It's Time

I've been a Scout Leader for 15 years and my kid got his Eagle. I've helped a whole lot of kids in the program. The mixed up and odd ball kids need the program more than the Type A kids. PLEASE SUPPORT THIS

Dear Fellow Scouts and Scout Parents:

As you are all probably aware, the BSA is proposing a change to their Anti-Gay Bylaw.  If the change is approved, local chapters and their Chartering Organizations would be allowed to decide for themselves whether or not to continue to the past discriminatory practices or to open their doors to everyone.

From the research I have done, it seems the vote will be held this coming Wednesday on February 6th at the National Board Meeting.

If this is an important issue for you, please take a moment to make your voice heard.

We espouse many things in Scouting:  'be kind and courteous and show concern for the well-being of others' and 'be brave and do what is right regardless of our fears, the difficulties or the consequences'...  Hopefully we do more than just say these words - hopefully we LIVE these words.

My current hero is an Eagle Scout named Zach Wahls who, when he was 19, spoke before the Iowa congress about their proposed ban of gay marriage.  Zach has 2 moms so he knows a bit about discrimination, how painful it can be and how counter it is to the values we espouse in Scouting.  Zach's speech went viral and has millions of views on YouTube.  He has written about book about the 12 tenets of Scouting and how he lives his life by those tenets.  He has been on the Jon Stewart Show and Ellen and is a great example of what an Eagle Scout can do when he lives the words we all say.

Here is a link to Zach's speech.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLZO-sObzQ

If you are concerned about this issue, you can do several things...  paste the below link into your web browser and post a comment on the BSA Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=136693109828603&id=113441755297&utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=17527&alert_id=pzYuxqqnxO_LpBGOihDsm

The link will take you to a comment thread where the BSA's leaders are monitoring public reaction to the proposed policy change. Write a sentence or two to tell them how you feel.

Call the Boy Scouts' national office at 972-580-2330. When you call, the person who answers will ask if you support the proposed policy change. Just say you are "FOR" the policy change, and you're done!

I realize this is a very personal issue and thank each of you for your time.  If anyone wants to discuss things further, please feel free to call or email me directly so we can respect the feelings and choices of our fellow Scouts and Scouting families.

Yours in Scouting,