Chelsea Kaplan’s Musings About Life... After Birth

Except the Boy Scouts aren’t violent in their beliefs like the KKK or Neo-Nazis are. The Boy Scouts prohibit certain lifestyles from joining their private institution, much the same way certain religions do not condone divorce or putting milk and hamburger in the same fridge.<BR>If you don’t like it, don’t join.

I completely agree with Jane. You sound like such a freak. Enough with your annoying political views. Leave the Boy Scouts alone. So what if they don’t want homosexuals in their organization. Get over it.

Do the girl scouts have a similar stance on homosexuality in regards to their membership?

“So what if they don’t want homosexuals in their organization”??? Are you KIDDING? That’s not exactly an attitude that I have a “so what” response to. It’s that kind of attitude that is freakish.

when I first read your statement likening the scouts to those other terrible organizations, I was like, “wait a minute!”. When I think about it, though, I get the bigger point: They all involve spreading a really hateful message, even though some are a lot more dramatic in doing so than others. No boy scouts for us!

i would not be comfortable sending my son or grandson to be a boyscout without the conformation that there would be no “openly homosexual” leaders. young children are very vulnerable and are followers. this would be a very unnatural influence on them. if a homosexual wants to be a leader of young men then he should be willing to conform to the natural dress and actions of men. they are supposed to teach the boys how to preserve their lives in the wild and teach them values of honesty and bravery and i say thumbs down to the city of philadelphia for kicking the boy scouts out after all these years because of some perverts. and thank god the boy scouts still have people with some common sense to resist the pc liberals that are trying to tear down everything in our country that still stands for moral values

I am sorry Chelsea. I totally disagree. The Scouts was based on a religious foundation. You start taking away things like homosexualality, then what is next? Adultry? Murder? Theivery? All are based on biblical principals and laws. I am an atheist and I can see the conflict in your statements.

I have been following these comments since you posted this and haven’t commented until now, but this last comment made me have to! I am a Christina and believe 100% that anyone who uses Christianity or the Bible to justify homophobia is exactly the kind of person who gives “Christians” a bad name. Yes, the 10 Commandments outlaws things like Adultery, Stealing and Murder, but no where does it outlaw homosexuality. I don;t know whatthe heck “Tripp” thinks he’she is talking about, but homosexuality - at least in the Bible - is in no way considered like those other sins to God. To liken them Biblically is just flat out inaccurate. Besides, while murder, stealing and adultery hurt others, homosexuality, in my opinion, in in a different league. How does someone else being gay hurt me? ALl of this hate makes me really, really sad.

oops - I mean to say “I am a Christian” (I am Paula, not Christina…!)

right on!!! I couldnt agree more with you!

Did the boy scouts say you can not be gay?  No, they just do not want it to be an open discussion, so ask members to not be openly gay.  The homosexual population wants to cry victim any chance they can.  Pick your battles.  There are some serious discriminations, but when it comes to boy scouts, why are we even worried about discussing sexual preference. Rather you are gay, straight or have some sick sheep fetish.  Leave that discussion out of boy scouts. This is a program geared to elementary school students.  Don’t worry them with heterosexual, homosexual issues.  They are going to be who they are.  I applaud the boy scouts for sticking to there guns, and not letting these poor victims force there insecure reasoning to push this issue to this point.  I have been to a few gay pride fest and understand fully why children do not need to be involved in this controversy.  Lets fine something else to whine about… Like why cant boys join Girl Scouts.  Girls can join Boy Scouts.  And just because you don’t want discuss sexual preference in a children’s organization, does not mean you hate gays.

I just find it strange, Chelsea, that you make snarky comments like “I’m leaving the above comment up because I believe everyone has a right to their opinions, regardless of how bigoted, small-minded or downright disgusting they are” when that statement right there indicates how small-minded and bigoted you are against people who disagree with you.  Remember, you made the post, you asked for comments.  Now you should be prepared to deal with whatever people might say, no matter what they think.<BR><BR>Just a thought.

Anyone who refers to gay people as “perverts” IS disgusting. I agree with what Chelsea said: that opinion is downright disgusting, even though the person (sadly) has a right to say it. Scary that she is someone’s grandmother at least I am assuming that by her screenname).

Do we call all Catholic priests perverts? No, despite the fact that there are countless more reports of them abusing young boys than the general population of homosexual males…..who are all these idiots reading your blog, Chelsea?

Wow! Did you do any research before posting this? It appears you just read an article about Philadelphia’s law and absent-mindedly agreed with it. “I’m sure the Boy Scouts stand for and teach all sorts of cool values and skills” - Why not find out what those are before you write an editorial. Shouldn’t you have info from both sides? Your opinion would mean more.

The problem for me is not a preference for heterosexuality - it’s the thinking that 9-12 year old kids should be made aware of their leader’s sexuality. I know that I wouldn’t want a hetero waving nude girl photos and telling them how much he loves women - there should be no mention of sexuality involved. <BR>As for girl scouts… the same thing. As long as the whole thing isn’t blatantly sexualised (inappropriate for children, like it or not), then okay - maybe girl scouts could do something more scout-like than applying make-up, in that case, which is all they did when I was a kid. (Literally, there were courses on the proper application of make-up.)<BR>Whatever happens, it’s supposed to be fun for the kids, and not make them uncomfortable or feel awkward around someone they’re supposed to follow - the institution was not formed to allow citizens to make political or personal opinion statements, it was made as a way for kids to learn life skills and have fun.<BR>And Chelsea, with the snarky comments after allowing a comment section - will you teach your kids manners or will they teach you?

