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

 

Last weekend our troop hosted three other troops for our second Troop Challenge (kinda like Camporee but less competitive). The theme was "Invasion by Canada" and we lassoed ferocious moose, ate poutine, applied first aid to hockey injuries, and generally had a great time. Between the Maple Syrup Balloon Toss and the red and blue chalk dust used in the final Canadian/American battle I came home feeling really dirty. But this was good dirty.

 

Today I learned details about how the Boy Scouts of America treated one of our young members. Garrett Bryant was denied summer camp employment because he was accidently outed as gay by a friend on Facebook and his local council found out. Since he's 19 he's no longer considered to be an acceptable leader in the BSA. Right now, being associated with the BSA is making me feel dirty. Really dirty, and definitely not good dirty.

 

NBC News - Boy Scouts won't hire me because I'm gay 

 

We can't change the fact that all of our scouts grow up. We can't change the fact that some of them are going to grow up to be gay.

 

We need to change the Boy Scouts so that they accept this reality. Someone needs to stand up for the youth.

 

It's pretty clear that those leading the BSA are out of touch with what is best for the organization. The fact that they are using a youth organization to promote their anti-gay agenda in violation of their own corporate policies shows just how far out of touch they are. But the Boy Scouts of America is not a democracy. There is no avenue for promoting change.

 

What's the point of having local boards for each council if they're forced to follow National's policies? If they try to stand up to National then National will "pull their charter". I'm not fully clear on why this is such a horrible thing, National just rolls the units into another council, a couple years ago we wanted to merge councils anyway. Besides if BSA National starts pulling too many charters the Feds will step in and pull theirs. (They aren't really as omnipotent as they think they are.)

 

But the reality is that the councils aren't going to risk their charters. They are caught in the middle just like the rest of us.

 

So it's going to be up to the parents and volunteers, but what can we do? Well....

 

We could stop paying for it.

 

The councils are dependent upon us for most of their income. If we stopped donating money and paying for things we could do permanent damage to the Boy Scouts. We could take our troops camping at non-scout properties. We could boycott council sponsored events. We could just stop funding "Friends of Scouting". Ultimately we have the checkbook and we are in control.

 

But we don't want to permanently damage the Boy Scouts!

 

So we're stuck in this game of "Chicken". Ironically, what the Boy Scouts needs now is Leadership. We need it at the Council level, we need it at the National level, and we need it among the employees.

 

Because, really guys, without the volunteers and the parents there ain't no program. Your job is to support us and not the other way around. Making your volunteers feel the bad kind of dirty means your not doing your job, and ultimately if you won't stand up for the scouts we will, and yeah, that's a threat.

 

 

So how do we demonstrate our dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs?

 

 

In my humble opinion National has lost any moral authority it ever had to enforce corporate policies that violate the Scout Oath and Law.  We don't work for them, they are our peers not our bosses.

 

The IRS has decreed that the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade is not a political event. I bought my paid for my uniform and unless the BSA is going to send me back my money I'll wear it as I see fit. I refuse to allow myself to be used by any organization to promote their discriminatory anti-gay agenda.

 

If you would like to be part of the scout honor guard at the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade please sign up here:

 

Facebook Event - SF Pride Parade 2014 

 

 

San Francisco Gay Pride Parade 2013

image by Quinn Dombrowski / Wikimedia Commons

 

 

Yours in scouting,

  
Wendell Baker
Scoutmaster - Troop 234
SFE - 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.