What a week, what a week. I guess with the holiday weekend I should have expected a lot to happen and it sure did.
One of the things that happened this week was the conclusion of a very long legal battle between the Boy Scouts of America and some of their scout masters. The BSA has never made a secret of the fact that they don't want homosexuals (openly) in their ranks. This week they cemented their earlier victories by winning their case before the supreme court. There is no question, no openly gay men will be tolerated. Of course, as long as "they" stay in the closet (or is that "pup-tent"?) it's business as usual.
I was a scout once, long ago. I was in cub-scouts. It was a lot of fun. If I remember correctly, the den mother was Dave Ell's mom. They lived about a block down the street. We did neat stuff and earned lots of badges.
But when I graduated to the "Boy" scouts, things changed. First, we were forced to pray to somebody else's god. Then, after the formal meeting was over and we were chatting about the upcoming camp-outs, we were warned by the older boys about all the things they were going to do to us. All the things that were done to them and that they were now going to pass on to us. They had a whole list of "activities" planned. In current day terminology, it was to be a "hazing." Probably nothing that would kill or even physically injure. Just humiliations and abuse. You know, "a rite of passage."
I thought about it on the bike-ride home and told my dad what I thought. He asked what I wanted to do and I said "I'm quitting." It shocked the kids I left behind. They couldn't believe I wasn't going to suffer through their abuse. But why should I? Would being dragged out of my tent naked or having poop placed in my shoes or even poison ivy in my underwear have made me a better citizen? Would it have made me "morally straight?" I'm already straight. So, I guess I got enough from the cub-scouts.
Now, since only a constitutional amendment can reverse the high-court's interpretation of the law, the Scouts have finally "won." I guess it's all well and good for them. They don't want to be around gay men. They're more than a little nervous. After all would you want your son spending the night "anywhere near a queer?" What if poor little Johnny found out they were just humans like the rest of us (instead of evil-incarnate?) Why it would be terrible!!! The next thing you know, that damn ACLU will expect us to let Catholics and blacks in !! Ooops. They already did.
Scouting is (or used to be) a place where boys of different backgrounds and ethnicity's could interact. They'd learn more than how to tie a knot. It was about understanding your place and being a good citizen. You can't stick your head in the sand and wish the world away. Some men (and women) are different than others. I don't know if they're born that way or they just played with the wrong toys as children. But they're still humans, and Americans. I think we'd better find ways to get along. I'd hate to think of America without the Scouts, but there's a LOT bigger chance of that happening than there is of all the homosexuals vanishing.
Adolph Hitler ordered the gays gassed along with the Jews and the Gypsies. Even that penultimate evil was unsuccessful in wiping out homosexuality. Are today's scout leaders doing what is best for America? Or just following in the Fuhrer's footsteps?