Scouting Vs. Scouting-for-All: The Great Gay Debate

Though it has fallen from the great eye of the national media, there is a plague running rampant upon one of our nation's greatest organizations. I am sure that many of you remember the organization "Scouting for All" that proclaimed that the Boy Scouts of America was being a naughty organization because they would not accept known homosexual members, most especially as leaders. Some of you may remember that for some several weeks it was just about all that we heard about on the news. In order that those whom have not heard about this situation, let me provide just a bit of background on the "Scouting for All" organization.

Scouting for All is a 501[c]3 Organization that has the sole purpose of promoting, though some might say attempting to enforce, tolerance and diversity within the Boy Scouts of America. At current, youth members of the Boy Scouts of America must be males, heterosexual, and believe in the existence of "God." Adult members must be heterosexual and also believe in the existence of "God," though both males and females may be adult leaders. The organization, founded in 1993 and later revitalized in 1997, was founded by Scouter Dave Rice. In the 1997 revitalization, Steven Cozza and his son, Scott Cozza, were responsible for writing a letter to the editor that called the Boy Scout National Council to examine and revise their policies on homosexuality and atheism. After the Council refuted this action, Scott made a call to all those within the Boy Scouts of America to join with him, and Scouting for All, in their cause.

Over the last several years, Scouting for All has continued to throw accusations, lobbies to the government, and several petitions to various US congress members to attempt to force the Boy Scouts of America to once again reexamine their policies on membership. The Boy Scouts of America have won the Supreme Court case that Scouting for All placed against them, with the Supreme Court deciding that the Boy Scouts of America was indeed a private organization, and could therein make whatever membership restriction they so desire.

Now we've come to the editorial portion of our article. Please remember that everything here within, after this line, is most completely my own personal opinion. With that said, I would like to explain that I have been in the Scouting program for 21 years, having joined as a "wolf" scout in 1986. I progressed through every level then offered by the Boy Scouts of America, all the way to receiving the Eagle Scout award. Though I was born with distinct disabilities, never once did I accept alternative requirements for rank advancement. In addition, from my 18^th birthday, I have held, and do hold, a multitude of adult leader positions ranging from committee member to Scoutmaster and Cubmaster. The reason I want to point out my own generalized membership history within the Boy Scouts of America is that so, perhaps, those reading this personalized editorial might understand from where some of my short, if passionate, words are derived.

As such, in summary, I think that the Scouting for All organization is the most hypocritical bunch of "ninnies" that I've ever had the inopportunity of having any particular connection. Let me explain. I understand that the Scouting for All organization says that the Boy Scouts of America are violating the basic tenants of the organization. Scouting for All believes that the Scout Oath (A scout is: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent) and the Scout Law (On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country, and obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all time; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.) are being violated by the basic membership policies of the Boy Scouts of America. I have a distinct problem with the Scouting for All organization making claims that Boy Scouts of America is violating the Scout Oath and Law when, indeed in my own opinion, they are doing the same.

How do I see that Scouting for All is violating the Scout Oath? Well when thing you have to remember is that one of the "forefathers" of the Scouting for All movement received his Eagle Scout award a very short time before he assisted in the renovation of the movement. As such, I would like to point out the Eagle Scout Oath, a charge which every Eagle Scout accepts and pledges upon his honor, "I reaffirm my allegiance to the three promises of the Scout Oath. I thoughtfully recognize and take upon myself the obligations and responsibilities of the rank of Eagle Scout. On my honor I will do my best to make my training an example; my rank and my influence count strongly for better Scouting and for better citizenship in my troop and in my community and in my contacts with other people to this I pledge my sacred honor." If I were to be able to virtually speak to Scott, I would like to remind him of this oath, because the actions that he, and his organization, has begun to take are assuredly and defiantly harming the Scouting program, and more specifically the boys who could be so positively affected by that program. It was due to the avid and unrelenting work of Scouting for All that thousands of Scout Units were forced to move and/or retire long-standing work for these young boys. Their despicable lobbying to the United States Government led to Congress declaring that all public institutions, namely Public Schools, were forced to withdraw their status as Chartered Organizations for all units; whether Boy Scout Troop, Cub Scout Pack, or Venture Team; of the Boy Scouts of America. This meant that thousands of young men, first grade through high school, who had access to a program that has led thousands of young men to be happy, productive members of society, were now without a place to continue to grow through the Scouting program. Looking back once again to the Eagle Scout Oath, I would ask of Scott how these actions, and innumerable other actions made by Scouting for All, represent "better Scouting and for better citizenship in my troop and in my community...?" How are the actions that Scouting for All continues, forcing a multitude of sponsoring organizations to lower or drop their financial and intellectual support of the Scouting program, making a better Scouting program, or a better community? The answer to that...? Quite simply the answer must be that they are most assuredly not making those things better.

I understand that Scouting for All believes in a fair and equal world and for that matter so do I. I do not agree that the sexuality of an individual, be they youth or adult, should have any affect on their membership within the Boy Scouts of America. I believe that homosexuals, bisexuals, and heterosexuals alike can show trustworthiness, loyalty, helpfulness, friendliness, courteousness, kindness, obedience, cheerfulness, thriftiness, braveness, cleanness, and reverence. However, the methodology of Scouting for All is, most assuredly, as detrimentally not some of these things as they accuse the Boy Scouts of America. I admit to not understand why a youth that was atheist would want to be a member of the Boy Scouts of America. It is my own personal opinion, as has been most of this article, but that utterly confuses me. But I digress...

In the end, in my own humble opinion, as pure and hopeful as the purposes of Scouting for All may be; their methods are detrimental to Scouting, and as such go against everything that it means to be an Eagle Scout. Shame to you, Scott. It is my hope that some day you realize the pain you have caused a great deal of youth and adults, currently involved in the Scouting program.