Boy Scout leaders to vote on lifting gay ban

May 22, 2013 @ 3:47 pm


FILE - Clockwise from left, Boy Scouts Eric Kusterer, Jacob Sorah, James Sorah, Micah Brownlee and Cub Scout John Sorah hold signs at the "Save Our Scouts" Prayer Vigil and Rally in front of the Boy Scouts of America National Headquarters in Irving, Texas on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013. With its ranks deeply divided, the Boy Scouts of America is asking its local leaders from across the country to decide whether its contentious membership policy should be overhauled so that openly gay boys can participate in Scout units. The proposal to be put before the roughly 1,400 voting members of the BSA's National Council on Thursday, May 23, 2013 at a meeting in Grapevine, Texas, would retain the Scouts' long-standing ban on gays serving in adult leadership positions. (AP Photo/Richard Rodriguez) | Zoom

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) - As protesters made one last stand, the Boy Scouts of America's leadership began a conference Wednesday that was expected to culminate in a long-anticipated vote on whether to allow openly gay Scouts _ a decision that, either way, could deeply affect the organization's membership and funding.

Scouting leaders from around the country gathered at a resort in Grapevine, Texas, near the youth organization's suburban Dallas headquarters, for their annual national meeting. The three-day meeting is being closely watched because Scout officials have scheduled a vote Thursday on a resolution that would not allow youth Scouts to be excluded based only on sexual orientation. The ban on gay adult leaders would remain in place.

Conservatives and some religious groups have opposed the plan, which is backed by gay-rights supporters. National groups on both sides have organized protests and campaigns to woo the approximately 1,400 members of the national council who will cast ballots.

The meeting was closed to the public, with staffers and security watching for protesters and the media. About two dozen people holding up signs saying "NO on the resolution" stood on the sidewalk outside the entrance. Meanwhile, supporters of the change gathered at a resort across the street, holding a meeting they dubbed the "Equal Scouting Summit."

Speaking on both sides were current and former Eagle Scouts who had worked years to achieve Scouting's highest rank. They recited parts of the Scout Oath and the 12-point Scout Law _ from "trustworthy" to "reverent" _ to make their separate cases.

Dave McGrath and one of his six sons, Joe, rode their bicycles from Idaho to Texas to support Scouts for Equality, which has organized rallies in several cities. McGrath, 48, said he had two children and a brother who are gay and that he considered the current exclusion policy a "taint" on his Eagle Scout honor.

"So a Scout is trustworthy, unless you're gay," McGrath said. "That isn't the way I was raised."

Meanwhile, John Wade, a former Eagle from Tennessee who now is a minister, called the possible change an extreme departure from what he described as Scouting's roots in Biblical values.

"I think that it really presents a danger as well as a conflict of interest to what BSA was originally started as," said Wade, 26.

The debate is deeply emotional for many people on both sides, who talked about their experiences in Scouting and their worry about what would happen next.

Bill Lizzio of Johnson City, Tenn., who is Wade's former scoutmaster, was holding one end of a banner opposing the change and waving at cars driving into the resort. Asked about the harm of allowing gays, he talked about his concern with sexual attraction between Scouts, saying that he wouldn't let a boy and a girl sleep in the same tent at camp.

"And so how do we keep people apart that might have an attraction and don't openly state that to the adult leadership?" Lizzio said. "Or the ones that do, now do we segregate a gay Scout and put him in a tent by himself?

"That sends a terrible message. It doesn't work."

But Mark Noel described a different situation from when he was a scoutmaster in New Hampshire. A group of scouts came to him and asked what he would do if one of them was gay. The scouts didn't know Noel himself was gay.

"What could I tell them? That I'm an ally, it's OK? I'm with you?" Noel said Wednesday, his voice wavering. "There's no way for me to even signal them that it's OK, that I am not going to be conditional about applying the Scout Oath and Law."

"I am loyal, period. Friendly, period. Courteous, period," he said.

Thursday's expected vote brings an end to a fight that has resembled a political campaign.

Opponents of a change sent mailings to voting members, after fighting to get the names and addresses voters from BSA, by citing a Texas requirement that required any voting member to see the full list, said John Stemberger, organizer of OnMyHonor.net. They also scheduled 40 rallies across the country on the same day last week.

Supporters of allowing gay scouts used a political consulting firm and targeted about 120 local Scouting councils that they thought were the most competitive _ the "swing districts" where they thought votes could be won. Zach Wahls, founder of Scouts for Equality, said earlier this week that they believed to have about 300 "yes" votes confirmed through public announcements and internal conversations, with perhaps 100 or so leaning yes.

"We've done everything that we can," Wahls said. "We feel like we are very prepared for any outcome."

No one will know for sure, however, until BSA announces the results Thursday evening.

____

On the Web: BSA Membership Standards Resolution: http://bit.ly/185yyXk

Associated Press National Writer David Crary in New York contributed to this report.

Follow Nomaan Merchant on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nomaanmerchant


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (40)


  • Add A Comment

  • SeattleNative wrote...
    If they change the rules...
    February 6, 2013 4:42 pm
    ...they'll need to throw out both their Oath and their Law.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleNative wrote...
    Not all gay men are pedophiles
    February 6, 2013 7:20 pm
    But all men who prey on boys are, by definition, gay.

    Hasn't the BSA learned anything from the Catholic church?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hnuh wrote...
    interestingly,
    February 7, 2013 2:39 pm
    in Britain there is a growing movement to allow sex between adults and minors, of course without consideration of the sexes involved. Way back, when the line between normal and homosexual was broken, I thought... what's next... Well obviously, the pedophiles will want their "rights" next. The persistent demand by the homosexual community that all others live by the homosexual's agenda is in no way tolerant, nor is it healthy or productive socially.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • The Dude Abides wrote...
    hnuh
    February 7, 2013 3:36 pm
    Where do I even begin? Comparing homosexual couples with pedophiles is exactly the same as comparing heterosexual couples with pedophiles...it's asinine. We are talking about normal, everyday, law-abiding citizens who want nothing more than to be treated equally for their relationship preferences...that's far from an "agenda". They are two consenting adults who are merely attracted to a different set of genitals. Whether we agree with their preference or not, they're not hurting ANYONE, including themselves. In contrast, pedophiles are mentally/emotionally damaged people who prey on kids who are not mentally or emotionally prepared for sex. There is proof all over the place that these interactions leve the kids emotionally and mentally damaged themselves, often times leading to them repeating the same cycle when they get older to other kids. Even the ones who somehow manage to meld into society as an adult tend to bear those scars for the rest of their lives. Don't try to compare apples and oranges.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • imanegro wrote...
    Please, DON'T begin
    February 7, 2013 3:48 pm
    You are clearly a homo, because you aren't reading very carefully, and are overly sensitive. Another homo trait.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Steinsbu wrote...
    Demanding
    April 19, 2013 7:58 am
    "Gay-rights groups have demanded a complete lifting of the ban" Well demand away, it must your way or the highway?????Really!!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }