Dear Prudie suggests to Philanthropicky that she should refrain from telling her friends WHY she won't support their charity, in particular, the Boy Scouts....because of their homophobia. Prudie's irresponsible advice is well designed to perpetuate social ills. One of the things that we learned during the Civil Rights struggle in this country is the power of telling friends and family that their bigotry is offensive to you. This was one of the most powerful tools used to bring about change in our society-- to let "every day folks" know from someone in their own lives that their racism was no longer to be tolerated. Today, while our nation still shows its racism regularly, we HAVE come a long way.

I'm not talking about brow beating or attacking your friends and neighbors (which isn't particulary effective). I'm talking about being clear you find bigotry offensive. It gets people to thinking. By keeping your mouth shut, you passively encourage bigotry. By letting your friends know that bigotry is unacceptable to you, you give them an opportunity to clean up their act and become part of a better community and nation.

My thinking is if they are a good friend, they know your stance on issues such as this. However, if you constantly feel the need to get on your soap box about every issue you feel important, you may find yourself without any friends. Its up to you to decide which is more important to you. However, we all need to learn how and when to pick our battles and know when defending a cause is also not putting down others.

That's a good point. Also, if don't tell them why, they will just start hitting you up earlier next year and you'll be forced to tell them. There's nothing wrong with telling a friend that even though you're glad they're getting out there and supporting a cause, it's not your cause so you don't want to support.

I don't think 'homophobia' has much to do with it. More like they would like for boy scouting to remain popular. How many boys' parents would enroll their son in a homosexual led scout troop? Considering boy scouts go on overnight camping trips, among other excursions, I don't think many parents would allow their sons to join with homosexual scout leaders. Boy scout decision makers have thought about this before making their decision to be heterosexual in nature. I doubt an individual scout mother would have much input in scout policies so going into a tirade about 'why' you refuse to buy boy scout items to help the troop would be a waste of time for both people. Must homosexuals join the boy scouts to go camping? NO, they can camp whenever they have the time & inclination to go camping. People who don't object to sending their sons camping with homosexuals can do that, except that it won't be boy scout camping.

:o)

I couldn't agree with this person more. I was a scout, and loved it. Someday, if ever I have a son, I hope he becomes a scout as well. For all those opposed to the Boy Scout's position on homosexuals as Scout Leaders, have we learned nothing from the Catholic church and their pedophile priests problem? I guarantee you that if the Boy Scouts allowed openly gay men to be scout leaders, it would only be a matter of time before we start reading headlines about sexual abuse by those so - called leaders. If Philanthropicky wants to have gay men camping with boys, let her form her own organization, and let us see how many parents enroll their sons.

sfmom:

Dear Prudie suggests to Philanthropicky that she should refrain from telling her friends WHY she won't support their charity, in particular, the Boy Scouts....because of their homophobia. Prudie's irresponsible advice is well designed to perpetuate social ills. One of the things that we learned during the Civil Rights struggle in this country is the power of telling friends and family that their bigotry is offensive to you. This was one of the most powerful tools used to bring about change in our society-- to let "every day folks" know from someone in their own lives that their racism was no longer to be tolerated. Today, while our nation still shows its racism regularly, we HAVE come a long way.

I'm not talking about brow beating or attacking your friends and neighbors (which isn't particulary effective). I'm talking about being clear you find bigotry offensive. It gets people to thinking. By keeping your mouth shut, you passively encourage bigotry. By letting your friends know that bigotry is unacceptable to you, you give them an opportunity to clean up their act and become part of a better community and nation.

I totally agree.

Cooltruth, that's really lame. Homophobia has everything to do with it. The BSA is promoting the idea that homosexuals are perverts. This is ridiculous in the extreme. Oh, sure, you can go camping with a "manly" man. Then, you get into the activities, to "toughen the kids up." You know, take it like a man, boys don't cry, etc. In other words, hazing.

By the way, you say that the BSA doesn't descriminate. Well, an ex-boyfriend of mine, when he was young, wanted to join the Boy Scouts. He wasn't allowed to, because he was Protestant.

You know, there are straight men who rape young children, boys and girls, every day. Most of these men work with or for volunteer for organizations who work with youth. Sound familiar?

See my previous post for more.

bibliotek:

You know, there are straight men who rape young children, boys and girls, every day. Most of these men work with or for volunteer for organizations who work with youth. Sound familiar?

See my previous post for more.

Ummmm yeah..... But a straight man is less likley to molest a boy in the troop on an overnight camping trip. I wouldn't want my daughter going on an overnight camping trip with a straight male counselor either.

Common sense.

What are you going to pop out with next? I know!

"Separate, but equal."

How does that sound to you? Good? Glad to hear it. There are millions of black South Africans that have heard that for generations. I'm sure they agree with you. No? Gee, I wonder why?

It seems that everyone's little bigotries are popping to the surface this week. The LW wasn't even talking about the Scouts per se, just that he/she felt that the organizations that he/she donates to are nobody else's business.

Actually the very essence of homophobia is thinking that just because someone is gay makes them a pervert who wants to rape little boys.
There's a big difference between being gay - which means you are an adult attracted to sexual/romantic relationships with other adults of the same sex.
Being a pedophile means you want to rape children.
I have read that most pedophile males who prey on little don't identify themselves as homosexuals - they identify themselves as people who want to rape little boys.
Just sayin'

A straight man less likely to molest in a public place? You'd like to think so, huh? Maybe you'd like to talk to the thousands of boys (and girls) who were raped by Catholic priests, essentially out in the open. So much for common sense.

As a mother of a Boy Scout, and a former Cub Scout leader, I am sick and tired of the "homophobia" rant about scouting. Scouting does not "discriminate" against anyone. However, they do not believe homosexuality to be consistent with a moral lifestyle. If you want to start an organization for boys where you condone homosexuality, knock yourself out. I, for one, do not think that homosexual men would be more or less likely to molest boys, I simply don't want my son to adopt the philosophy that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle for him. I teach him to be tolerant of other's lifestyles, but it is not something our family believes is an acceptable form of sexuality.

As for the poster who said something about not being able to join scouting b/c of being Protestant, try again. The Latter Day Saints do have their own special program in scouting. For that reason, only those people of that religious belief enroll their boys in that particular type of scouting. Our family is not LDS, and so my son joined a more generic type of troop. The BSA PROMOTES diversity in religion. In fact there are awards from Cub Scouts on up that focus on different religions, denominations, etc. and you are encouraged to pursue your own religion's particular religious medal. This varies from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Bnai, etc., etc. It is strictly up to you. That being said, the "sponsoring" organization of a pack or troop oftentimes is a church. Many times the members of the troop are comprised of members of the church. However, there are plenty of non-religious sponsored troops if you don't want to associate with members of a particular faith.

If you want to start an organization for boys where you condone homosexuality, knock yourself out.

And if you want to start an organization that condones pedophilia, knock yourself out. Or save yourself the trouble and join the Catholic church.

And if you really want to have your purely private organization that can practice all the homophobia it wants, fine. But please don't ask for special terms for the use of public buildings and facilities, and PLEASE don't try to play the victims when you discover that you can't have your cakeful of hate and eat it too.

Will somebody please PLEASE put to rest this homosexuals=child molesters debate to bed already? Surely those of you that feel this way have some EVIDENCE to back this up? A study, a bible passage, something? Anything?