06.21.00
BSA
Jun 21 Wed (08 AM)
Last night after dinner, Amy and I stopped by a bookstore, and I saw the latest issue of Rolling Stone. The magazine had a good solid article on the Boy Scouts of America and it’s problem with discriminating against homosexuals.
The article was very well written and really showed the side of the issue that I understand as a card-carrying member of the organization:
…I’ve become convinced that the BSA is really two organizations. The first, the heart and soul, is composed of the millions of volunteers who spend their time [doing great, selfless things]. This group knows very little about the other half of the Boy Scouts: BSA Inc., the salaried bureaucracy whose well-being depends on constant fund-raising, much of it through alliances with old-line conservative religious groups…
There’s a vast chasm between the volunteer Scoutmasters, Troop Committee Members, Den Leaders, Cubmasters and the paid, professional Scouters that run things outside of the individual districts and councils.
I’ve been a member of the BSA since I was in first grade. Though I haven’t been active since I moved from home, I still consider myself a member of the organization which truly gave me a place to grow. During my years in middle school, I may even call it my saving grace. In school, amongst my peers, I boxed up and put in a particular social cage. I was kept there by my own inability to break out and a lack of friendships outside of that box.
However, in Troop 126, I was allowed, even expected to grow. I was year after year, given more responsibility, challenged to lead in larger and stronger ways. I went through each of the Ranks, but I also went through each of the leadership roles: Asst. Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Asst. Senior Patrol Leader, and finally Senior Patrol Leader, whose role was to lead all meetings and represent the boys to the Troop Steering Committee and outside the Troop in District and Council-wide events. What this organization did for me is immeasurable.
However, as I attained these later positions, I learned about the division between the volunteers and the paid employees. (I hate to use the term professionals).
The vast majority of the individuals that I dealt with had a deep distrust for the National organization. Policies, mandates and rules that were either ill-conceived or implemented without explanation weren’t common but they did come to pass, there was loud grumbling and occasional resignations.
When I began hearing about the Homosexual discrimination, I thought, “No, that couldn’t be the Boy Scouts that they’re talking about.” But it was and it was real. At first I held the view that as a private organization, the government should not be able to alter the structure or the policies of the group. But that didn’t hold up because of the ties that the BSA has to the Government in the US. The National Jamboree is held on a military base every four years. BSA has a Congressional Charter. A significant portion of the troops and packs use public school facilities.
If the BSA is going to use the ‘Private Organization’ defense, they better Be Prepared to drop this aspect of their organization as well.
I hope BSA Inc. loses the the Supreme Court case. A ruling should be coming out later this month.
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
Brave indeed.