Pentagon: Bases Should Not Sponsor Boy Scouts

[Odie 0]

I find it very annoying that ACLU is attacking the Boy Scouts. I was in the Girl Scouts and enjoyed it very much. Here is an article of what they they have forced the Pentagon. I believe ACLU no long is in touch with the American Mainstream, and will hurt those say they are training protect.

 

Pentagon: Bases Should Not Sponsor Boy Scouts

Associated Press

November 16, 2004

 

CHICAGO - The Pentagon has agreed to warn military bases worldwide not to directly sponsor Boy Scout troops, partially resolving claims that the government has engaged in religious discrimination by supporting a group that requires members to believe in God.

 

The settlement announced Monday is part of a series of legal challenges in recent years over how closely the government should be aligned with the Boy Scouts of America, a venerable organization that boasts a membership of more than 3.2 million members.

 

Civil liberties advocates have set their sights on the organization's policies because the group bans openly gay scout leaders and compels members to swear an oath of duty to God. The ACLU believes that direct government sponsorship of such a program amounts to discrimination.

 

"If our Constitution's promise of religious liberty is to be a reality, the government should not be administering religious oaths or discriminating based on religious beliefs," said ACLU attorney Adam Schwartz.

 

The Pentagon said it has long had a rule against sponsorship of non-federal organizations and denied the rule had been violated. But it agreed to send a message to posts worldwide warning them not to sponsor Boy Scout troops or other such groups.

 

The rule does not prevent service members from leading Scout troops unofficially on their own time, and Scouts will still be able to hold meetings on areas of military bases where civilian organizations are allowed to hold events.

 

The settlement does not resolve other ACLU claims involving government spending that benefits the Boy Scouts, such as money used to prepare a Virginia military base for the Boy Scout Jamboree and grants used by state and local governments to benefit the Boy Scouts, Schwartz said.

 

He said the Pentagon spends $2 million every year to prepare the Virginia base for the jamboree, held once every four years. He said the Defense Department also makes annual allocations of $100,000 to support Boy Scout units on military bases overseas and $100,000 to improve Boy Scout properties, such as summer camps.

 

Attorney Marcia Berman, who represented the Defense Department, declined to comment on the settlement Monday. But Justice Department spokesman Charles Miller said the message that will be sent to bases represents "a clarification of an existing rule that DOD personnel cannot be involved in an official capacity."

 

The original ACLU lawsuit named as defendants the Department of Defense, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Chicago Board of Education. The schools settled, agreeing not to engage in official sponsorship of scouting activities.

Edited November 26, 2004 by Odie

[Wishfire 2]

"A group that requires members to believe in God..." ... ?!?!?

 

What?! There's a bunch of bull right there! I was in the boy scouts, and I was an open Wiccan!

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

Who really cares?!?!? The boyscouts help people. when has the ACLU? I think the ACLU is infringing on the right of the men and women in our military to sponsor something they might believe in. It's not a taxpayer who sued for a waste of money. It's a group of people who obvioulsy are left-winged commies who want to impose their koolaid soaked beliefs on america.

[ddillard 2]

I find it to be rediculous that they cannot support boy scouts. I was never a scout, but have always supported it as it teaches to survive on your own and to care for others.

[mj 7]

When the ACLU began attacking the Boy Scouts years ago, I began donating money to them. It is a character building organization.

 

I was a girl scout for all but one year from Brownies, to Seniors. We were all very different, the members of my troop. Mostly, we liked camping, and did service work.

[italiangirl 0]

Scouting has played an important part in my life and in my siblings, three of whom are and were Boy Scouts.

 

All of my brothers achieved Eagle rank, and spent more than one of their summers backpacking in New Mexico at Cimarron.

 

When my father died two years ago, the church was lined with men who had been scouts under my Dad.

 

Many said the things they had learned in Scouts carried them through their entire life time.

 

I think the ACLU is wrong.

 

My brother is nearly 20 years Navy.

