Last week, a D.C. appellate court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America did not violate D.C. law when it did not allow two gay men to become Scout leaders. This ruling overturned the District’s Commission on Human Rights’ order that the Boy Scouts reinstate the men. The appellate court based its decision on the 2000 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found the Boy Scouts of America was within its constitutional rights to reject scout leaders on the basis of sexual orientation.
This recent example of discrimination shows that the Boy Scouts of America is not interested in promoting tolerance or diversity. The path the Scouts have taken shows that this is not the same organization it once was; a group that was originally founded to instill responsibility, morality and preparedness in young boys now uses its own Scout Oath to advocate prejudice. While the Supreme Court has ruled that the Scouts have the constitutional right to reject leaders based on their sexual orientation, this does not make it a condonable practice. Those who believe that diversity, acceptance and tolerance are important values should condemn the actions of the Boy Scouts of America and withhold support from the organization until they change their policies.
The Scouts have attempted to justify this discrimination through the Scout Code, which states that members must be “morally straight.” They claim that homosexuality is not “morally straight” and that gays are not appropriate role models for youngsters. These claims are not only reprehensible, but hypocritical. They claim to advocate and uphold citizenship, both nationally and in their communities. Two of the most important community values are acceptance and tolerance. Now more than ever, our children need to learn to respect all people, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. The Boy Scouts of America needs to change, not just for the sake of those rejected by their unfair policies, but for the thousands of impressionable minds affected by its disrespectful stance.
Following the 2000 Supreme Court decision in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, an increasing number of groups and individuals have opted to withdraw their support for the Scouts. Town and city governments have begun denying the Scouts access to public facilities and chapters of major charities such as the United Way have stopped the flow of monetary donations. Groups such as Scouting for All have been formed to protest and petition the anti-gay positions of the Boy Scouts. Some Eagle Scouts have sent back their badges. These responses, however, have not been enough to cause change within the Scouts. It will take a much larger boycott to cause true change, one starting at the community level with parents and Boy Scouts themselves.
