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Boy Scouts Reaffirm Gay Policy

Scout organization says its exclusion policy reflects its beliefs and perspectives; Gay organizations disagree.

While the gay and lesbian community have had a number of wins with New York State legalizing gay marriage and President Barack Obama voicing support for the same, The Boys Scouts of America, on Tuesday, reaffirmed its long-standing policy of banning openly gay scouts and troop leaders.

According to a New York Times article, the exclusion policy "reflects the beliefs and perspectives” of the organization. The article continues:

Under growing public pressure to reconsider the issue, in 2010 the Boy Scouts formed a committee of 11 “volunteers and professional leaders to evaluate whether the policy was in the best interests of the organization,” the statement said. The committee “included a diversity of perspectives” and engaged in “extensive research and evaluations,” the statement said. But the committee was kept secret until now, and the Scouts declined to reveal its membership or methods.

Pete Carney, director of the Bellmore-based lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth advocacy group called this a "truly a sad day for LGBT individuals and anyone that believes in equality and fair treatment of all people."

“LGBT youth continue to be at higher risk for suicide, homelessness and still often face rejection from their families and communities," he continued. "The Boy Scouts of America have missed a great opportunity to embrace these wonderful young people and become a part of the solution. This is voted and approved homophobia and discrimination which in 2012 is just unacceptable. LGBT individuals and their many straight allies should be outraged that this policy continues.”

James Fallarino, public affairs director for the 19-year-old Long Island Gay, Lesbian. Bisexual and Transgender Services Network, concurred.

"Unfortunately, the Boy Scouts of America have continued this discriminatory policy that goes against their own mission to support young men from being productive members of society. A lot of people were hopeful that they would change their policy to be more in line with other organizations, such as Girl Scouts.”

Do you agree with the scouting policy? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.

