some of the comments in this thread. If I was a moderator, I'd put it in Hot Topic just to hide it.

[heavenlyboy34]

This is not the country I was born in--seriously!

They are really jamming this life-style down our throats to try and divide this country further. It is neither government nor the people's business what people due behind closed doors.

They are seriously exploiting homosexuals anymore. If I were a homosexual I would take offense at their exploitation.

The only way, IMHO to stop this is to not give-in to it. This is nothing more than a hijacked version of the Boy Scouts that I remembered growing up around. Boys went into boy scouts to learn skills and survival. Of course TPTB don't want boys learning that!!!

I still have my scouts handbook (I was only in it for a year or so, and only got one badge). If you get a handbook off ebay or something, you can teach your sons all that stuff without sending them off with a pervy scout leader.

[jonhowe]

As a former scout, good on them.


Again, this is not about "allowing gays". It's about allowing kids who are gay to not have to hide it. Several of my former scouting friends are now openly gay, post scouts. If you aren't comfortable with gays (well, thats your problem), at least now you know who they are.


Edit: My first introduction to guns was in scouts. Moved me from being terrified of them to being a great shot, and a safe shooter.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

As a former scout, good on them.


Again, this is not about "allowing gays". It's about allowing kids who are gay to not have to hide it. Several of my former scouting friends are now openly gay, post scouts. If you aren't comfortable with gays (well, thats your problem), at least now you know who they are.

I wasn't aware there was a large crowd of 8-year-old homosexuals in the Boy Scouts clamoring for a chance to come out.

[V3n]

I wasn't aware there was a large crowd of 8-year-old homosexuals in the Boy Scouts clamoring for a chance to come out.

Because they were never allowed to speak up until now.

[donnay]

Wow at some of the comments in this thread. If I was a moderator, I'd put it in Hot Topic just to hide it.

Huh? What are you talking about?

[familydog]

I am disheartened by this decision. As a former (and rehabilitated) Boy Scout, I can assure everyone that we had no freewill or willpower. It was a very corrupting time in my life. All homosexuals did was try to seduce us and we eventually succumb to the gay side. All they think about is sex. Once a gay replaced my Scout Manual with homosexual erotica. The BSA just ensured the destruction of generations.

[jonhowe]

I wasn't aware there was a large crowd of 8-year-old homosexuals in the Boy Scouts clamoring for a chance to come out.

First of all, that's a non point. 8 year olds are cub scouts.

Second of all, I don't think most people realize they're gay until later in life than 8... Should a 17 year old, who's pouring hours into community service and self improvement, be required to lie about his sexuality? Clearly, the BSA no longer thinks so.

Again: good on them.


Please note: if this had happened due to some government mandate, I'd be livid. This is a private organization making a wise decision.

[donnay]

I still have my scouts handbook (I was only in it for a year or so, and only got one badge). If you get a handbook off ebay or something, you can teach your sons all that stuff without sending them off with a pervy scout leader.

I totally agree.

[sailingaway]

On the contrary they are teaching boys that guns need to be controlled.

This is what they are training boys to be...

that's the NYTimes disinformation, an anti scouting source if there ever was one.

[jonhowe]

I am disheartened by this decision. As a former (and rehabilitated) Boy Scout, I can assure everyone that we had no freewill or willpower. It was a very corrupting time in my life. All homosexuals did was try to seduce us and we eventually succumb to the gay side. All they think about is sex. Once a gay replaced my Scout Manual with homosexual erotica. The BSA just ensured the destruction of generations.

That sounds like sexual harassment, or even borderline molestation if it was an adult. I think you have a whole separate issue there my friend.

[Spikender]

I am disheartened by this decision. As a former (and rehabilitated) Boy Scout, I can assure everyone that we had no freewill or willpower. It was a very corrupting time in my life. All homosexuals did was try to seduce us and we eventually succumb to the gay side. All they think about is sex. Once a gay replaced my Scout Manual with homosexual erotica. The BSA just ensured the destruction of generations.

This has to be trolling.

[sailingaway]

You're not an organization.

they get it because they do stuff the govt wants out there and people aren't going to govt institutions for their information. YOu want an organization to do stuff, and fund it, like the church hospitals with vaccinations, you don't get to tell them to perform abortions in my opinion. Or what membership to have. In my mind there is no question that they are private, and they made a decision here.

[Anti Federalist]

that's the NYTimes disinformation, an anti scouting source if there ever was one.

Which is why I think RonPaulFaninGA makes a valid point.

By capitulating on this decision, the NYT and the rest now smell blood in the water, and they'll redouble their efforts.

And Scouting will cease to be in another 20 years.

Which was, of course, the point.