RememberSchiff 3688 Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 "Marblehead (Mass) Pack 79 has created its own policy in response to the Boy Scouts of Americas announcement that it will continue to not allow openly gay people to participate." From their website http://pack79mhd.scoutlander.com/publicsite/unitcustom.aspx?UID=5990&CUSTOMID=55066 "Pack 79 recognizes the benefits of scouting for all boys and their families. We openly reject the national policy put forth by Boy Scouts of America barring gay boys from membership and gay or lesbian adults from serving as leaders. We believe that Scouting builds character and enforces important values including citizenship, compassion, cooperation, courage, faith, health and fitness, honesty, perseverance, positive attitude, resourcefulness, respect, responsibility, tolerance and acceptance. As an organization, Pack 79 will provide membership to all boys and parents in the Marblehead community without regard to sexual orientation. Were realistic in that the actions were taking may not have any real impact on the national BSA policy, said Jack Schecter, Pack 79 cub master. But whats important to us is that our community knows we dont stand behind that (BSA) policy and that we wont implement it. news link http://www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/topstories/x1789229316/Separating-from-the-pack-Marblehead-Scouts-take-stand-against-discrimination#axzz24WPh7ZIp(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff) Link to post Share on other sites
SeattlePioneer 144 Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Well, they are clearly inviting the council to pull their charter. I suppose we will read about how shocked they are when that happens. No mention of the Chartered Organization. They might choose to clean house too. Time will tell. Link to post Share on other sites
Papadaddy 121 Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 And their charter hasn't been revoked yet? Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle732 27 Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 ...the longest continuously operating scout unit in Marblehead, Cub Scout Pack 79 traces its origins back to 1937, when it was first sponsored by the Glover School PTA before transitioning to its current sponsor, the Clifton Lutheran Church." Read more: LETTER: Local Scouts reject policy - Marblehead, MA - Marblehead Reporter http://www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/newsnow/x1789229318/LETTER-Local-Scouts-reject-policy#ixzz24Yjn3BZx They have a nice website. Interesting that a Pack website has the Boy Scout Law prominently displayed.(This message has been edited by Eagle732) Link to post Share on other sites
Papadaddy 121 Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Maybe other units should follow suit...what are they going to do, revoke ALL the charters? Start a movement...civil disobedience. Link to post Share on other sites
Peregrinator 85 Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Why would one want to belong to a voluntary, private organization whose national policies one openly rejects? Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle732 27 Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 I guess we get to pick and choose the rules we follow. Pack 79 decides they don't like BSA's policy on adult eligibility so they just blatantly disregard the policy. They even go as far as to publish it on their website and let the local newspaper in on it. Pack 121 from Columbia, MO decides they don't like the boys only policy in Cubs so they use (or abuse) the Learning for Life program to do an end run around the rules. http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2012/01/16/hispanic-cub-scout-pack-comes-columbia/ I enjoy hunting, many of the boys in my troop do too. Maybe I should disregard BSA's policy on that. Yea, we'll just call it a "non-official BSA trip". Or maybe I set the example by following the rules. "Boys may not always do what you say but they always do what you do" We set the example. If you don't like the rules either work to change them or leave. Link to post Share on other sites
NJCubScouter 1389 Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Chances are that the CO of this pack will have their charter threatened if they don't change their local policy, and I suspect that if they don't change, the council or national will make good on their threat. That will also happen the next five times this happens... the next ten times... but what if this happens 100 times? 1,000 times? At what point would National say, this is not sustainable, and we have to let the units make this decision for themselves? As Seattle says, time will tell. Link to post Share on other sites
T2Eagle 902 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 You know, if one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and they won't take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them. And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. They may think it's an organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day,I said fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. And friends they may thinks it's a movement. Link to post Share on other sites
Basementdweller 608 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Hey Eagle that Pack in Missouri is Learning for life and it is ok to be coed.....matter of fact gays and atheist are welcomed as well. Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle732 27 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 "but what if this happens 100 times? 1,000 times? At what point would National say this is not sustainable, and we have to let the units make this decision for themselves? " BSA would do the same thing they did about those couple of Eagle Scouts that sent their medals back, nothing. BSA gets to set the rules, if someone doesn't agree with them then they can leave. There are other scouting like organizations such as Scouting for All or SpiralScouts that accept those that BSA won't. (This message has been edited by Eagle732) Link to post Share on other sites
rismith 10 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Yes, as adults, we often get to pick and choose rules. In scouts we already have names for people who think they are the arbiters of BSA policy - patch nazis. If BSA national wants to bring down the hammer, that's up to them. Otherwise, more power to them. Link to post Share on other sites
NJCubScouter 1389 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Eagle732 says: "but what if this happens 100 times? 1,000 times? At what point would National say this is not sustainable, and we have to let the units make this decision for themselves? " BSA would do the same thing they did about those couple of Eagle Scouts that sent their medals back, nothing. Really? You don't see a difference, from the BSA's perspective, between a few people sending back some medals and 1,000 units giving up their charters? What if it became 10 percent of all units in the country? 20 percent? 30 percent? I think the BSA knows the difference. Eagledad understands, in other threads he keeps talking about how it's a matter of the BSA's survival, though he's only talking about one side of the coin. He thinks changing the policy is a threat to the BSA's survival. But this coin has two sides, and I'm talking about the other side. Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle732 27 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I don't think the example I want to set for my scouts is of one who chooses what rules to follow and which ones to ignore. I would rather them learn to follow the rules and work in a positive way to change the ones they think are wrong. Example: We have a facility about a mile from our meeting place that has lake for swimming, cabins for camping and other outdoor facilities. This place was even featured on the inside back cover of the May/June Scouting magazine with a picture of their kayak slide. http://digital.scouting.org/scoutingmagazine/mayjun2010/resources/56.htm My council currently will not approve a tour plan for any unit to visit there siting unspecified "Safety" reasons. I've been there several times, heck I drive past the place almost every day, but we (my troop) don't go there. That's the rule. I'm challenging it with council but until the rule changes we don't go. How can we teach scouts citizenship on one hand and then show them they don't need to follow the rules. I don't agree with what Pack 79 is doing for the reasons stated but I'm not telling them what to do, I'm just that they set a bad example for their scouts. If that makes me a "patch nazi" then so be it.(This message has been edited by Eagle732) Link to post Share on other sites
Twocubdad 665 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 If they're smart they'll ignore it. Just let it be. And if the pack is smart, when they accept a gay member, they'll keep their mouths shut too. If national's policy is effectively don't ask, don't tell, then if the potential members "don't tell" and the pack just submits the application with out making an issue, then national is in the dark and everyone gets along. But no. No one can mind their own business and go about living their lives. Everyone has to rub everyone else's nose in it. Frankly, I've reached the point of exhaustion on this issue. I really don't care anymore. Link to post Share on other sites
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