SFE-Golden Gate Philmont 
Scout Parents and Leaders against discrimination.
 

I thought I was doing a soliloquy but maybe not...

 

When National announced that they were considering changing the membership policy they said that they were having conversations with the scouting community. I wondered who they were talking to since all of my letters (and there have been quite a few) have gone unanswered.

 

I was recently forwarded a comment from a scout leader blog that explains what happened in Texas at the Executive Board meeting. I can't absolutely vouch for it's authenticity but I believe it to be accurate:

 

"I'm sorry, Calvin, but I can't let this pass. I was in Dallas for the meetings the past Monday and Tuesday (I'm not on the National Board and was not in the Wednesday Board meeting.)

I had personal discussions with many members of the National Board and the National Advisory council. NEVER ONCE DID I HEAR MONEY MENTIONED AS A PRIMARY DRIVER. I heard many, many discussions about the short and long term future of the organization and how the BSA can best be positioned for short and long term health and growth.

I was personally present in the meeting where Wayne Perry, the National President who is a lifelong member of the LDS Church and a lifelong Scouter and the founder of a billion dollar company, was in tears about having to go to Salt Lake City and discuss with his Prophet why he believes that a change in the membership standards (gay policy) is essential to the health of the organization to protect, among other things, the right of the BSA to maintain the Duty to God standard. NEVER ONCE DID HE MENTION MONEY.

He, and Tico Perez, the National Commissioner, and Wayne Brock, the Chief Scout Executive, did mention the personal values and beliefs of todays youth and today's parents and the persons that we serve.

There also was mention of the personal heartache caused by communication from parents and Scout leaders of older youth who realize they are gay. Wayne Brock too appeared close to tears when he discussed a phone call from a Scout leader who said that one of his older Scouts had been a member of the group of boys since they were 8. The boys all love each other in the best, Scoutlike, familylike sense. That boy is now 16 and has realized he is gay and so informed the Scoutmaster. The Scout leader asks "Am I supposed to tear this group of youth apart by expelling this one boy? His friends know about and don't care about his sexual orientation. What will it say to each of these older boys if we expel their highly respected friend. Should we not expect to lose all of them to Scouting and to the Scout Oath and Scout Law?"

I heard a 78 year veteran Scouter who has received every honor the BSA has, in a public meeting, discuss the heartache caused when his Eagle Scout youngest son came to him and said he was gay. The heartache was not over the son's sexual orientation. Rather, when he asked his son "when did you know?" the son said, "I realized my feelings about this were different when I was about 10." Then when he asked his son "Why did you take so long to tell me?" and the son said "I know how important the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts are to you and I didn't want to cause trouble for you." There were a lot of us close to tears there. NEVER ONCE WAS MONEY MENTIONED.

I'm not saying money is not a factor; just that it appeared there are many, many other factors just as compelling if not more so.

The National Key 3 said that personally, they were probably the most conservative National Key 3 in 20 years and in their personal beliefs, none of them particularly wanted a change. However, they said they had concluded that the change was absolutely essential to the short and long term survival, health and growth of the BSA.

I fully admit that I am not neutral in this and my council and I have a dog in this fight. I had a lot of discussions with persons from conservative religions about their beliefs and how they find homosexuality morally repugnant and do not want homosexual leaders around their youth. I get it and I understand how it is absolutely essential to have policies and procedures to protect the beliefs of those religions. At the same time, when I was discussing the problems that the policy causes for the more welcoming religions, more inclusive persons and many of today's youth and parents, I did not get the feeling that the reception by many rank and file members (and even in some cases leaders ) of the conservative religions was particularly empathetic or that the effort was being made to find a working procedure which would enable all persons to have Scouting in line with their religious and personal beliefs. Either they do not get it or they do not want to get it or they believe their personal beliefs trump any consideration for the beliefs of others.

I heard a lot about the Bible and Leviticus. I heard a lot about the "gay agenda" and concern about lawsuits to force sponsors to take gay leaders. I heard very little about "friendly" and "kind" and about respect for the customs and beliefs of others. And I certainly heard threats to leave if the policy is changed.

To me the proposed change to local sponsor option on membership is the only possible policy to protect the rights of all sponsors and to honor our long standing Declaration of Religious Principles. The threats to leave and lack of empathy and understanding to me are exceedingly disappointing. I don't believe that anyone has suggested that individual sponsors and individual units who do not want gay or lesbian leaders should have them. I would only hope that, in the spirit of Scouting, the opposite prerogative would be given to sponsors and units which have different beliefs and theologies. There are concerns about multi-unit activities like camp and camporees. I believe those can be worked out by people of good faith, just as they were when woman were universally permitted to become BSA leaders at all levels in the late '70s.

I do hope we can continue to have one BSA. It would be an incredible shame if this issue, which as a practical matter should probably be a very rare occurrence in a program primarily for 7 to 14 year olds , would tear apart the BSA."

 

This article is the only thing I've seen that hasn't been passed through the PR machine. 

 

It reminded me of something that happened back in October.  I had an article published in the Lamorinda Patch. This was the first time I'd ever requested that something be published. I know most of you have seen it before but here is the link anyway:

 

Wendell's Lamorinda Patch Article 

 

I'm really proud of this. It was published before the "Fireside Chat" with the Council. At the time the Troop Committee thought there was a very real risk that in order to save our charter, we may have to fire our "rouge Scoutmaster". (A risk I insisted we take.)

 

After it was published word was passed down that "National had seen my article". At the time we interpreted this as a thinly veiled threat. But maybe we were wrong. Maybe this is National's idea of a dialogue.

 

Maybe all of the letters we wrote touched someone at National. I know they made a difference at the Council level. So why have we stopped writing?

 

Maybe it's time for the scouts to find their voices. I know I've been asking my son for 4 months to write a letter. He's a ninth grader and his father wanting him to do something is the best reason for him not to do it. But one day I got to see one of his school assignments:

 

Anthem Poetry Assignment

English 1

 

Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts

Scouts of every kind

Listen to my pleaful cries

For a future without lies.

 

Second Class, First, Star and Life

It doesn't matter what the rank

Us scouts are friendly and kind to all

So why is our council dropping the ball?

 

Be it the Dragons or Panthers

Or even the Chimps

The scouts are all trusted and true

So what's up with National, please get a clue.

 

From the youngest Tiger Cub

To the eldest Eagle

We want to change the old way

Of banning everyone who is gay.

 

(OK, so the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Like me he's really good at math and science.)

 

So maybe we have to check to see what our scouts have to say, in whatever form they want to say it. Poems, stories, pictures, videos, or whatever, pass them along to the Council (asking that they forward them to the delegates) and also send copies to National. If you're religious, send copies to the scouting organization for your Church.

 

Addresses and resources are available here:

 

SFE - Golden Gate Resources 

 

It's anyones guess what will happen in May, but we all have voices and we should be using them. 

 

Please pass this e-mail along to other scouting families.  

 

Best Regards,

 

Wendell Baker 

Scoutmaster

Troop 234 Moraga

(Scouts for Equality - Golden Gate)

 

 

 

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The opinions expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the opinions of their unit, the local council, or the national headquarters.