Boy Scouts Consider Dropping Ban On Gay Members

The Boy Scouts of America is discussing ending a long standing ban on gay scout leaders and members despite winning a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing the organization to ban gays.

FOX News Radio’s Courtney Kealy reports:

A reversal of its ban on openly gay members would be a dramatic shift in policy for the Boy Scouts of America, which reaffirmed the ban last summer.

(Humphrey) “Things take time to change and it has been very nice to see that it’s slowly but surely coming around.”

Johnny Humphrey, a former Boy Scout and an openly gay man, thinks the Boy Scouts should change its policy.

(Mauck) “I think it creates risk for young boys and young men to be exposed to homosexual lifestyle and perhaps be changed.” 

Illinois lawyer John Mauck, who represents 200 churches that are fighting against same sex marriage is against the change.

Courtney Kealy, FOX News Radio.

READ a statement from the Boy Scouts of America:

“For more than 100 years Scouting’s focus has been on on working together to deliver the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. Scouting has always been in an ongoing dialogue with the Scouting family to determine what is in the best interest of the organization and the young people we serve.

“Currently, the BSA is discussing potentially removing the national membership restriction regarding sexual orientation. This would mean there would no longer be any national policy regarding sexual orientation, but that the chartered organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting would accept membership and select leaders consistent with their organization’s mission, principles or religious beliefs. BSA members and parents would be able to choose a local unit which best meets the needs of their families.

“The policy change under discussion would allow the religious, civic or educational organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting to determine how to address this issue. The Boy Scouts would not, under any circumstances, dictate a position to units, members or parents. Under this proposed policy, the BSA would not require any chartered organization to act in ways inconsistent with that organization’s mission, principles or religious beliefs.”