I am an Eagle Scout. A part of what makes me proud of the achievement is the knowledge that what I had to do was based on a strict set of criteria that was fairly applied to everyone. Anyone who attained their merit badges and performed their duties were held to the same standards. It does not matter when someone completed their task or where. I know that any Eagle Scout I meet has accomplished exactly what I have. I accept an individual based on their behavior and accomplishments. As long as they adhere to the Boy Scout Creed and 12 values I will welcome them. Being Fair and Kind are my guides.

BSA excludes gays on the basis that the presence of gays in BSA will interfere with an expressed message regarding sexuality. Yet BSA has no expressed message regarding sexuality. A recent press release states "Scouting believes same-sex attraction should be introduced and discussed outside of its program".

BSA cannot claim protection for an expression that it never expresses! The 2000 Supreme Court decision is based on the fact that BSA has a message regarding sexuality. If BSA's current policy is to have no message regarding sexuality, the basis for the 2000 is removed and BSA has no legal basis to exclude gays.

I think George has a great point: your sexual preference doesn't matter, what matters is your actions.

I'm an Eagle and earned my rank through hard work and dedication. BSA never endoctrinated me with discrimination toward anyone. While there were mandatory videos about sexual education and abuse and drug abuse, there were never any presentations or propaganda that instructed told me to discriminate against anyone and there certainly were no badges for it either. In light of recent events, I stated to my wife and some gay friends that I was going to return my badge to the national headquarters after I revoked my National Eagle Scout Association membership and asked the local Council to remove me from mailings for events and solicitations. It was and is a very difficult decision to make to disassociate myself from an organization that has helped me to become who I am. What make it more difficult is eventually telling my now five year old son that we are not going to allow him to be a Boy Scout because we don't want to associate ourselves with discrimination; he constantly talks about being a Boy Scout when he's older because we also have a nine year old Girl Scout and he knows of my being a Boy Scout. In researching the return of my badge, I found the website scoutingforall.org. They have suggested that men retain their badges since they were earned in earnest. However, they also stated that if men were intent on returning them in protest of recent events, they would be glad to take them and retain them until the current policies change. I hope some policy chages are made.

beautifully written peter & george!! :)
i was feeling, what you both shared... ty!

As a former scout(nearly made Eagle) and a long tme supporter of the rights of all, I am appalled at the BSA to exclude anyone from the program. That being said, there has and continues to be a high moral expectation by the admistrators of the program. They should live up to their own training and accept ALL young men who want to learn the skills of Scouting. Perhaps they should police their own ranks and rout out pediphiles amongst their leadership and support the rights of all 11 year old kids to share in the comradery, trust and values and not ignore that own leadership values because of their inherant homophobia.

Most chapters around the Plymouth area I imagine do not support the BSA's policy of no gay scouts or scout leaders- yet they are part of the larger organization. I remember going to Bowdoin College in the 50's where the fraternities were "white Christian". Even though this policy was not supported by the College, it was accepted passsively. A difficult situation to think through. My decision at the time was to lead my fraternity out of the national association.
Here's where the rubber may hit the road: the boy scouts are given the right to use various school properties, for a fee, I assume, the same as the girl scouts, putting the Town of Plymouth in the business of supporting a local group that is part of a no-gays national group. I'm not sure that is legal, but it is an interesting dilemma.
Remember, as long as gay scouts and gay and lesbian scout leaders are willing to lie and hide their identity, they can participate. That's what they are teaching all scouts by default, non?