November 15, 2004
I'm sure glad I'm a Republican...
...and have no connection with this latest lunacy:
AP: The Pentagon has agreed to warn military bases worldwide that they should not directly sponsor Boy Scout troops, partially resolving claims that the government has improperly supported a group that requires members to believe in God.
The settlement, announced Monday, came in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which says American military units have sponsored hundreds of Boy Scout troops..(thanks to Betsy N)
This has nothing to do with "separation of church and state," religious liberty, discrimination, fairness, or concern about the Constitution. The ACLU is a classic leftist organization, and they HATE Christianity. And they HATE the Boy Scouts for supporting traditional American values and patriotism, and for defying leftist attempts to destroy traditional morality (disguised as a campaign for gay rights, though the left really only cares about gays as a useful tool of destruction, and would dump them in an instant if they left the reservation.)
If the Boy Scouts required a belief in Buddha, do you think the ACLU would be starting lawsuits? No way. Or Allah? Then they would be defending the Scouts.
Specifically, the BSA endeavors to develop American citizens who are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit; have a high degree of self-reliance as evidenced in such qualities as initiative, courage, and resourcefulness; have personal values based on religious concepts; have the desire and skills to help others; understand the principles of the American social, economic, and governmental systems; are knowledgeable about and take pride in their American heritage and understand our nation's role in the world; have a keen respect for the basic rights of all people; and are prepared to participate in and give leadership to American society.
Imagine how your local lefties sneer at stuff like that...
Posted by John Weidner at November 15, 2004 09:15 PM | TrackBackI remember when that Florida lawsuit (over the openly gay leader) came up, and knew that the BSA was is trouble no matter what the resolution.
Item 1: Despite the findings that homosexuality and pædophilia are not equivalent, an organization that has already had one very public meltdown over the latter is unwilling to hire members who practice the former - they've been burned once and don't want to have it happen again, no matter how unlikely.*
Item 2: A very large segment of the BSA is made up of deeply religious types (such as Mormons) who are vociferous in their disapproval of homosexuality, and who have enough clout to literally split off and form their own organization. In fact, such a split has been brought up in the past.
Item 3: I have known of many troops with gay members or leadership; such members were willing to fly under the radar, and the scoutmasters were willing to look the other way as long as the subject wasn't brought up - which it shouldn't be, because that's not what the BSA is dealing with.
Anyway. Rock. Hard place. You know the drill.
*My father became a scoutmaster in the wake of one such scandal; the troop, by that point, consisted of exactly three scouts, one of whom later quit. He was in charge for about six years, during which time he managed to get six Webeloes to Eagle. (Of the two remaining scouts, one Eagled and the other - my brother - fell one project short of the goal; his project was rudely derailed by the scandal. Neither one of them knew anything was going on until it blew up.)
Posted by: B. Durbin at November 16, 2004 08:57 PMWhen I joined the Scouts over 50 years ago, the Troop met in the basement of the local Presbyterian Church. What a twisted idea. It is a wonder that we grew up to be tolerant and good people. Who would want their child influenced by Presbyterians? Where was the ACLU to prevent this perversion of young minds.
Posted by: EddieP at November 17, 2004 06:59 PM
