Friday, July 06, 2007

City of Brotherly Love Hates the Boy Scouts

From "City of Brotherly Love Hates the Boy Scouts" by Robert Knight, posted 7/21/07 at Human Events Online

...on May 31, the real-life (Philadelphia) City Council, without debate, and under pressure from an organization that promotes the rights of “sexual minorities,” stabbed the Scouts in the back. They voted 16 to 1 to break a 79-year-old agreement allowing the Cradle of Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts to occupy a building in a city park. The Scouts built the building in 1928, and turned it over to the city in exchange for a rent-free lease “in perpetuity.” Apparently, “perpetuity” in Philadelphia now means, “until gay groups boot you out.” The Scouts can stay only if they will open their ranks to open homosexuals.

Sexual immorality is now the moral high ground in Philadelphia, and the Boy Scouts are the bad guys. Does anyone with clout in Philadelphia see why this is monstrously wrong? Let’s be generous and assume that lots of people still don’t know about this. The story was ignored by all the networks except Fox News Channel, and the local press didn’t even put it on the front page.

It’s bad enough that the City Council wants to force the Scouts to allow homosexuals to be role models for young boys. There’s also the issue of child molestation.

Just ask the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. They’ve faced lawsuits from 218 men and 33 women who claim to have been molested by priests. The church has paid out more than $1.4 million in settlements.

Councilman Darrell L. Clarke, the Democrat who introduced the motion, is urging the Scouts to “compromise. Honestly, no one wants to see them out of there.”

Okay, let’s be honest, Mr. Clarke. Everyone knows the Scouts cannot compromise. The lawsuits would bankrupt the organization. You’re telling them to slit their own throats or get out of town.
The Boy Scouts of America themselves have had to deal with hundreds of incidents of molestation. They cannot afford to surrender.

Given the clearly illustrated danger of mixing homosexual men with boys, it is criminal to use government power to force a youth group to put boys at risk just to please a special interest group. Actually, it’s criminal for any reason.

Because the mainstream media will not report it, many people don't know that the Boy Scouts once had a problem with gay scout leaders molesting boys...

It's also important to know that if the Dems are able to pass ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) they have vowed to use it to FORCE the Boys Scouts to accept homosexual scout leaders.

Read the whole article.