Patch Poll: Boy Scouts Allow Gay Leaders?
The Boy Scouts of America may reconsider its ban on allowing openly gay people to participate. Do you think they should? Take our poll below.
Last week it was announced that the Boy Scouts of America was reconsidering its policy barring openly gay people from participating in the private organization, but just days later announced it was postponing the decision.
That the group was considering the change after taking the issue all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it won its case, was a surprise to many.
We'd like to know what you think about this issue. While the organization is legally entitled to keep gays from its ranks, should they?
Take our poll below, and feel free to post your opinion in the comment box below.
Last week's poll...
We asked readers last Monday for their opinion on a variety of questions related to gun control. Here are the results:
When the Founding Fathers wrote the 2nd Amendment, do you think they meant that people should be allowed to have as many -- and as many types -- of weapons as they want? Results: 64 percent yes, 35 percent no
In general, do you favor a greater level of gun control in this country? 15 percent yes, 84 percent no
If more people had guns, would our community be safer? 75 percent yes, 25 percent no
Do you favor a ban on semi-automic assault rifles, such as AK47s? 25 percent yes, 75 percent no
Should all gun buyers have to undergo a background check before being allowed to purchase a weapon? 66 percent yes, 33 percent no
Should there be limits on how many guns someone can purchase in a day, week or year? 25 percent yes, 75 percent no
READ MORE: Guns in Public Places. Where Do You Stand?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want the latest in breaking news throughout Will County? Sign up for our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.
anonymous
8:25 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
the boy scouts are a private organization and should not have to bow down(no pun intended) to the fairies
Cynthia Long Smith
9:09 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
You might want to educate yourself. You just look silly. The Supreme Court ruled on this already. The BSA are deciding whether to change their own minds. The BSA are making their own decision based on their own interests, whatever those interests are. Probably financial. If you have a problem with this, I suggest you take it up with the BSA leadership.
Infamous Steve
9:49 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
WTF Patch? I picked no on the second question, and it was recorded as a yes.
Infamous Steve
9:52 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
Where's that preacher who wanted the Queer concentration camp? He should run for office lol I am so tired of hearing about these "people" every damn day. Isn't there some other place they can go and be accepted? I know I never will..
Mark Donahue
1:08 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
So you'll always be a bigoted jerk? That's nice to know.
Cynthia Long Smith
9:24 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Pastor Charles Worley. Christians making a mockery of their own savior is very sad. Have at it.
Stephanie
12:29 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
You people are sick. Grow the fuck up, seriously. How old are we?
Jachooz
12:38 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Just because someone is gay does not mean they are a pediphile or a predator. Just like straight people they want to share a life with someone they love, have a home and even a family. Some even want to contribute to the community and help raise the kids - just like straight people. What they do in their bedrooms is none of your damned business. If they are lucky enough to find someone they are truly happy with then I say "good for them!"
anonymous
1:07 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
stepanie-do you kiss your mother with that filthy pie hole of yours?
Mark Donahue
1:12 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Exactly, Jachooz. It's about basic civil rights. How would you like to be persecuted for something you were born with? I see no difference between a heterosexual or a homosexual participating in scouting. Same with non-believers, like myself. It's time we came out of the dark ages.
anonymous
1:15 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
MD-its about morality-just think of the disgusting acts that gays engage in and tell me if it is "natural" and "beautiful'- hell why don't we allow intercourse w/a corpse-it was once a human so why not keep plugging away?
Mark Donahue
1:56 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
This is entirely your own opinion. You think it's disgusting. Obviously they do not. I'm hetero, and other peoples lives are none of my business, therefore I am not disgusted by them. Do you not think that Hetero couples don't also do "disgusting" things in the bedroom? Welcome to 2013!
And all sorts of animals in nature engage in homosexual acts. This has been observed. What's more natural than that?
It's ok to have your own opinion on things. Just don't allow it to mess up the lives of others. What's deemed immoral by you can be deemed perfectly acceptable by many others. Gay people are no more immoral than anyone else. It's sad that you seem to think so.
Dan Johnson
11:47 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Everything gay people do is practiced by even more straight people. Discrimination on this basis is therefore irrational.
Consent is also required. Dead people cannot give consent.
Stephanie
2:38 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Actually it is natural. Homosexuality is found in many species of animals. But go ahead and keep talkin bc your simply proving how immature and ignorant you are.
Dan Johnson
11:49 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
"Homosexuality is quite common in the animal kingdom, especially among herding animals."
"One fundamental premise in social debates has been that homosexuality is unnatural. This premise is wrong. Homosexuality is both common and highly essential in the lives of a number of species," explains Peter Boeckman.
"We're talking about everything from mammals to crabs and worms. The actual number is of course much higher. Among some animals homosexual behaviour is rare, some having sex with the same gender only a part of their life, while other animals, such as the dwarf chimpanzee, homosexuality is practiced throughout their lives.
