Pentagon agrees to tell US bases not to sponsor Boy Scout units

[Merlyn_LeRoy 72]

 

http://www.aclu.org/ReligiousLiberty/ReligiousLiberty.cfm?ID=17023&c=141

 

CHICAGO - In response to a religious discrimination lawsuit brought by

the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, the Defense Department

today agreed to end direct sponsorship of hundreds of Boy Scout units,

which require members to swear religious oaths, on military facilities

across the United States and overseas.

 

"If our Constitution's promise of religious liberty is to be a

reality, the government should not be administering religious oaths or

discriminating based upon religious beliefs," said Adam Schwartz of

the ACLU of Illinois. "This agreement removes the Pentagon from direct

sponsorship of Scout troops that engage in religious discrimination."

 

Previously, Defense Department units held charters to lead hundreds of

Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs, which exclude youths who do

not believe in God. Additionally, the Boy Scouts of America requires

troop and pack leaders, in this case government employees, to compel

youth to swear an oath of duty to God. The ACLU of Illinois charged

that the Boy Scouts' policy violates the religious liberty of youth who

wish to participate but do not wish to swear a religious oath, and that

direct government sponsorship of such a program is religious

discrimination.

 

Today's settlement addresses a major portion of a lawsuit first filed in

1999. In that lawsuit, the ACLU of Illinois challenged the use of public

funds by the Chicago Public Schools, the Defense Department and the

Department of Housing and Urban Development to support Boy Scout

troops. The Chicago Public Schools previously entered into a settlement

agreeing to stop their direct sponsorship of Boy Scout troops.

 

Under the terms of today's settlement, the Defense Department has 60

days to issue a statement to U.S. defense facilities and military bases

across the world making clear that Defense officials may not sponsor

Boy Scout organizations. The settlement, however, does not prohibit

off-duty government employees from sponsoring Boy Scout troops on

their own time. The Boy Scouts will still also have access to any military

facilities that are currently made available to other non-governmental

organizations.

 

"It is critical that the Pentagon send this very clear signal to its units

across the globe to ensure that government officials are not engaged in

religious discrimination in their official capacity," said Charles Peters of

the Chicago law firm Schiff Hardin who assisted the ACLU of Illinois in

the lawsuit.

 

The federal court in Chicago still must decide whether the Defense

Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development

can spend millions of taxpayer dollars to support Boy Scout units that

practice religious discrimination and require religious oaths. The ACLU of

Illinois has raised concern, for example, about the Pentagon's

handpicking the Boy Scouts of America - and no other organization - for

the expenditure of an average of $2 million each year to support the

national Boy Scout Jamboree. A decision on this and other issues is

pending.

 

The agreement was presented to U.S. District Court Judge Blanche

Manning. In addition to Peters, Laura Friedel and David Scott of Schiff

Hardin are also assisting the ACLU of Illinois in the case.

 

-------------------

In conjunction with this, Scouting For All is pressing for all other government

agencies that charter discriminatory Boy Scout units (public schools, police

departments, etc) to likewise end their sponsorship of about 8,200 Packs

and Troops (see http://www.scoutingforall.org/packtroop for lists by state)

 

[eisely 13]

Looks like Santa came early for you Merlyn, or is that too religious a reference for you?

 

And the ACLU wonders why it has become the object of such scorn in some parts of the country...

[molscouter 10]

Some parts?(This message has been edited by molscouter)

[Merlyn_LeRoy 72]

Yes, how diabolical for the ACLU to hold the US military to

the constitution and treat everyone equally, regardless of

their religious views. I can see how such a view would be

unpopular with some of the people here.

[BadenP 93]

Man, what a world we live in! This could severely cripple the BSA if military bases stop supporting units with their resources. As a DE the local bases gave us fantastic support for our camporees and other events supplying us with a water tank, help with the district first aid merit badge weekend, and the list goes on and on. The ACLU has got to go and so does their radical agendas(vendettas).

[JimmyD 10]

I agree with BadenP.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Is the USO a government or private group? Just curious

 

BadenP, the way I read it bases can still help out with logistical support to the level they would give any non-govermental organization.

 

 

[nldscout 18]

This agreement has really very minimal impact on scout units on military bases. All it says is that the military will not be the sponsor. On every army base that I know the TRoop is sponsored by a "Friends of Troop XX" organization. The agreement says that the BSA has equal access to facilities that other groups have. So I see this a just a minor thing and really won't affect anything.

[Merlyn_LeRoy 72]

Adam Schwartz told me that about 1,200 BSA units were chartered by the military. There are about 8,200 others chartered by public schools, etc. which will almost certainly be the target of lawsuits if they aren't also dropped.

 

And as far as the "equal access", depending on what military policy you read, all outside organizations on military bases are prohibited from practicing various sorts of discrimination, including religious and racial discrimination. If the military allows the Scouts in, they'll also have to allow e.g. the KKK in. We'll see what happens.

[nldscout 18]

Of those 1200 less than 200 are actually sponsored by the military its self, and most of those are overseas. The Army moved to community based sponsors years ago, so this is nothing at all. Even 8200 schools, most will do the same thing.

 

 

[Merlyn_LeRoy 72]

No, 1,200 units chartered by various military organizations is what the court found during the discovery phase; I agree most of these are probably overseas, and Gregg Shields, the official BSA spokesman, said there were over 400 within the US. So 200 is way too low.

[evmori 11]

Yes, how diabolical for the ACLU to hold the US military to the constitution and treat everyone equally, regardless of their religious views. I can see how such a view would be unpopular with some of the people here.

 

How is not allowing the US military to charter BSA units holding them to the Constitution? Are they allowed to charter Girl Scout units?

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Merlyn_LeRoy 72]

You're still incapable of understanding the first amendment, Ed, so it's pointless to try and explain to you why the Department of Defense (and their literal army of lawyers) decided to not even try to defend scout sponsorship by military bases.

 

And Girl Scouts don't have charter partners, so your second question doesn't apply.(This message has been edited by Merlyn_LeRoy)

[John D 10]

We are an overseas Troop sponsored by the US Embassy. Will this affect us? Maybe I'd better cozy up to our local Mormon church!!!

John D

[Merlyn_LeRoy 72]

US Embassies can't practice religious discrimination either.