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26 members of congress urge BSA to end their discriminatory policies


Merlyn_LeRoy

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Quick synopsis

 

Pros: 2

Reasons: Don't see it as a problem; why exclude if CO wanted them to be leaders, considers them to be suitable for a leadership position, of good character, etc.,

 

Cons: 2

Majority rules (but 26 were "for" and 409 "abstained."), I'm tired of hearing about it.

 

Made Light of the Issue: 6

Barney Weiner, ZZZZZZ, NOW, torches & axes, mock of congrees, beavers, ...

 

If I was a judge, I say the "pro" vote had better arguments. Does the BSA have the legal right to deny membership to boys who have gay parents? Yes. My question is, "What purpose does it serve?"

 

Just for Merlin: I say admit the gay parents, as long as they are not atheists! :)

(This message has been edited by acco40)

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"Yeah, this is an issue I'm tired of hearing about. Same for "gay rights"."

 

I'm sure a lot of people were tired of hearing about "voting rights" for women by the time the 1920's rolled around. I'm also sure that some folks were tired of hearing about "civil rights" for blacks by the time the 1960's rolled around, too.

 

Like it or not, this change will also come, because that is something we do as Americans. We tend to work for a more level playing field, even if it takes a while.

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I wonder how many of the 26 will be around in 2011. Probably most of them - I doubt a Democrat in a competitive district would sign it.

 

This has been argued for years. This post - "Is the tide turning?" http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=1617#id_1647 - started in June, 2001. That last sentence of the original post reads, : "I'm encouraged that we'll get to where we need to be, whether it takes six months or a year." Needless to say, it has been 8 1/2 years since, and still no change. I wouldn't hold your breath.

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I'm tired of hearing about it too!

 

See now though: I am not predjudiced,racist, biggoted or biased against anybody, their religions or lifestyles. I really don't care about that as much as I care about how they personally treat me. I have friendships with many fine folks from many racial, sexual, and ethnic backgrounds. Their race,sexual persuasion, or ethnicitry is not an issue for me.

 

I do get tired of hearing about why I must stand up and say that being gay is great! Are you gay? Good for you! I don't care one way or the other. If you are or are not gay will not affect my relationship with my family. Being gay isn't contageous. But isnsiting that I bend over backwards and be super supportive of "Gay".... is stupid!

 

I am a heterosexual male. I get up in the morning, drive to work and install garage doors. I come home and eat super with my family,. I go to Cub Scouts where I am an ADL. I like to go fishing and like to just ride in my boat to get away sometimes. I like target shooting too.

 

But I don't go to work heterosexully. I don't install garage doors heterosexually. I don't teach cubs stuff in a heterosexual way.

 

I just install garage doors. Thats all. I just drive. I just teach cubs - cub stuff, I fish in ways that helps me catch more fish if I'm lucky.

 

It's not about being gay or not being gay. It's not about being heterosexual or not being heterosexual.

 

So... My point is... I could care less about wether anybody is gay or not. But just don't make every non sexual thing a gay thing! There isn't heterosexual, single, married or divorced Scouting.

 

It's just Scouting.Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts. BSA.

 

So why try to make "GAY SCOUTING" ?

 

So yeah, I'm tired of hearing about gay this, or gay that. I don't make every coversation I have include or reference being straight,( "Tonight, we call to order the Straight pack 555 meeting") so why must I accept a bunch of conversations about being gay? Let the subject of cars, planes, camping, work, taxes, water , computers,food, or whatever it is about,. be just that...about that - and not being gay or not being gay.

 

I like having heterosexual; sex with my wife. But I leave that at home. I do not bring it up in scouting, at work or at public displays, memorials or even in parades.

 

My work life is for work. My sex life is for home. And when I'm scouting... I try to keep it pertinent to scouting, and not my personal sexual views or political views.

 

I do not demand that non fishermen should start supporting fishing.

 

I do not demand that non scouters should recognize scouting.

 

I do not demand that non NASCAR fans start publicly recognizing racefans lifestyles.

 

I do not demand that gays support my life style or constantly stand up and pat me on the back.

 

So why should I be expected to stand up and give extra special recognition and support to one group, when I don't give it to any other or expect it myself?

 

Be who you are. Live it, do it, immerse yourself in it. But don't make everything in the world all about it!

 

 

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You, scoutfish, are lucky. You don't need to make a big deal about your sexuality because society has given you the "thumbs up." Nor, presumably, do others (who may not even know you) make a big deal about your (presumed) sexuality.

 

You are probably not denied basic services or dignities or rights (marriage, access to health care via your significant other's insurance plan, custodial rights, etc) on the basis of your sexual identity. You are probably not called derogatory names on the basis of your sexual identity. You are able to participate as an ADL in your son's cub scout experience expressly BECAUSE OF your sexuality, yet you don't have to defend yourself in order to do that. You don't need to worry about whether your son's friends' parents will allow their children to play with your son after school, based on your sexual identity. You have probably never had to worry about being assaulted or worse, killed, because of your sexual identity.

 

Yup, you can live your life without having your sexuality define who you are in the eyes of other people. You are lucky.

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I am lucky, but not because of why you think.

I am lucky because I know that life isn't all about me. Other peoples lives are not about me. I do not feel like, want, or need other peole to stand up and HAVE to approve my life.

 

When I talk about my son...I do not talk about My straight self, taking my straight son to a straight Cub Scout straight family pack campou with other straight families.

 

I just take my son to the campout. I do not feel the need to make it straight, gay, athiest, Wican, Hindu or anything else other than what it uis: A campout.

 

I had worked side by side with a pewrson who was gay for two years. I was told by my boss that the guy was gay. I didn't care,. The guy thought he was being secret from me and acted just like everybody else.

 

Then afyet about a year and a half, when he found out I knew he was gay, he had to bring gay into every signle conversation.

 

I pretty much told him it was getting old. Then he started acting indignant about it. I told his to stop with the crap. I knew he was gay from day one and did not have a problem until he turned the most ordinary things intop gay topics. I mean come on, are there really fried eggs and gay fried eggs?

 

I asked him if he happened to notice tnat I didn't ever make a point of stressing heterosexualness in everything I talked about. You know,. most things are not even sexual in nature. Cooking potaoes, baking chicken, funny commercials , taxes, new fishing laws, cost of a gallon of gas, etc... nothing gay, straight or other wise about it.

 

My point is this: I do not shove my sexuality down anybody's face. I do not demand that they not only recognize my sexuality, but must approve it too!

 

I leave my sexuality out of 99.99 % of everything I do. I do not drive straight, I do not work straight, I do not swim straight or shower straight. I just drive, work, swim and shower.

 

I do not shove my personal ideas, thougfhts or opinions in your face. You don't shove yours in mine. So why is it okay for gays to do it?

 

Why not have a straight people parade? Why not an athiest parade? Why not a have a weiner dog lover's parde?

 

I'll tell you why: Because we don't care if you like it or not, We don't demand that you recognize it.

 

Let me put it thuis way: How many people were gay, that you had no idea about until they abnnouced it? Did they suddenly turn gay when they announced it? NOPE!

 

Now, I'm not saying anybody should have to hide it, but you don't have to stand up in the middle of a crowd and then demand that they love it either! Just go about your buisness and keep it your buisness. Just like I do.

 

And truth be told..how do you know I'm not gay? Just because I didn't tell everybody and make a big deal out of what should be personal?

 

 

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