"Animals that live a completely homosexual life can also be found. This occurs especially among birds that will pair with one partner for life, which is the case with geese and ducks. Four to five percent of the couples are homosexual. Single females will lay eggs in a homosexual pair's nest. It has been observed that the homosexual couple are often better at raising the young than heterosexual couples."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/2006/10/23/20718.aspx
Mike Meyers
4:12 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
the boy scouts do NOT discuss any sex SO ITS NOT an issue
Concerned
4:38 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
So "anonymous", if it's an issue of morality...does that mean the Boy Scouts are paying attention to the lives and personal habits of every single leader and revoking their rights if they commit adultery? Or get divorced? Or have kinky sex involving hamsters or whatever else they're into? I'm guessing not. So the rules of MORALITY doesn't apply to heterosexuals, it just applies to homosexuals?
Joleen
5:35 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Since Boy Scouts of America is a private organization it may make its own rules, like requiring faith in God or that leaders not be open homosexuals. While not everyone agrees with the rules, no one is forcing those who don't agree to join, approve for finance the organization.
The free will of people to choose a private scouting organization to join is no different than our freedom to join, or not join, other groups with standards such as only those with Italian heritage are members of the Italian-American Club, or Veterans members of the VFW, Muslims members of a Mosque, or women are members of Womens Club. All organizations are built on shared values so the solution is for those seeking values different from Boy Scouts of America is to find or create an orgaization that does; just as other churches, other clubs and other fraternal organizations have been created over human history to serve different groups of like-minded people.
No need for people to get nasty about it, just find what does work for you. As long as I'm not required to join, approve or finance it, I encourage you to use your hard won freedom to create or join whatever group you like, and please leave the Boy Scouts alone.
Mark Donahue
7:52 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
All very true. But people also have the right to chastise therm over such archaic views. I was in the boy scouts as a kid. I enjoyed it. I was also indoctrinated into the catholic faith by my parents. As I got older I actually read a little bit and realized pretty quick that it's all bunk. So now, because I'm an Atheist, the scouts wouldn't want anything to do with me, or my son. That's wrong.. Just like not allowing someone who can't help who they are attracted to is wrong. Yes, they have the right to do these things, but they are still wrong.
They're lucky there are enough clueless Americans out there who are perfectly fine with being bigoted jerks. More and more people are waking up, though. If they're smart they'll wake up with them.
Cynthia Long Smith
9:00 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Joleen, the Supreme Court of the United States already ruled in favor of the scouts on this issue in 2000. No one is forcing the scouts the change their policies, so your "leave the scouts alone" plea is beside the point. The BSA have decided to internally revisit this issue themselves and are in the process of deciding if they want to change. This is quite a bit different from the scenario you've portrayed.
In fact, given your stated value that as long as people are not required to finance what they do not believe in, theoretically you're in agreement with what is happening. Apparently, corporate donors might want to do just what you've suggested and not finance something their companies don't believe in - bigotry.
Pulled financial support might well explain why the scouts are revisiting their stance. I'm not sure who the imaginary "you" is that you seem to be talking to, but this is a decision the BSA is grappling with internally based in large part, it appears, on money.
Mike Meyers
6:31 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
AMEN Joleen well said
anonymous
7:04 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Their is nothing natural about sticking your dong in some other dude's dirt chute. Gays and abortionists will burn in hell and as Axl Rose's t-shirt said "AIDS Kills Fags Dead"
Stephanie
8:59 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Dong? Dirt chute? And you expect people to take you and your opinions seriously...
anonymous
10:33 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Steph-i'm sure yours has been on the receiving end of the other
Stephanie
1:31 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
and with that said your just further proving my point that you and all others with the same views are immature and ignorant. your selfish and think the world revolves around you and nothings allowed to exist unless you approve and believe in it. well ive got news for you and all the other ignorant closed minded bigots. WAKE THE FUCK UP. THE WORLD IS CHANGING AND ITS NOT GONNA STOP FOR YOU. homosexuality is absolutely normal and natural but you know whats not? BEING A HATEFUL ASSHOLE. you dont like the way this country and this world is changing nobodys forcing you to stay here. so do us all a favor and either go jump off a cliff or put on your big boy pants and accept that you cannot control everything. shits gonna happen that you dont agree with that you dont believe in, but theres nothing you can do to stop it. so shut the fuck up and crawl back to your miserable hatefilled existance.
Mike Meyers
11:16 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
the Boy Scouts do not hate atheist actually 1 of the kids in Cub Scouts with me was an atheist...1972
Dan Johnson
12:18 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Officially, atheists are not allowed. Yet religious belief is rarely enforced, while sexual orientation prohibitions are more frequently enforced.
Dan Johnson
12:13 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
As a private club, the scouts are free to discriminate.
The cost of such discrimination however, is real harm to real people.
Laws and social policies that indulge prejudice, also promote it to others as if it were valid and reasonable, when it is neither.
"Prejudice and discrimination have social and personal impact... The widespread prejudice, discrimination, and violence to which lesbians and gay men are often subjected are significant mental health concerns. Sexual prejudice, sexual orientation discrimination, and anti-gay violence are major sources of stress for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Although social support is crucial in coping with stress, anti-gay attitudes and discrimination may make it difficult for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people to find such support." (American Psychological Association)
"Ideology assailants report that their crimes stem from their negative beliefs and attitudes about homosexuality that they perceive other people in the community share. They see themselves as enforcing social morals." (APA)
Decades of history, literature, and science, in addition to trial records of many different courts have all clearly demonstrated: Prejudice and discrimination cause needless suffering and death.