Why should the Boy Scouts receive special concessions for the use of public land?

Question

Boy Scouts discriminates against minorities.

Why should the Boy Scouts receive private funding and special concessions for the use of public land?

Boy Scouting is a Christian organization.

Answer 1

I know a ton of miniorities in BSA

Answer 2

Boy Scouts are not a Christian organization. They merely require belief in a higher power. They also do not allow homosexuals, but sex is not a topic discussed in scouting. There is no hate taught against homosexuals nor any other group of people. All minorities are welcome as long as they believe in a higher power. They receive special concessions because they are a charitable organization. Their goal is not to turn a profit, but help the community. For the most part, scouting is a volunteer service. There are professional Scouters who devote too much time to scouting to hold another job and therefore receive payment, but it isn't much. I myself work at a leadership training camp, where I actually have to pay to be on staff. Remember, Boy Scouts is a private organization, they can control what they want. The special concessions are due to the fact that it is a private organization based on service to the community.

Answer 3

Public land is for public use. The Boy Scouts have the same rights and opportunities to use it as any other organization, public or private.

Boy Scouts doesn't discriminate against minorities. If you're referring to the prohibition against homosexual leaders, any organization has every right to set moral standards for its leaders. Just because people may disagree on morality doesn't change this important aspect of liberty.

The Boy Scout oath expresses a duty to God, but does not promote a specific religious organization.

"The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America, incorporated on February 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916, is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness."

Answer 4

I have no idea how many boys and young men the BSA has offended, but I'm sure that it is a miniscule number compared to the number of boys it has helped. I'll always be grateful for my experiences as a scout.

As said earlier, BSA is a private organization which allows them the right to make standards and qualifications of membership. I don't think they should be allowed "special concessions" but they should be allowed the same privileges that all other organizations are entitled to. Public land is public.

Answer 5

Your statements are all wrong!

BSA does not discriminate against minorities. They are NOT a Christian organization. Since they are a private organization, and the leaders are all volunteers, they are able to CHOOSE who they have as leaders. This is the law, based on the Supreme Court decision.

The Boy Scouts have helped MILLIONS of young men, and women, to be better adults and future leaders of our country. BTW, there are female Boy Scouts in Venture Crews. I have seen the good work they do.

These statements are ALL based on fact.

Answer 6

The Boy Scouts of America should receive NO special concessions for the use of ANY public land. To allow them to is against seperation of Church and State. They are a Christian organization BECAUSE they used the Christian Media and its bias to fuel their decission to not permit gay troup leaders.

If they are not a Christian organization, the Christian Media would not have stood behind their act of cowardice.

Answer 7

i don't know if they discriminate against minorities,but i do know they discriminate against gay and atheist families. i don't agree with that but it is their right as a private club. the only problem is that they take advantage of perks of public clubs like exemption of taxes and free use of public lands. they need to decide what they are public or private because the way they run the BSA right now is a lawsuit waiting to happen

Answer 8

My son was a member of the scouts for a short time. We were told that, as atheists, we could join but had to keep quiet about it. We quit due to that and the anti-homosexual bigotry that made the news around 1998

Personally I hate seeing the scouts outside a store fund-raising.

As far as proof of discrimination, here you go http://ffrf.org/timely/bsa.php
http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/bsa1.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/bsa.htm
http://www.bsa-discrimination.org/html/labor.html

Answer 9

Scouts have no more access to public lands than any other organization. Public lands are for the public. Boy Scouts are part of the public. They have just as much right to access to public property as anyone. Scouts provide millions of hours of community service to improve their communities. Are you upset because they camp on public lands for little or no cost? Do you know that the Scouts put in many hours improving campsites, building trails, planting trees? Are you upset that they use public schools for meeting places? Should we close the schools to all the after school programs, sports leagues, and academic clubs? Is it because the US Army allows the Scouts to use their training facilities? Many of the boys who go through the program learning camping skills, organization, leadership, discipline and citizenship end up joining the service. Its good marketing on behalf of the military. Our nation needs soldiers. Good citizens make good soldiers.

The BSA makes every effort possible to reach out to minority groups. BSA materials are printed in many languages other than US English, training is provided in Spanish language. When large immigrant populations were forced out of eastern Europe, the BSA assisted these groups with forming Scouting organizations with traditions in their home countries.

Scouting is not solely a Christian organization. All members are required to have a belief in a higher power, and also must respect the beliefs of others. Boys and adults who will attest to a belief in a higher power of all established religions are welcome. Organizations of all faiths sponsor troops. Many of the members of these troops are not members of the sponsoring religion. The BSA encourages its members to pursue their personal beliefs and recognizes the religious awards offered by the different faiths.

Boy Scouting celebrates its 100th year this summer. A century ago, A British General was disappointed in the quality of the knowledge of recruits and wrote a guidebook for potential soldiers called "A Guide to Scouting." It was never intended to be used by boys, but the book was very popular among boys in Britain. There were tips on woodcraft, tracking (scouting), camping, and basic outdoor survival. When the general retired, he was asked to write another book to be used primarily by boys. Using program ideas from many established youth groups of the time, the General added his ideas and began the Scouting movement.

Boy Scouting in the USA was founded in 1910 by a group of adults who felt the nation's boys needed an organization that would teach citizenship and leadership using the draw of woodcraft and fun activities. The plan was to have religous houses and civic clubs sponsor troops of boys to give them a place to meet and moral guidance. Religious centers of all faiths started troops and used the program for their youth groups.

Today, the movement strives to develop good citizens, provide a moral background, and promote healthful lives. It does all possible to welcome boys who promise to live by the tenants of the program.

It would be impossible to organize any group that would please everyone. As a private organization, the BSA does have the right to establish membership criteria. It is a voluntary organization, so it does not have to accommodate everyone. The BSA does all it can to be inclusive, but the members also have to adhere to the guidelines of the BSA.

The BSA holds patents (now called copyrights) on the name, uniforms, and materials of the BSA. It does not hold copyrights on youth groups. Anyone can form a group and do what the Boy Scouts do, they just can't use the name. Scouting reaches only 5% to 25% of the boys age 6 to 18. This is not because of the BSA, but because of the individual boys themselves. Some boys don't like the program, and when mom and dad ask why they don't want to go, they come up with a reason. Instead of finding another group the boy would like to join, they sue the BSA. Instead of having resources to improve BSA camping properties, funds for camperships, the BSA has to pay legal fees.

Answer 10

Diane - Boy Scouts exclude atheists and homosexuals. They're all about God.

No, they do not deserve any special treatment.

Answer 11

The BSA actually made the mistake of sending me a plea for money to help fund their legal fees (when they decided gays were not allowed in the BSA). I used their return envelope to send my reply, which in short said I would donate money to them the same day I give money to the KKK.
I also have no problem telling boy scouts who try to sell me something that I will be happy to support their organization as soon as they allow all people an equal opportunity in their organization.
As for public lands, as a Christian organization, they have no right to use them.
Diane- According to the World Constitution of the Scouting Movement, being a Scout or Scout leader requires a belief in God. A belief in God is also cited in their oath, and they have said their exclusionary policies focus on the 3 gs - gay, girls and godless.