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Published On: Tue, Jan 29th, 2013

Boy Scouts set cave to donation freezes and end ban on homosexual members, leaders

The Boy Scouts of America is considering dropping a longtime ban on gay members, leaving such membership and leadership decisions up to local sponsors.

The Canteen Boy sketch on SNL served as a parody of the Boy Scouts ban on gays in the organization.

The Canteen Boy sketch on SNL served as a parody of the Boy Scouts ban on gays in the organization.

“The BSA is discussing potentially removing the national membership restriction regarding sexual orientation,” spokesman Deron Smith said in a statement obtained by FoxNews.com. “This would mean there would no longer be any national policy regarding sexual orientation, but that the chartered organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting would accept membership and select leaders consistent with their organization’s mission, principles or religious beliefs.”

Local groups wouldn’t be forced to accept gays. Instead, each troop would be able to decide whether to change their membership policy.

This comes after years of protests of the national policy, including petition campaigns that have prompted some corporations to suspend their donations to the Boy Scouts.

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.

“So if you are a gay scout or a gay leader and you’re not welcome in a troop you have an option, you can go find another troop that is open and welcome,” said Greg Bourke.

Bourke was forced to resign from his position as a local scout leader after he told the organization he is gay.

“You reach a point when you just know you need to do the right thing regardless of the consequences, and I knew that could be one of the consequences and I was prepared to accept that, and I did,” said Bourke.

Bourke started an online petition asking the local council to reject the Boy Scouts of America’s anti-gay policy. He believes the proposed policy is a great solution, giving people more flexibility.

If the Boy Scouts’ national board approves, the change could be announced as early as next week.

The BSA, which was founded in 1910, has also excluded atheists throughout its existence. Smith said a change in the policy toward atheists was not being considered, and that the BSA continued to view “Duty to God” as one of its basic principles.

More than 2.6 million scouts and 1 million adults were involved in the BSA in 2012, according to its website.

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- Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites. Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor. To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON

Displaying 4 Comments
Have Your Say
  1. CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON says:

    FIRST, I WILL SAY, I AM SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO HAIRY CAUCASIAN MALES [I have a “Daddy-Grey-Bear” fetish; for me, hairy backs are sexier than hairy chests. And, a male is not a MAN, unless, he has a full moustache and full beard].

    NOW, IN ANOTHER THREAD, I HAVE ALREADY COMMENTED ON HOW I FEEL ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY IN Boy Scouts. IN REFERENCE TO THIS ARTICLE, I AM SOLELY RESPONDING TO THE ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPH. THE PHOTOGRAPH SEEMS TO DEPICT A “SKIT” FROM, “Saturday Night Live.”

    I WILL NOT PLACE BLAME ON Global Dispatch BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR JUXTAPOSING THIS PHOTOGRAPH WITH THIS ARTICLE. LOOK PEOPLE, WE ALL HAVE VIEWS AND BIASES. BUT, IT BOTHERS ME – GREATLY – WHEN A JOURNALIST WRITES ON A CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT, THEN, HIGHLIGHT A CONSERVATIVE VIEWPOINT FOLLOWED BY AN EXTREMELY LIBERAL “GOTCHA!”

    THIS PHOTOGRAPH OF A HAIRY-CHESTED MALE [with a little beef; and, by the way, I did not miss the bandana (I hope you know what “red” stands for)] EMBRACING A “TWINKISH-” LOOKING BOY WITH ALL OF HIS CLOTHES ON, IS THE “GOTCHA!” QUOTIENT WHICH MAKES JOURNALISM PATHETIC.

    CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON

  2. Boy Scouts vote to admit openly gay scouts, no change on the ban of gay leaders - The Global Dispatch says:

    […] 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) […]

  3. Out Scouts says:

    FYI – http://OutScouts.com – the social network for gay scouts, is providing a supportive environment for gay scouts, leaders and supporters.

    • CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON says:

      “Out Scouts,”

      IN MY LIFE, I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF Sons of Satan (1983-1984), Gay&Lesbian Student Unions (University of Oklahoma, University of Arkansas, University of Central Arkansas AND University of Memphis), Black&White Men Together-Memphis (LATE 1980s), American Gay Atheists AND Log Cabin Republicans (EARLY 1990s).

      MY POINT IS “Out Scouts,” JOINING AN ORGANIZATION DOES NOT PROVIDE HOMOSEXUAL MEMBERS WITH A HEALTHY OUTLOOK ON LIFE AND HOW HOMOSEXUALITY IMPACTS IT; THESE CLUBS MERELY SERVE AS MECHANISMS WHICH ALLOW HOMOSEXUALS TO MEET OTHER HOMOSEXUALS. OF COURSE, THAT IS FINE. BUT, “Out Scouts,” YOUR PRESENCE IN THIS THREAD SEEMS TO SUGGEST THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION SERVES A SOLELY THERAPEUTIC FUNCTION BY PROVIDING HOMOSEXUAL SCOUTS WITH THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT THEY NEED.

      MY POINT IS, “Out Scouts,” GROUPS LIKE YOURS INDOCTRINATE YOUNG HOMOSEXUALS WITH AN EXTREMELY LIBERAL gay civil-rights viewpoint. WHEN ALL HOMOSEXUALS BECOME – USUALLY, TWENTY-ONE – THEY WILL HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT UPON GAINING ENTRY INTO THE HOMOSEXUAL “CLUB SCENE.”

      CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON

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