LETTER: Represent both sides of issue

Dear Editor, Is belonging to Boy Scouts of America a right or a privilege? In regard to Wednesday’s article titled “Father and son speak for acceptance in Scouting,” it behooves a university newspaper to give fair coverage of both sides of an issue. At least the paper could point the reader to BSA’s position on the issue. It is available on the Web at www.scouting.org/excomm/60minutes/60minutes.html. Here are a few quotes from the statement: “Boy Scouting makes no effort to discover the sexual orientation of any person. Scouting’s message is, however, compromised when prospective leaders of youth present themselves as role models inconsistent with BSA standards.” “We believe an avowed homosexual is not a role model for the traditional moral values espoused in the Scout Oath and Law, and homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the values we wish to instill.” “Over the past few years, critics have singled out the Boy Scouts of America, accusing the Scouting movement of discriminating against those who do not subscribe to the values and ideals of the BSA. The critics demand that the BSA reduce its standards in the name of diversity and tolerance so that Scouting is accessible to those who do not share Scouting’s values.” “Those who oppose the BSA’s membership standards have tried to claim that the BSA is being intolerant and discriminatory. Quite the opposite is true. It is the BSA’s critics who are intolerant of the BSA’s values and seek to reduce diversity by having the BSA’s standards eliminated. Fortunately, the Constitution protects the BSA’s right to pursue its mission.” “Adversaries of the BSA feel that everyone should be allowed to participate in Scouting activities. The BSA is a values-based education organization.” Groups such as Scouting for All try to persuade the public by trying to get them to believe false statements about the BSA such as: “The Boy Scouts of America is homophobic.” See www.scouting.org/excomm/values/fact.html for accurate information about inaccurate and inflammatory statements such as these.

Joel Duffin