[21025] in APO-L
[APO-L] BSA and APO
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Joshua Michaelis)
Sun Jul 23 03:18:58 2000
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Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2000 02:07:35 CDT
Reply-To: Joshua Michaelis <findjosh@HOTMAIL.COM>
From: Joshua Michaelis <findjosh@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
I just wanted to say as a former scout, and as an American I am disgusted
by the discrimination and intolerance of BSA. But, I am not sure that
severing all ties with BSA is the answer. I believe what really needs done
is for APO to issue a statement regarding are nondiscrimination policies.
The reason I believe this is so important is because of what our purpose
says. For those who may have forgotten it reads,
"The purpose of this Fraternity shall be to assemble college students in
a National Service Fraternity in the fellowship of principles derived from
the Scout Oath and Law of the Boy Scouts of America; to develop Leadership,
to promote Friendship and to provide Service to humanity; and to further
freedom that is our national, educational and intellectual heritage."
Our purpose states that we are derived from the principles of the Scout Oath
and Law. The problem starts when we realize that according to BSA if you
are homosexual you are not morally straight a direct violation of the Scout
Law. BSA stated in a press release on 6/28/2000
(http://bsa.scouting.org/press/000628/index.html) that, "We believe an
avowed homosexual is not a role model for the values espoused in the Scout
Oath and Law," and "Scouting's message is compromised when prospective
leaders present themselves as role models inconsistent with Boy Scouting's
understanding of the Scout Oath and Law." BSA also previously stated in 1991
that, We believe that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the
requirement in the Scout Oath that a Scout be morally straight and in the
Scout Law that a Scout be clean in word and deed, and that homosexuals do
not provide a desirable role model for Scouts.
(http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/99-699.ZD.html)
The question is, "Why does this matter?" The answer is because at every
meeting we get up and recite our purpose in order to remind us why we are
all there. Well, if we followed our purpose we would be living by the scout
law, and according to BSA, the author of the Scout Law, if you are gay you
are not living by the Scout Law.
This is why we need to make a statement that we will not tolerate the
kind of discrimination that BSA promotes, and that we interpret the Scout
Law differently. I would hope that APO's board would have the courage to do
it on their own, but if not the members of APO will bring it to the
convention. This is an important issue and if you believe that BSA's
discrimination is wrong then there is no reason why you can't support a
resolution restating our nondiscrimination policy for everyone to know.
I have also heard some people state that if we do this where does it
stop? The answer to that is that it does not matter. If you see something
wrong, something that needs fixed you do not just ignore it because you are
afraid that down the line there will be something else that comes up. You
take a stand for what you believe in and only then can you look at yourself
knowing you did what was right, and didn't just ignore it.
In Brotherhood,
Joshua Michaelis
Gamma Rho
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