Monthly Archives: September 2012

Sep 22

Intel announces withdrawal of support for BSA

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Late Friday afternoon, Intel Corporation made news by announcing that it would no longer fund the Boy Scouts of America, citing BSA’s discriminatory policies:

Intel Corporation (INTC) Cites Gay Ban to De-Fund Boy Scouts

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) was one of the largest holdouts among contributors, as it gave $700,000 to the organization in 2010. In a statement released by the company, Intel chief diversity officer Rosalind Hudnell said, “Due to significant growth in the number of organizations funded, earlier this year we revisited our policies associated with the program, and applied new rigor that requires any organization to confirm that it adheres to Intel’s anti-discrimination policy in order to receive funding.”

Intel Stops Supporting Boy Scouts Because of Gay Ban

In a statement released to Think Progress on Friday, September 21, Intel’s Chief Diversity Officer, Rosalind Hudnell, said that the company could no longer fund the Boy Scouts of America, so long as the Scouts stand by their long-held policy barring gay troops and leaders from participating in the organization.

Sep 12

In the News

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Shame Over Boy Scouts’ Anti-Gay Policy – Parents and scout leaders in Petaluma, CA reflect on their efforts to “fight from within” the BSA and provide an inclusive program.

Letters to the Editor, Sept. 12, 2012: Scouting’s future in an era of change – Two letters to the editor in the Portland Press Herald — one observing that “[i]n a truly dynamic, free society, institutions and norms must gradually and steadily transform,” while the bemoans all the money spent by the BSA defending its exclusionary membership policies in court instead of providing the scouting program to (some) youth, and then seems to lay the blame for this not on the BSA, but on those would would make scouting available for everyone.

Is Obama Creating a Pro-Gay Boy Scouts of America? – Okay, this one is a couple of months old now, but really shouldn’t be missed.  Chuck Norris (yes, that Chuck Norris) writes an op-ed defending the BSA’s “stand against atheists, agnostics and homosexuals” while asking a bunch of questions that suggest a huge political conspiracy against the BSA.  More here, here, and here.

Sep 11

In the News

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BSA: Stop discriminating – Op-ed by Rev. Robert Bachelder, minister and president of the Worcester Area Mission Society, United Church of Christ.

Parents also need to speak up. Scouting played a vital role in our family but my wife, a former Cub Scout volunteer, and I agree we would not enroll our son in a troop today. The BSA’s position is contrary what we try to stand for in every other area of life. We would make an exception for a troop that publicly repudiates the BSA policy and reaches out to gay youth. A boy would learn in such a setting how to work and even fight for social justice.

New Jersey senator declines Boy Scout recognition due to policy disagreement - New Jersey State Senator Ray Lesniak declined an award from a Boy Scouts group in North Jersey because of BSA’s anti-gay policies.

In Scouting, tolerance is a two-way street – Editorial by a writer who compares homosexuality to “adultery, drunkenness, stealing, gossip, etc.” and then complains because his beliefs are criticized:

But tolerance goes both ways. Unfortunately, respecting the deep spiritual beliefs of people of faith is no longer tolerated by those advocating for the gay rights agenda. For not agreeing with this agenda, we are labeled hypocrites and bigots. But if we were to throw similar responses back, we would be accused of discrimination and being intolerant.

Opinion: Discrimination, homophobia distract from Boy Scouts’ mission – Author argues that, despite BSA’s claims that allowing LGBT people to join would be a “distraction” from scouting’s mission, that the real distraction is the BSA’s dogged determination to discriminate.

The Boy Scout Law says Scouts are to be brave — “He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at or threaten him”; reverent — “He respects the beliefs of others”; kind — “He treats others as he wants to be treated”; and friendly — “A Scout is a friend to all. He seeks to understand others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than his own.”

Until the BSA gets it right, Scouts everywhere should follow their oath and rebel.

The American homosexualist movement – Author waxes apocalyptic over support for LGBT civil rights, including pressures on the Boy Scouts of America.

Loving Men: Jesus, Homophobia and Male Spirituality – Rev. Jarrett Kerbel, Rector of Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Philadelphia, opens a piece by talking about his experiences growing up gay in the Boy Scouts.

The “Atlantic” Editor: ‘Eradicate the Fags’ – Another absurd rant based on a misreading of this piece in The Atlantic.

9-Year-Old Quits Boy Scouts Over Gay Ban – More on the Cub Scout in Maine who decided to leave because of BSA’s anti-gay policies.

Sep 04

In the News

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Rumors swirl over fate of Redlands’ Boy Scout Pack 24 – More on the possibility that BSA will revoke the charter of Pack 24 because of their refusal to discriminate.  Pack 24 recently stated publicly that they were going to operate inclusively and welcome everyone:

“Scouting has one policy that applies to all troops and councils. It is a requirement that all units conduct the Scouting program pursuant to the policies and guidelines of the Boy Scouts of America, and charter agreements are not negotiable or subject to modification,” the organization said.
. . . .
“Anytime we’re aware of any inconsistency in the local administration of a Scouting policy, we work with the local council to reiterate the policy and ensure its compliance with local leaders,” they added. “If a unit chooses not to abide by a policy of the BSA, the charter is subject to revocation.”

A valuable lesson about inclusiveness – Letter to the editor supporting Pack 24.

Eagle Scouts return medals over group’s ban on gay members – A detailed piece in the Baltimore Sun describing several people’s decision to return medals.

“The Boy Scouts always teach citizenship and leadership and a willingness to be of service to others, but when they come back with a policy that states that they are unwilling to contribute to the development of certain classes of individuals, I think they do a lot of harm to their own message,” [openly gay Eagle Scout Steven Colella] said. “Instead of teaching people to be leaders and to be positive members of society, they are teaching them to be discriminatory.”
. . . .
“I’m not a gay activist, I don’t have a ton of gay friends, I’m not out there trying to change the world for homosexuals,” [children's author and father Aaron Becker] said. “I’m just a regular guy who saw this was out there and thought, ‘Get with the program, Scouts.’”

Proposed Scout ban draws backlash – “An effort to add an anti-discrimination clause to a section of town policy has left one selectman on the receiving end of homophobic rants and a death threat.”

Boy Scouts: Fighting bias from inside – Editorial at the Boston Globe that misleadingly states that the Boston Minuteman Council added sexual orientation to their non-discrimination policy in 2001.  They did, but then were forced back into compliance by BSA’s national headquarters and turned down applications from openly gay scouters.