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John Gruber July 24, 2012 at 01:32 pm
and when all else fails you call us "fascist liberals". lets not talk about hypocrisy
Mary Beth July 24, 2012 at 01:35 pm
Heather, thank you for a real world voice of reason in this forest of bigoted bs
John Gruber July 24, 2012 at 01:38 pm
who are you or they to decide who or what is moral? their discrimination is moral? so now 2 people of the same sex who are in love is perverted? these are the ideals of an ignorant group of people. And what effect does their gay life have on BSA exactly? And FYI, straight has only been used to define heterosexuals recently. The term straight here refers to honest and noble, as in drugs, alcohol ect. not their sexuality
John Gruber July 24, 2012 at 01:43 pm
a national organization does not have the right to exclude an entire group of people. it's not just a local club it's throughout the country and it's teaching kids not to associate with homosexuals, it's disgusting and you and them use the first amendment to justify spreading hate
Ditty51 July 25, 2012 at 04:08 am
Why don't the boy scouts and girl scouts don't go camping together? To put a squash on the hanky panky! Which is what you'll have if you've got two love birds in a tent together.
Home Town Native July 25, 2012 at 04:20 am
John Gruber, you are a blatantly ignorant person, the LAW is Clear and you have no clue what you are talking about!
This case PROVES YOU DEAD WRONG concerning the 1st Amendment. Read it if you have the ability, I doubt you do considering the ignorance you spew concerning the Constitution. Boy Scout's V. Dale (2000) http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=000&invol=99-699
Home Town Native July 25, 2012 at 04:24 am
LOL, love the "Hitler youth" comment, so "tolerant"
Liberal Hypocrisy has no bounds!
Chris McManus July 25, 2012 at 04:31 am
So no right to speak out and voice discontent with a backward policy? Where would this country be if suffragists didn't demand the vote for women? What about the civil rights of people of color? The right for so-called races to marry (there is only one race and it's called the human race, btw). Silence in this case sides with those who do not believe in equality for all Americans.
Chris McManus July 25, 2012 at 04:40 am
Ditty51, you are so funny. You are one of these 'so-called' straight guys who is in constant fear that gay men will attack you, right? Gay men like other men, so logic would have it that they want you. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing gay men are not attracted to your looks, and even if they are, once they hear you speak, it's over. So you are safe my friend. As for hanky panky in the tents, well that's funny too. When I think of all the hanky panky that went on between the other scouts. Now most are married with kids. Some of their kids are in scouts now. I'm going to guess that like you, your son(s) would not have to worry about attracting gay scouts.
Deb July 25, 2012 at 05:08 am
dennis, your comprehension of the english language is reprehensible. nowhere did i say i hate gay people. there are gay priests in the catholic religion. if you don't believe this you are either living in a fantasy world, have been totally brain washed by religion, are in some stage of alzheimers or are very very very old. as long as they are celibate they are accepted.
Jaguar-Guy July 25, 2012 at 10:18 am
Not nice - but way funny Chris.
John Gruber July 25, 2012 at 01:54 pm
It's not just about association. This sends the message to kids that gays and people who are different SHOULD be excluded and you wonder why there's so much bullying i schools.
I'm just incredibly proud of these kids who were actually taught to except people despite their differences and stood up against discrimination http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/eagle-scouts-return-medals-over-organization-anti-gay-184508093.html
Chris McManus July 25, 2012 at 02:33 pm
To Home Town Native's comment below -- First off, our Constitution is about protecting all, including a minority viewpoint. Why don't you read it! Second, of course the majority of Scout masters, parents and scouts today would be against an inclusive policy. There was an exodus of people who do not participate in the scouts because they are against the policy. While I disagree, I'm not arguing against the Supreme Court ruling here. I'm stating that this policy is bad for BSA and exercising my right to express my opinion on it. You just want to shout down anyone who disagrees with your view. There is no gray area for you -- either with you or against you. You keep stating that everyone who disagrees with you thinks our view 'is more valid.' Are you that insecure in your ability to argue?
Chris McManus July 25, 2012 at 02:38 pm
Again Home Town Native, you continue to take great offense to the idea such strong objection to inclusion of gays in the BSA could come from closeted gay people. Similar to how J Edgar Hoover was so anti-gay. I just wonder why this concept bothers you so much Home Town Native? You seem to have taken it so personally.
Chris McManus July 25, 2012 at 02:46 pm
Home Town Native -- so the Bible is clear on homosexuality. It's a sin. So you follow the Old Testament. I'm assuming you don't eat cheeseburgers, because that is sinful. No pork either. You must have a big pile of rocks to stone the neighbor's wife to death if she so much as thinks about another man. Perhaps you'll attend the wedding of a rape victim when she is forced to marry her rapist? You should consider becoming a preacher, since you are such an expert on the Bible and sin.
Mike Commack July 25, 2012 at 03:45 pm
Everybody says that he's OK until years later when we find out he abused a couple of kids and then like magic everyone says "you know, I thought there was something funny going on". Are you sure you're not in denial. Parents have the right to teach their children their values and have every right to send their children to organizations they believe uphold their values whether its a club, a school etc. Does the government have the right to revoke the marriage tax deductions because they chose not to send them to the "rainbow" boy scouts?
