Boy Scouts vote to admit openly gay scouts, no change on the ban of gay leaders
The Boy Scouts of America voted Thursday to end its policy banning gay kids and teens from joining one of the nation’s most popular youth organizations, altering membership guidelines that had been targeted by gay activists in recent years.
Over 61 percent of Scouting’s National Council of 1,232 delegates from across the country voted to lift the ban, BSA officials said.
The final tally was 757 yes votes, to 475 no (another 168 delegates did not cast a ballot since they were not present at the meeting). The ban on gay leaders was not voted on and will remain in place.
“This resolution today dealt with youth. We have not changed our adult membership standards. They have served us well for the last 100 years. Those were not on the table,” said Tico Perez, BSA national commissioner.
The policy change will go into effect Jan. 1, 2014, “allowing the Boy Scouts of America the transition time needed to communicate and implement this policy to its approximately 116,000 Scouting units,” the BSA said in a statement.
“This has been a challenging chapter in our history,” the BSA chief executive, Wayne Brock, said after the vote. “While people have differing opinions on this policy, kids are better off when they’re in Scouting.”
While the inclusion of homosexuals appears to be motivated by tolerance, the recent threats by UPS and Merck to pull their financial support appears to also be a factor: “Shipping giant UPS Inc. and drug-manufacturer Merck announced that they were halting donations from their charitable foundations to the Boy Scouts as long as the no-gays policy was in force.” (more on that story here)
[…] In 2013, the BSA ended a ban allowing openly gay boys to become scouts. […]
[…] During the segment, Texas governor Rick Perry also had some choice comments criticizing the decision of the Boy Scouts of America. […]
[…] During the segment, Texas governor Rick Perry also had some choice comments criticizing the decision of the Boy Scouts of America. […]
I think we will see a huge drop in BSA membership as people will seek out organizations which maintain their religious beliefs.
The Scouts only caved to keep the money flowing in. So sad.
“Ray,”
IF MEMPHIS IS AN INDICATOR, THERE WILL SOON BE NO ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HOLD TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS-BELIEFS. NON-DENOMINATIONAL CHURCHES SEEM TO BE QUITE POPULAR WITH YOUNG ADULTS – I BELIEVE, BECAUSE OF THIS NON-DENOMINATIONAL DOCTRINE’S LAXNESS ON FORNICATION. [Many young adults “shack-up” and do not want marriage].
“Ray,” THE KENYAN JUST GAVE A COMMENCEMENT SPEECH AT Morehouse College (AN ALL-MALE INSTITUTION). SO, “Ray,” IN 2013 THE ISSUE SHOULD BE HOW DO AMERICANS FEEL ABOUT ALL-MALE INSTITUTIONS – WHICH, INDEED, ARE “NURTURE SPOTS” FOR HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY.
IF Boy Scouts CONTINUES TO EXIST, HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO FLOURISH WITHIN.
CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I CAN NOT SEE THE COMMENTARY OF OTHER READERS. SURELY, I AM NOT THE ONLY READER OF Global Dispatch. WHERE IS EVERYBODY? ….. I AM GETTING SUSPICIOUS.
CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON
Tico Perez SAYS, “This resolution today dealt with youth. We have not changed our adult membership standards. They have served us well for the last 100 years. Those were not on the table … ;” OBVIOUSLY, Mr. Perez WANTS TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO FRIGHTENED PARENTS THAT NO ADULT MALES INTERESTED IN BOYS WILL BE ALLOWED MEMBERSHIP.
BUT, HETEROSEXUALS DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW HOMOSEXUALS “OPERATE.” I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT “Boy Scouting;” BUT, I ASSUME THEY GO CAMPING [which means urinating, etc., out-of-doors]. AND, I ASSUME THEY GO HIKING [which means being on trails that are heavily wooded and secluded]. IF SO DESIRED, HOMOSEX CAN TAKE LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES. AS A FORMER SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, I KNOW INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN CAN NOT BE MONITORED ON A CONSTANT BASIS.
MY POINT IS, ADULT MALE-HOMOSEXUALS ARE EXPERTS WHEN IT COMES TO “CRUISING.” THEREFORE, AN ADULT MEMBER WILL HAVE EASY-ACCESS TO BOYS WHO HAVE IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS HOMOSEXUAL.
Boy Scouts SHOULD ALSO HAVE ALLOWED ADULT HOMOSEXUAL-MEMBERS WHO ARE OF STERLING CHARACTER AND CAN SERVE AS A SOCIAL LIAISON AND PROTECTOR FOR HOMOSEXUAL SCOUTS WHO MAY BE VULNERABLE.
[By the way, I oppose homosexuality in Boy Scouts; the 168 delegates who did not vote mean there is no mandate. This is about keeping United Parcel Service’s- and Merck’s money].
CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON