[15221] in APO-L
Re: Appeal for Scout Law
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Roger Lee Stearns Jr.)
Mon Nov 4 12:51:45 1996
Date: Mon, 4 Nov 1996 11:32:30 -0600
Reply-To: "Roger Lee Stearns Jr." <rstearns@COMP.UARK.EDU>
From: "Roger Lee Stearns Jr." <rstearns@COMP.UARK.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <199611041605.KAA11035@comp.uark.edu>
On Mon, 4 Nov 1996, Stephen A. Curry wrote:
> Reverent - Not "Believe in God" (look up the word for yourself) but
> do you treat religious beliefs (regardless of which belief) with
> solemn respect?
This has always been my understanding of the 12th point of the Scout Law,
and many other Eagle Scouts I know define it as "respectful" as well.
I think the problem the Boy Scouts were having was with the whole concept
of the "three G's". The Boy Scouts disciminate on the basis of gender,
sexual preference, and religious beliefs; whereas we do not discriminate.
The Boy Scouts seem to increasingly be facing conflivt with this policy,
especially with the society becoming more sensative to eachother and more
accepting of people's differences. The Boy Scouts may be afraid that
someone will use their close association with us against them to make them
catch up with the 90's.
The Boy Scouts are the foundation of my beliefs, but I think that their
policies regarding the "3 G's" are hypocritical. It is my hopes that
someday the Boy Scouts will come around and practice what they preach,
nondiscrimination. Personally I don't have a problem with a female Eagle
Scout, as long as she did the same requirements as the guy. I don't have
any problems with an atheist or person of a sexual preference different
than my own becoming an eagle either. I think the Boy Scouts have an
excellent program, and that all of these people they discriminate against
can benefit from being in the prgram. Inversly I also believe the program
can benefit from their particpation, just as Alpha Phi Omega has greatly
benefited with it's inclusive membership open door policy.
We've learned from the Boy Scouts a great deal. I think it is perhaps time
for them to learn from us. I think these changes are possible from the
Boy Scouts, but I don't expect them to happen. I do not believe the Boy
Scouts will change until they start receiving more pressure from society
to do so, perhaps when they start losing money or membership because of
it.
I would like to see us retain as close of a relationship as possible with
the Boy Scouts. I'm not sure what all the changes we have made are, or
what is being proposed. But I can't think of anything that we really
need(ed) to change on our end. If the Boy Scouts want some distance, then
not having seats on the board is their decision, But I think that's as far
as it should go.
In Brotherhood,
Roger Stearns
Beta Rho
