No Longer A Boy Scout

It is with great disappointment that I read the press release “After Two-Year Evaluation, Boy Scouts of America Affirms Membership Standards and Announces No Change in Policy” (http://www.scouting.org/Media/PressReleases/2012/20120717.aspx). Directly from the press release “…this policy reflects the beliefs and perspectives of the BSA’s members…”. This policy is one of discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation. This policy does not reflect my personal beliefs and perspectives. I cannot and will not allow an organization to represent me if they are going to discriminate.

As an Eagle scout, I don’t look forward to pulling my son out of a program that enriched my life. I remember as a scout, till the day I turned 18, not considering a person’s sexuality an issue. I believe that this policy of discrimination is one that the scouting leadership favors, not a reflection of the scouts in the program. One day, we will look back on this decision in disgust as another form of segregation.

Please consider this my formal declaration to remove myself and my son from an organization that has lost its way.

 

Hogan Haake