WASHINGTON, Feb 22, 2001 (LSN.ca) – Despite winning their case at the U.S. Supreme Court, The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) are continuing to feel pressure over their policy banning homosexual scoutmasters. A recent article by Jon Dougherty of WorldNetDaily (WND) notes that certain chapters of the United Way, and corporations like Levi Strauss, Wells Fargo, and the Knight Ridder news service have banned funding to the Scouts. Nevertheless, the BSA has about 5 million youths and 1.2 million adults actively involved in its programs.
While some religious groups such as various United Churches and Reform Jewish leaders have quit the BSA for the pro-family policy, many others have strengthened their support. WND reports that legislators in three states—Arizona, Georgia and Washington—have introduced measures to prevent public entities from denying funding or free use of public facilities to BSA troops. Moreover, the BSA has the support of U.S. President George W. Bush. During his campaign, Bush voiced support for the Scouts, criticizing a government memo indicating that then-President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore supported a federal effort to sever or restrict ties with the BSA. “I am troubled by this memo appearing to suggest that the Clinton-Gore administration might sever the federal government’s long-standing relationship with the Boy Scouts of America,” Bush said.
At issue is the 91-year-old BSA promise – “to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
For more see the WND story at: https://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?21784