Heather Dunn-Kostura July 25, 2012 at 04:40 pm
Read the OP -ED Scouting, Nature and the Digtal Age written by my husband, Richard Kostura. It is a wonder perspective on why scouting is so important. He was an assistant scout master for ten years. He is the father of an Eagle and a life scout.
Ross MacKae July 25, 2012 at 05:07 pm
Here is the link to that article:
http://easthampton.patch.com/articles/op-ed-scouting-nature-and-the-digital-generation
Chris McManus July 25, 2012 at 05:16 pm
Thanks for the insightful article. Indeed love is the answer. Too bad the group only shows the love for children who aren't gay. I hear the people on this thread who say, let's support BSA because it does good. I'm not denying that, but do we just stop and not in any way try to improve upon the institution? It's not meant to evolve? We don't work both from within and outside the group to make it even better. Excluding children based on sexual orientation is discrimination. Merely looking the other way is appeasement and basically a show of confidence for the wrong policy. I would argue that on top of the many benefits you listed in your very thoughtful article, how about teaching our children equality and fairness for all fellow humans?
lovedogs July 26, 2012 at 03:21 pm
Heather Dunn-Kostura - please give your son-in-law my thanks and gratitude for his service to our country. He is a true American, fighting for all citizens, even the bigoted ones.
lovedogs July 26, 2012 at 03:21 pm
Took me a lot of time to read all the comments. First off, really no excuse for the name calling, shame on those who resorted to such a low in conversation. Also, many of you should learn the difference between being gay and being a pedophile. You can learn more about the LACK of connection between being gay and molesting children here: http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/facts_molestation.html
lovedogs July 26, 2012 at 03:22 pm
As a Den Leader I had to attend rigorous, mandatory BSA "double deep" leadership training for the protection of the boys and myself. Many safeguards are in place and the BSA is spot on in trying to keep pedophiles out of the organization.
BSA is an organization that does a lot of great things for boys, so I'm not going to throw out the baby with the bath water. But it saddens me that they are so exclusionary against gay adolescents - children who have no more choice in being gay than I had in being straight. I hope that the boys who join BSA follow the letter of the BS Law - including the parts about being helpful, friendly and kind. There is no place in BSA for bullying. My son, an Eagle Scout told me he had gays boys in his troop. It wasn't trumpeted or decried - it was a matter-of-fact thing and did not trouble anyone. Years later he is still in touch with many friends from his troop, both straight and gay. I think how a child is raised and what they are taught by their family - tolerance or bigotry - will determine how a child responds to situations such as this. For this is not a "left" or "right" issue - it is a tolerance or bigotry issue. My daughter was in Girl Scouts - and despite their more inclusive policy towards gay Americans the sky didn't fall. And finally, the ultimate irony - it is most likely that Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, was himself gay: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/20/opinion/scoutings-gay-founder.html?_r=1
Mike Commack July 26, 2012 at 09:55 pm
The article stated they banned openly gay leaders and didn't say anything about the kids. Rampant homosexuality in the scouts and you knew about it or is that your son's story. Its a common tactic to denigrate an organization that doesn't believe as you believe among uncivilized people. Thank your son for his service but he's still not a desirable scout leader. The fact that we have gay presidents or medal of honor winners offers nothing to your argument. Maybe my neighbors son is gay and he's a sexual predator that got his start in the scouts does that bolster my argument? Without people like your son in the scouts perhaps the inappropriate behavior you described will become a rare occurrence. God Bless the scouts.
Home Town Native July 27, 2012 at 04:43 am
Well, Lovedogs, whether YOU think the BSA should accept openly gay people or not really doesnt matter, The BSA said NO! And what YOU call Bigotry, the BSA calls moral guidelines.
lovedogs July 27, 2012 at 01:33 pm
Home Town Native, if you read carefully, you'll see that I never said that I think BSA should accept gay Americans. I said their exclusionary practice saddens me. And I'm pretty sure it's bigotry, since being gay is not a disease and not a choice. Do you remember when you decided to become heterosexual? Yeah, neither do I.
Here's the definition because I don't think you understand the meaning of bigot: big·ot noun \ˈbi-gət\ : a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance. (from Merriam-Webster) Have a nice weekend.
John Gruber July 27, 2012 at 02:04 pm
since when did straight people decide what was moral for everyone else? And you don't think it's immoral to exclude someone for something that does not affect anyone else or have anything to do with scouting? you're a bunch oh hypocrites
Alicia Cook July 27, 2012 at 02:30 pm
Absolutely perpetuating the closed-mindedness that stifles this nations spiritual growth and promoting along with it the intolerance and ignorance that future generations will surely inherit. 
Hazel Wilkonson the First July 27, 2012 at 02:33 pm
ever notice that the same teabaggers who claim to be all about personal freedom and liberty are the first ones to try to limit the freedom of others?
Alicia Cook July 27, 2012 at 02:36 pm
A devastating irony, Hazel
Henry Powderly (Editor) July 27, 2012 at 02:38 pm
To all commenters. Thank you for sharing your feedback on Patch, but since we feel all sides have been heard and because of the tone some of you have taken in this discussion we've decided to close comments on this article. Thanks for reading Patch.
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