Boy Scout Ryan Andresen Get Eagle Rank Badge Approved Though He is Openly Gay
A Boy Scout troop in California is challenging the national headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America to award an avowed gay scout with Eagle rank despite the organization’s policies prohibiting membership of openly homosexual scouts.
Bonnie Hazarabedian, chairman of the Boy Scout district review board for the northern California town in the Moraga area (near Oakland), says she approved 18-year-old Ryan Andresen’s Eagle rank application and sent it on to headquarters to defy leadership on its stance.
As previously reported, in July of last year, Andresen notified his Boy Scout troop that he was a homosexual, and requested assistance as he was being teased at school. According to the Boy Scouts, Andresen also advised the group that he does not accord with the organization’s Christian faith, although he believes in a “higher power.”
“This scout proactively notified his unit leadership and Eagle Scout counselor that he does not agree to scouting’s principle of ‘duty to God’ and does not meet scouting’s membership standard on sexual orientation,” said Deron Smith, spokesman for the Boy Scouts of America, in a written statement. “Agreeing to do one’s ‘duty to God’ is a part of the scout oath and law and a requirement of achieving the Eagle Scout rank.”The Boy Scouts of America says that it does not prohibit those that struggle with same-sex attraction from becoming members, but rather only bars open homosexuals from the group. Its current policy reads, “While the BSA does not proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA.”
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, who serves on the executive board of the organization, has vowed to overturn the ban on open homosexuality in the Boy Scouts. He is poised to become president in 2014.
Tainted Teachers Report's Take: Can't we say that this was inevitable? While the Boy Scouts of America has been ousted on their hidden agenda to sexually abusing many of their scouts, their own hypocritical policy is being challenged! It is clear that their policy was only a shield to hide behind while they did the very opposite behind closed doors. Of course, young men of the organization would fight to be open after knowing of all of the abuse around them. Also, how can the BSA essentially say they will ban you if you are open about your sexuality but if kept secret, it's o.k.? Wow, a 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in the Boy Scouts of America!
Lord help us all.
Source
0 comments:
Post a Comment