Is the City of Philadelphia correct in doing this?

Question

The city of Philadelphia has decided to punish the Boy Scouts of America because it will not allow homosexuals to serve as Scout Leaders. City officials said they will charge the Cradle of Liberty Scouts Council $200,000 a year to use the city-owned headquarters. The Council was paying $1 per year (since 1928). The city owns the land on which the Council's 1928 Beaux Arts building sits.

The city says it is charging the scouts $200,000 a year because the scouts discriminate against homosexuals. But the city finds nothing wrong with their discrimination against the scouts because of the scouts' belief.

The action by city officials means that 30 new Cub Scout packs won't be organized, and that 800 needy kids will not be going to the Council's summer camp if the city charges them $200,000.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the scouts, as a private group, have a First Amendment right to bar homosexuals from membership.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/10/19/gay_ban_may_cost_philadelphia_boy_scouts/6663/

Sorry about what you call double speak, it was actually a cut 'n' paste from an e-mail I received. For those of you that say the city HAS to charge them please note they were doing that just at a nominal rate. If they can no longer do that then how did they come up with $200,000 per year? That is (get this) $1, 666.66 dollars per month. Seem kinda Satanic and high at the same time for any city owned property doesn't it. If seems that there is indeed pressure for them to bow down to what the city wants not just make it an equal playing field as some of you would suggest. Also, as to why the BSA doesn't want homosexuals is it violates their religious beliefs. You know, the ones protected by the constitution. I challenged the city leaders to look at pictures of both groups doing their preferred activities and decide which one is worthy of protection. Thanks to all who have posted.

Answer 1

You see the clear cut loop hole around this issue. Yes the Supreme Court gave the Boy Scouts the right to stand upon their principles but the city owns the property by which the scouts are use. Thus the council is trying to use pressure tactics to bullying them into changing their principles. No I don't agree with it but the best thing the scouts can do is relocate.

Answer 2

It is the city's and any other municipalities right to charge them the rent because the Boy Scouts Policy violates the city's Non Discrimination Ordinance. If they don't want to pay the rent they need to move, or change their discriminatory policy against Homosexuals. The City is NOT discriminating against the Boy Scouts. They are merely fining them for breaking the city's Ordinance.

Answer 3

The scouts can ban homosexuals as a private organization, but the Government of the city is NOT allowed to support discrimination, therefore MUST charge for the use of the facilities. That is how the laws are..

Answer 4

As Paul pointed out, your double-talk is senseless. Do you have a link to this story you could provide all of us, or should we simply take you at your word? Also, I wonder what the city charges other groups for the use of the city-owned headquarters. Is $200,00 the going rate? Is it higher/lower? Is it within the city's rights (which I suspect it is) to do this? It's difficult to decide whether something is right or wrong without all the information.

To "Apostle Jeff": Please tell me you aren't equating homosexuals with child molesters. I can promise you this - a child is more likely to be abused in a Catholic church than he is at a gay pride parade. I suppose you think straight women should be banned from teaching boys?

Answer 5

I see nothing wrong with that ruling. I do however see something wrong with the boy/girl scouts refusing to accept homosexuals. That is plain wrong and they are teaching their children to be discriminatory. Teaching hatred is never right.

I would never want to associate with boy/girl scouts b/c of their anti gay attitude. I'm not saying i'm against the kids who are involved or the parents or the scout leaders, i am against the belief system of the organization. And i'm sure many people who are involved with them are unaware of how they feel about homosexuality or simply don't care.

Answer 6

The city is not discriminating, it's obeying the law -- the one that says government money must not be used to support any organization which engages in unlawful discrimination.

As a private group, the scouts do indeed have the right to pick and choose their members. But not on government-owned (that is, public) property.

Can't have yer cake and eat it, too. That law is older than the Supreme Court (all nine of them combined).

Answer 7

"But the city finds nothing wrong with their discrimination against the scouts because of the scouts' belief".

That's not discrimination.
That kind of double-talk doesn't fool anyone, kid.

This really clearly illustrates the problem - Christians are so used to getting special treatment that they think they're being discriminated against when we start treating them like everyone else.

Get used to it, Christians. The world is changing, and we're going to start holding you to the same standards we hold everyone else to. Whining about it isn't going to help - you just need to grow up and accept adult responsibilities.
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"Seem kinda Satanic..."

Ok, maybe accepting adult responsibilities is a little beyond you right now.

Kid, you don't understand the legal situation if you believe that this constitutes discrimination against the Boy Scouts. Being a citizen does not only give you rights, it also gives you responsibilities. In particular, when you accept your rights, you must also accept that others have the same rights. If you cannot do that, you are simply not living up to your citizenship.

Now, as the Supreme Court confirmed, the BSA has the right to exclude persons. I agree with the Supreme Court's decision - the Boy Scouts are not the government, and within their organization, they're free to discriminate. But the Boy Scouts - and you - need to understand that there are consequences for behavior. You can't behave like that and expect the rest of the world to simply pretend that you didn't. They had a choice between right and wrong, they chose to do wrong, and now they're paying the consequences.

The Boy Scouts are entitled to have religious beliefs, but the government is required to keep those beliefs from having the effect of denying others their rights. In this case, as the Scouts chose to behave immorally, the government is required to cut off public support for the Scouts. It is wrong to force citizens to financially support immorality.

Now what's making this so hard for you to understand is probably that you believe that homosexuality is immoral, and that discriminating against homosexuals is perfectly fine. You are, of course, wrong.

Answer 8

Okay, here is my two cents worth...Just because someone is a homosexual does not make them a pedophile so what is the Scouts reasons for not wanting them to be leaders? This is just another form of judgment and prejudice and it is so wrong. I am a Christian, I haven many homosexual friends, heck I am a cosmetologist if that tells you anything, and I would trust any of them to watch my grandchildren. This world has become a very sad place indeed....

Answer 9

Of course the city is right.

Religion is not some magic "get out of free card" that allows immoral behaviour, abuse of human rights or bigotry on the basis of "its what I believe is right". When Christians fail to live up to what sane people would consider basic minimum standards of human decency as in this case then action does need to be taken.

You would not, I imagine, use such language were the scouts discriminating against balck people on faith grounds. Or women. Or Jews. Yet Christians have done and continue to do all of these things.

Good on the city to stand up for the rights of the weak in the face of strong, coordinated Christian abuse.

Answer 10

Yes its called reverse discrimination, kinda like reverse racism. We are equals in this nation yet some have to stand up and make money off of it.... As for the boyscouts - they should just find some other place cheaper. As for the cub scouts - well their are always a need for ditch diggers and waiters.......... in saying that, just look at how the government is taking over our lives .....jails are filled and economy is down..... in all aspects. But at least welfare is up.