BSA under attack in Connecticut?

[Mike F]

I got an email from outfit called Conservative Alert that included the following:

 

"Now the Boy Scouts are under attack in Connecticut, and I'm asking for your immediate help to fight back. Boy Scouts of America has asked our legal arm, the "Individual Rights Foundation", to come to their defense and stop the

state of Connecticut's attempt to discriminate against them."

 

They are asking for donations to support a court battle. I don't recall having heard about this before and the solicitation smells a little fishy.

 

Does anybody know anything about this?

[Proud Eagle]

I did a bit of looking and here is what I came up with:

 

There is a dispute between the BSA and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities over the Connecticut State Employee Campaign Committee. Apperently the state has some kind of charitable giving campaign for their government employees. The committee that runs that system decided the BSA couldn't be placed on the recipients list because of various discriminatory policies. Currently the state seems to be winning the court cases, with the 2nd US Circuit having ruled with them this summer.

 

 

However, I DID NOT varify if this group that is asking for money is legitimate. They may be, or they may not be. I don't know. If I was trying to help the BSA, I would probably just donate to the BSA, not to an outside group that may be helping the BSA at this moment.

[saltheart]

There seems to be a lot of information on the web regarding "Conservative Alert", but only one site that I could find relative to an organization by a similar name..."Conservative Alerts" (conservativealerts .com). And as staunchly conservative as I am, I have a pratice of staying well away from any website asking for money...for any purpose. The only reference on this particular website to the BSA was one to Philadelphia.

[Mike F]

I tend to agree - that's why I didn't include donation links that were on email from well-intentioned friend.

My prayers are with the Scouts and Scouters in Connecticut, but my dollars go direct to BSA.

-mike

[NWScouter]

One of the ways groups support other organizations in court cases is filing 'friend of the court' briefs.

These in many cases are not asked for and in many cases they come from groups that the people that they are supporting wouldnt want to associate with.

It doesnt cost much to the submitting group and allows them to say we are helping these well known groups or causes. That looks good on a fund raising appeals and therefore boasting their donations.

As with all charitable donations, now your group and give wisley.