Good job for the Boy Scouts of America. I have been hearing rumors about this for a while, but it is good to see them moving forward!As the Boy Scouts of America prepares to vote tomorrow on a proposal that would change its long-standing policy of excluding gay boys from Scout units, the executive director of Scouts for Equality, a gay rights advocacy group, is hopeful that the proposal will pass--but says this is just the first step.
“This is a good step in the right direction, we want youth protection throughout the entire program, and it looks we'll be able to see that on the 23rd,” executive director Zach Wahls tells Top Line. “But after that, we have to make sure that we are telling Scouts that when you turn 18 you are still welcome in the program.”
The proposal up for vote will not change the BSA's policy of banning gay adult leaders. To Wahls, changing that policy is not just political, it's personal.
“As the straight Eagle Scout son of a lesbian couple, I know exactly how important lifting the ban on adults is," he says. "I got to see first-hand when I was growing up in Iowa the impact that great, wise, loving parents could have in the lives of my Scouters.”
In addition to advocating for policy changes, Wahls says a big focus of his organization’s mission is to increase understanding around LGBT issues, one conversation at a time.
"What we are seeing is the effect of people having conversations and moving past fear," Wahls says. "When we talk about homophobia, literally the fear around this, is people can have person-to-person conversations...and understand that there isn't anything to be afraid of."
For more of the interview with Wahls, including his thoughts on what basketball player Jason Collins’ announcement that he’s gay means for the LGBT movement, check out this episode of Top Line.
ABC's Alexandra Dukakis, Eric Wray, Paul Dougherty, and Pat French contributed to this episode.
As far the Right?
Well reading some of the comments tells us all we need to know
It is the mentality of the courts today to protect the minority. But who is going to protect the majority from the minority? Today, a minority can go to court and overturn the will of the people without due process. Once a judge says it, that settles it. The judiciary has become a despotic bunch just as Thomas Jefferson predicted they would. They were never intended to be the final say on all things constitutional. But the judiciary has expanded its powers beyond the intent of the Constitution.
Same thing my wife and I have been wondering about for several years. Supposedly moral and ethical people have quit standiing up for what is right/normal. As a former scout I can appreciate the things I learned physically and mentally. For the immoral, unethical and probably communistic groups to take over they have to destroy the moral fiber of this nation and that is exactly what they are doing. Just take a look at the people in the more important governmental roles in this country! I will say ome more thing; if homosexuality were normal the homosexual/lesbian groups wouldn't have to work/fight so hard for it. Just take a look at nature and you will see what is normal or not. One more; the people in office need to be removed. The supposed moral people in office need to be removed as they don't have the backbone to stand up against the immoral, perverted groups.
Being immoral should be looked down upon. Homosexuality was a crime and then just a mental illness up until the last few decades. Children do not need to be around perverts who want to recruit little boys. We know what you really want, recruit little boys the way most of you were recruited, by being molested.