Chelsea, I applaud you for teaching your son that it is not okay to hate.  For the people who disagree with Chelsea - i would ask you this:  What if the Boy Scouts didn’t allow anyone who was “openly” Jewish?  Would that be okay?  I mean, if they are Christian, when why do they allow other religions in their organization?  I plan to make sure that my son understands that in our family we don’t hate or preach intolerance on any one group, like gay people, muslims, etc.

I have an 8 year old son and there is no way I would let him join the Boy Scouts.  He and I have talked about it and I’ve explained that I don’t want him to be a member of a group that practices discrimination. I want my son to grow up in an INCLUSIVE environment, not an exclusive and hate-filled one.<BR><BR>Also, my best-friend is a gay man and he has been a wonderful influence on my son.  He has not inspired my son to be gay (I don’t think that homosexuality is a learned trait, anyway.  You’re either born gay or you’re not.) and he hasn’t negatively effected my son in any way.  In fact, he has brought an endless amount of love and joy to our lives and I think my son is far better off with him in his life. <BR><BR>Boo to the Boy Scouts!  Boo!  Nobody should have to hide who they are in order to be accepted.

wow.  I have never posted a comment before, but I feel that everyone has missed the point of this decision made by the Boy Scout organization.  It was not made to discriminate or to promote hate.  It was simply made to protect.  No, of course, I am not saying that all homosexuals are predators, but I - as a mother of a young boy scout - would feel uncomfortable with a homosexual spending the night alone in a tent with my son.  Just as I would not want a heterosexual man leading my daughter’s girl scout group.  It has been proven that men commit the majority of sexual abuse crimes and therefore I think it only wise to be as cautious as we can when it comes to placing our children in situations. This does not make me a bigot - and I don’t believe the Boy Scouts are making a sweeping condemnation of homosexuals or lifestyles or anything else.  I think they are (after several lawsuits, mind you) just trying to protect the children that are placed in their care.

I don’t agree with your statement likening the Boy Scouts to neo-nazis or the KKK, but I do agree with your point- that the Boy Scouts are discriminating and have no place in a public building.  As a Girl Scout leader, I’m not sure of our policy, to be honest.  <BR><BR>In response to Josephine’s comment: No, a leader should never be discussing their sex life with a child.  But I can bring my boyfriend to the troop picnic- why should a gay couple be unable to do the same?<BR><BR>Why are these parents scared of openly gay men, but not closeted gay men?  I wouldn’t let any stranger sleep “alone” with my child, and it certainly doesn’t happen in my troop.

I promise to do my best, To do my duty to God and my country, To help other people, and To obey the Law of the Pack.<BR><BR>This is what is repeated by 6-10 year olds in 1st - 5th grade.  We teach boys not to bully, to help all children, whether they are the school athlete or in a wheelchair.  I understand not wanting to belong to something that promotes hate or discrimination.  I’m wondering if they just don’t want the kind of men that parade nude promoting their sexuality and make it on the local news?  Hey, that’s my scout leader!  We are trying to bring our children up the way Jesus would want us to.  He also preached not to cast pearls to pigs.  If we believe certain things in this world to be something we want to keep our kids from being exposed to at 6-10 years old then we have the right to.  I think people should build homes for the poor (Habit for Humanity), feed the homeless (Food Banks), help in emergencies (Katrina, tornados, floods), tend to the sick (Hospitals).  These and many more things are taught as community services.  As a boy gets older 11-18 he becomes more and more involved with the community.  Please try to remember the good things in people and not compare them to Nazi’s or KKK.  If you want to do good for your community without joining scouts then bravo to you.  Boy scouts are not violent and are not perfect either.

How about a fourth option? Perhaps open a dialogue with the leaders of the BSA about what faith in a diety means to the institution, NS0-153  as opposed to what it means to the individual. I would have loved to have my son be in the scouts – my brothers were Eagle Scouts – but because of religious bias and sexual orientation bias, 642-971 I declined. So have many other parents I know.

  Perhaps he could accept the honor as a way to open the door to that discussion…70-647 it’s no different from a politician who refuses to sign a declaration of (name your minority group or cause) day, even though every predecessor has signed such a declaration for the past umpteen years, because it goes against his or her personal beliefs.

I feel the organization’s ridiculously small-minded beliefs trump all its good ones, however, and I don’t want my son or family to be affiliated with such an unapologetically prejudiced institution.

I think their policies regarding homosexuality, however, are nauseating. Whether you believe homosexuality is fine or reprehensible

get the bigger point: They all involve spreading a really hateful message, even though some are a lot more dramatic in doing so than others.

I think about it, though, I get the bigger point: They all involve spreading a really hateful message, even though some are a lot more dramatic in doing so than others.