This is the Scout Law

[chadu]

BSA National:

Your recent statement has perverted every single thing I believed Scouts were about.

Let's examine BSA National's opinions on gay and/or atheist Scouts in light of the Scout Law.

A Scout is:

Trustworthy: Excluding former Scouts that happen to be gay or atheist obviates trust.

Loyal: Excluding former Scouts that happen to be gay

Comments

[kimberlogic]

thank for saying this

[friscokitty]

(((HUGS))) This.

[spiffnolee]

I've thought about this a lot, too.
The Scout Handbook includes descriptions of each of the twelve points of the Scout Law: http://www.usscouts.org/advance/boyscout/bslaw.asp

BSA is dead wrong on this issue, but note that the membership statement says a) "Don't ask, don't tell," and b) hostility is unacceptable.

Unfortunately, the BSA position is formulated by the leadership, which is dominated by Mormons. Changing the BSA position means changing the position of the LDS Church, reducing the influence of the LDS Church on Scouting, or convincing individuals that the values of Scouting are both inconsistent and more important than the values of the LDS Church.

Eagle Scout 1985, Troop 1097, Gaithersburg, MD

[whiskeyjack]

Atheists are not okay in BSA's book, however. Girl Scouts dont seem to have the same problem.

[chuk_g]

Excellent. I was a Scout in Canada, and Scouts Canada has no anti-gay rules (my daughters are still involved in Guiding). I really hope all the uproar changes things -- Scouting was a positive influence on me as a kid and it would suck to not have that available to someone just because he's gay or not the right religion.