The Troubles of the Boy Scouts

This past week, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) met to vote on an issue of particular interest.  Since the 1990s, various activist groups have sought to reverse the youth organization’s stance on homosexuality.  The BSA has a stance against gay troop leaders, particularly those who speak out on behalf of their beliefs.  This stance and the reaction against it culminated in the 2000 Supreme Court case of The Boy Scouts of America v. Dale.  In it, the Supreme Court said that a private organization cannot be forced accept and thereby publicly present a tolerance for that which goes against their values and beliefs.  Since this case, the pressure has mounted against the BSA from many fronts as well as the move by the Girl Scouts to depart philosophically from their former partners.  The decision this past week stands as a victory and a defeat to many people when it agreed to allow openly gay youths into the organization but maintained the ban on troop leaders. 

As I’m sure it has been clear over the course of this blog’s existence, I have conservative streaks that run deep and fairly strong.  My stances on education and the reform required within strike others as fairly liberal, if not radical.  Still other positions I liken to more a libertarian attitude and here is where my thoughts on the BSA fall.  Whether or not the organization, which began as a boys’ organization in England, emphasizing the importance of scouting and naturalist skills, accepts gay boys or troop leaders is of no concern to me.  I was never a Boy Scout and do not have, as they say in Texas, a dog in the hunt.  However, I grow concern when people feel compelled to do something against their wishes or institutional values.  I’m afraid the organization has done just that.  There is a great deal of prognostications from both sides of the argument on the impact of this decision. 

The pro-gay side of things suggests that this will open possibilities for more young men to consider it ok to join the BSA.  Former Boy Scouts who are gay speak of the life lessons and cherished memories of their time in the group and feel more people will now have access to it.  As the Boy Scouts begin at such an early age, when sexuality is not of primary concern or given much thought, I imagine that boys, gay or straight, have not had many roadblocks placed in their path.  Therefore, I wonder just how many more young men will actually join the group as a result of the decision last week. 

Those who are against the approved measure have predicted a mass exodus of families who allowed their sons to join the Scouts on the auspices of its values and traditions.  I wonder, however, just what kind of exodus this will be.  I’m not sure it will be as horrible as it is thought – in some circles, as much as 300 to 400,000 members.  I think most people know that gay youths have been a part of the organization for some time and the idea that they are “allowed” in the Scouts will not strike many as much of a departure.    

All these things said, the conversation has turned to the stance on youth leaders who are gay.  My first awareness of this type of issue was in the aftermath of the Supreme Court case United States v. Virginia (1996).  In it, the Court ruled that the Virginia Military Institute, a previous all-male institution, did not make the argument that maintaining a single-gender school was beneficial to the students.  Therefore, the state could not make the argument that the male-only academy was not a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14^th Amendment.  Yet, I could not help feel that something was not right.  I get the same feeling now with the BSA. 

In our society, we have accepted the idea of freedom of speech as sacrosanct.  Yet, what good is this right if it is reserved only for what is currently popular and acceptable.  Gay-right activists have done a tremendous job in getting their message out that no one should be treated less for being gay.  I personally disagree with the practice, an idea that is a component of my faith, but I also do not believe my faith would condone mistreating anyone for any reason.  Still, every American has the right to their opinion and to be able to live on the basis of their convictions.  The Boy Scouts of America should not feel pressured to accept anyone.  Doing so would promote an institutional and member-specific acceptance.  In a country based on concepts like freedom of speech, this cannot be tolerated.