Lawmakers Call For Boy Scouts To End Discrimination

Last month, the Boy Scouts of America celebrated its centennial anniversary.  Robert Mazzuca, BSA's chief executive, admitted that the 100-year-old organization is suffering from "a little arthritis" and has been "trying to modernize."  But whatever attempts at modernization Mazzuca has been pursuing are strictly superficial.  For youngsters in same-sex households, ideas like Tolerance and Inclusion are still absent from the Boy Scout motto.

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) and twenty-five of his congressional colleagues are calling on the organization to reverse its discriminatory policy that prevents gay and lesbian parents from volunteering with the Scouts.  In an open letter to Mazzuca, the lawmakers pointed to a recent decision by the BSA to block an East Montpelier lesbian couple from serving as Cub Scout leaders for their son's troop.

Cate and Elizabeth Wirth, who were turned down by the Scouts because of their sexual orientation, are ecstatic that their case has drawn the attention of legislators.  Cate Wirth said, "I was very pleased that they would consider this serious enough, these congressmen, to draft a letter.  We had lots of feedback, all positive, to my face.  Some people who didn't know about this policy with the Boy Scouts, some who did. Everyone said how absurd this was."

The letter to Mazzuca reads:  "As deeply troubling as the exclusionary policy is, the message that the policy sends is perhaps most damaging.  The Boy Scouts are teaching America's youth at impressionable ages that lesbians and gays are to be excluded because they are different, and not 'morally straight' as per the Boy Scouts' official stated position. This policy of discrimination and exclusion is contrary to the Boy Scouts own stated values. According to Scout law, 'A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.' We fail to see how it is friendly, courteous or kind to bar loving parents from volunteering for their child's Cub Scout pack just because of who they love. Furthermore, it is difficult to imagine how singling out the parents of one Scout for exclusion is an example of Scout loyalty."

From the Rutland Herald:  Wirth explained that her 10-year-old son had been involved with Cub Scouts for several years. In that time, she and her partner have volunteered without openly disclosing their relationship.  At a meeting late last year, when she and Elizabeth volunteered to serve, they disclosed their relationship to the district director.  The director responded, "Basically we can't have you be in a leadership role, something like that, because we wouldn't want you to be pushing your lifestyle on the boys." ... The United States Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling in 2000, declared the Boy Scouts of America can bar homosexuals from being troop leaders.  Wirth said she doubts the letter will change Boy Scout policy, adding, "It would be nice if the letter meant something to the Boy Scouts and they did re-open looking at that policy. I don't really expect that to happen."

Deron Smith, national spokesperson for the Boy Scouts of America, replied in an email:  "This is a longstanding societal issue. It continues to be discussed and debated in a variety of ways and by a number of organizations. The BSA respects everyone's right to have and express a different opinion... The BSA recognizes that some do not agree with its position on this issue and values the opinions of everyone as it teaches its members to use courtesy and respect at all times."

So barring this committed same-sex couple from volunteering with the Scouts is not being disrespectful?  It sounds to me like Smith is saying: 

"We'll pretend to respect you, we just don't think you're morally fit to interact with kids. You'll corrupt them." 

I wonder how the Wirth's 10-year-old son feels about that.