Obama, thanks but no thanks to Boy Scouts?
Activist Groups Urge Obama to Reject Boy Scout Honor
Critics, outraged that the Boy Scouts of America are allowed to exclude gays and atheists while receiving federal funding, want the president to reject the title of honorary president of the Scouts.
President Obama says he wants to be president of all the people. But some groups are urging him to make an exception for the Boy Scouts of America.
Critics of the Scouts who are outraged that the group is allowed to exclude gays and atheists while receiving federal funding are urging Obama to reject the group’s honorary presidency, a designation bestowed on every U.S. president since William Howard Taft in 1910.
“I’m hoping and praying he turns down the honorary presidency,” said Howard Menzer, president of Scouting for All, which advocates for inclusion of gays into the Boy Scouts.
“No way should he be involved with a discriminatory group. That would be the best thing that could happen if he said, ‘You discriminate too much for me. I can’t be your honorary president.’ I think that might begin to change a few things.”
In 2000, the Supreme Court ruled that the Scouts can bar homosexuals from being troop leaders.
Because of the Boy Scouts’ exclusionary practices, some public schools across the country tried to limit or end their ties with the organization. But in 2001 the federal government ordered public schools to keep their doors open to the Scouts. And Congress, responding to the threat of campus lockouts, voted to cut federal funding to any school that banned the Scouts or any similar group from “open forum” access.
Taxpayers also fund Boy Scout activities with several millions of dollars through military personnel, federal land use and other assistance. Taxpayers doled out roughly $8 million for the 2005 Jamboree, held every four years.</em>
Great, more homo hatred that I get to pay for. Whatta great country. Of course Obama should accept the honorary presidency of the Scouts- and then cut off any federal funding. They are a hate group, after all. If they were discriminating against blacks, Jews or Christians, they wouldn’t get a dime, so why are gays and atheists fair game?