Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Renouncing the Boy Scouts of America
As the wife and mother of Eagle Scouts, it is with a heavy heart that I forsake BSA based on their decision to ban gay boys and leaders from their ranks. My husband and son have never been what you would call "rah-rah," although my spouse was a Cub Scout leader longer than I care to remember. (Twelve hyperactive 3rd graders in your house every week? Not a relaxing way to come home from work.) Their interest was in the great outdoors, and the Scouts provided amazing wilderness adventures and training....not to mention invaluable father-son experiences that bonded them for life. It breaks my heart that fathers and sons who happen to be gay (and honest about it) will not have those advantages. And, I don't even want to think about the message it sends to gay young men, already struggling with their sexuality and social acceptance issues. Appalling.
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6 comments:
Good for you! Bravo!
Thanks for your personal testimony and public stance on this sad policy of the BSA. Many people of the BG generation have the same positive memories of BSA, that are now tarnished.
I think eventually they will not be as fearful. It takes time.
If enough people stand up to them with love and logic, maybe they will change. Fear and intolerance are NOT, or at least should not, be part of the Scouts' code! Another icon falls.
Thank you Boomergirl. Here's my letter to the management of BSA and the Kansas City Council:
Dear “Leaders”,
Do you have any idea how difficult it is for a young kid to deal with “being different”? Do you have any idea what is does to a young person’s psyche to be told by an organization as large as BSA that sorry, because you are different you can’t be a boy scout? Do you know how this galvanizes the straight-kid/gay-kid bigotry and bullying? Do you know what I would have missed out on if someone in Troop 98 had “discovered” I was different and ejected me from the troop? My adult self confidence. My friendships with fellow scouts that have lasted almost 50 years. My general knowledge and interest in almost everything in the world thanks to the 25 merit badges I earned.
I am sickened by the reaffirmation of your stance to not allow gay kids to join scouting. I haven’t been proud of my eagle award since you first announced it back in the 90s. I’m sickened by the arrogance and cruelty of your “11 member special committee.” I’m sickened by my own early association with your organization, and will never acknowledge myself as an eagle scout to anyone again. Do not respond to this letter as I no longer want any association whatsoever with the Boy Scouts of America.
Don Loncasty
Copy to Rex Tillerson, Wayne Brock
Applause! I so hate that good kids, gay and straight, are essentially punished by the Scouting organization due to the bigotry and stupidity of the leadership. In 20 years (or less, I hope), the current membership will look back on this era and say "What were they thinking?" Or the organization will be such an anachronism it will not survive or be a very small shell of its once proud self. Boy Scouts, please find role models other than Fred Phelps/WBC.
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