March 14, 2013

Boy Scouts survey encourages anti-gay attitudes

They just wanted to poll their members. Right. This Boy Scouts survey is designed for one purpose only: to encourage fear and hostility toward gay scouts and leaders. Reading the questions made me ill. It's like they were dreamt up by NOM.
  • A gay male troop leader, along with another adult leader, is taking a group of  boys on a camping trip following the youth protection guidelines of two-deep leadership. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for the gay adult leader to take adolescent boys on an overnight camping trip?
  • Bob is 15 years old, and the only openly gay Scout in a Boy Scout troop. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for the troop leader to allow Bob to tent with a heterosexual boy on an overnight camping trip?
  • Johnny, a first grade boy, has joined Tiger Cubs with his friends. Johnny’s friends and their parents unanimously nominate Johnny’s mom, who is known by them to be lesbian, to be the den leader. Johnny’s pack is chartered to a church where the doctrine of that faith does not teach that homosexuality is wrong. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for his mother to serve as a den leader for his Cub Scout den?
  • David, a Boy Scout, believes that homosexuality is wrong. His troop is chartered to a church where the doctrine of that faith also teaches that homosexuality is wrong. Steve, an openly gay youth, applies to be a member in the troop and is denied membership. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for this troop to deny Steve membership in their troop?
If you don't know what's wrong with these questions, you're probably at the wrong blog. I'm surprised they didn't ask this one:
  • Johnny is gay and has a bomb that he carries around with him all the time. Is it okay for Johnny to sleep with your 8-year-old son on a single cot, with a lighter and lube in his hand?
The Boy Scouts of America is playing this game just as the Vatican would -- with a stacked deck. Christian churches have made a mess of gay issues, just as the Scouts have. And it seems, judging by this survey (and the election of the new anti-gay pope), that nothing will ever change in either of these organizations.

1 comment:

Anna Guess Pick said...

When I first started to read this I thought you were making a joke. I cannot believe they would seriously send out a questionnaire like this.

I was curious about feedback from this. BSA says they are taking calls and recording comments but they will not be releasing the results. Hmmm...

It's amazing how narrow-minded leadership can ruin a program that serves our youth.