The Boy Scouts of America are a private organization. So when a gay father was stripped of his uniform when his sexuality became known to the organization, I don't see why the whole world views this as some major travesty and persecution. It has been upheld by the Supreme Court that the Boy Scouts of America have a right to discriminate when choosing whom will be among its members.
Now, I stumbled across an opinion article on CNN (I won't bother linking it, it's just plain ignorant) regarding the Boy Scouts. The writer identifies himself as a gay father of a teenage son, and expresses how his heart goes out to the father in Texas. The most interesting (and stupidly stated) piece of the article, though, is when the writer brings up that a couple in North Carolina were rejected as leaders because they were Mormon. He goes on to call it something along the lines of "sweet justice" that members of a group that supports legislation that so-called infringes upon the "rights" of homosexuals (I'm of the persuasion that marriage is not really a "right") were rejected from another group that obviously is anti-gay as well.
He goes on to state the reasons why the Mormon couple were rejected, but what kills me is his ignorance of the support that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives to the Boy Scouts. My good friend's husband, not Mormon but an Eagle Scout, has said over and over again that the Boy Scouts could not exist without the support of our Church. This writer apparently has no clue about the fact of this, and I chuckled to myself when I read that this couple had been rejected because I know that it won't be a final decision and that the couple will likely have the opportunity to serve as leaders.
Now, back to the fact that the Boy Scouts is a private organization. They are a PRIVATE ORGANIZATION. They can essentially do whatever they want, and they shouldn't be criticized for it. Why? 1) because they are strictly funded by private donations and 2) because the Supreme Court said so.
When will special interest groups realize that the constitution and laws weren't written solely for them? They were for everyone! Including founders/members of private organizations like the Boy Scouts of America, and ::gasp:: for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
4 comments:
grrr!
Hmmm...I disagree, but I understand your argument. I just think it's sad. Not necessarily totally wrong, mostly just sad. That's all. Love you. :)
You disagree with what? That the Boy Scouts has the right to discriminate? I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but they certainly have that right as they are a private organization. Private schools, churches, and other organizations have the constitutional right to discriminate.
Maybe you also thought my argument was sad? I'm not entirely sure, but my ultimate point is what I stated in my previous comment. Whether the discrimination is right or wrong (in our feeble human minds), the fact of the matter is, it's a right backed by the courts, and it ought to be upheld and protected whether or not we agree with it.
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