 

He and my nephew have definitely made scouting a part of their relationship and life.

[Takara_Soong 4]

I don't think government organizations should sponsor groups like the Boy Scouts but it has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with the spending of taxpayer money.

 

He said the Pentagon spends $2 million every year to prepare the Virginia base for the jamboree, held once every four years. He said the Defense Department also makes annual allocations of $100,000 to support Boy Scout units on military bases overseas and $100,000 to improve Boy Scout properties, such as summer camps.

 

I think that money could be much better spent on enhancing programs for military families such as more support for families who have a member serving in a war zone.

 

One thing I'd really like to know is why are military bases paying for improvements to Boy Scout properties?

 

 

"A group that requires members to believe in God..." ... ?!?!?

 

What?! There's a bunch of bull right there! I was in the boy scouts, and I was an open Wiccan!

283754[/snapback]

 

You may have been an open Wiccan but Boy Scouts is still a religious organization.

 

The Boy Scout Oath

 

On my honor I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country

and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake, and morally straight.

 

One of the Scout Laws is "A Scout is Reverent".

 

The Boy Scouts are diverse and have programs geared for specific religions. They have programs for Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran, Churches of Christ, Baptist, Jewish, Islamic and Presbyterian youth (no Wiccan programs though - sorry).

 

I was a Brownie in my youth (geez I'm old) and I remember there being quite a bit of religious teachings going on. I still remember the first time I went. I had to answer a bunch of questions for their forms. One of the questions was what Church I belonged to. As I hadn't been to Church in quite some time and could not remember the name of it I told them the general area of where the Church was (it's the one on the top of the hill just outside of downtown - good thing I lived in a small town lol) and they figured it out.

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

I have a question... Does the majority of the population care about this? For one I think the US government should be donating money to organizations who contribute to the community like the Boy Scouts. I don't think most people care about the religious aspect of it all.

[Odie 0]

I really don't think the majority of the population know about this, or there would have been bigger outcry than from me.

Edited December 21, 2004 by Odie

[italiangirl 0]

I don't think government organizations should sponsor groups like the Boy Scouts but it has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with the spending of taxpayer money.

 

He said the Pentagon spends $2 million every year to prepare the Virginia base for the jamboree, held once every four years. He said the Defense Department also makes annual allocations of $100,000 to support Boy Scout units on military bases overseas and $100,000 to improve Boy Scout properties, such as summer camps.

 

I think that money could be much better spent on enhancing programs for military families such as more support for families who have a member serving in a war zone.

 

One thing I'd really like to know is why are military bases paying for improvements to Boy Scout properties?

 

If the properites aren't improved, then they can't be used. As military makes very little money, it's difficult for the families to contribute financially to such things. If you consider how many bases there are, how many scout troops there are, $100,000 is nothing when divided up.

 

 

 

 

"A group that requires members to believe in God..." ... ?!?!?

 

What?! There's a bunch of bull right there! I was in the boy scouts, and I was an open Wiccan!

283754[/snapback]

 

 

You may have been an open Wiccan but Boy Scouts is still a religious organization.

 

It depends on who is running the group.

 

My son is in Scouting and there is no religious teachings.

 

Rather, the laws of scouting are based on all principals of religion on how which to conduct yourself.

 

You can't generalize on such a large and diverse organization.

 

The Boy Scout Oath

 

On my honor I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country

and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake, and morally straight.

 

One of the Scout Laws is "A Scout is Reverent".

 

The Boy Scouts are diverse and have programs geared for specific religions. They have programs for Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran, Churches of Christ, Baptist, Jewish, Islamic and Presbyterian youth (no Wiccan programs though - sorry).

 

I was a Brownie in my youth (geez I'm old) and I remember there being quite a bit of religious teachings going on. I still remember the first time I went. I had to answer a bunch of questions for their forms. One of the questions was what Church I belonged to. As I hadn't been to Church in quite some time and could not remember the name of it I told them the general area of where the Church was (it's the one on the top of the hill just outside of downtown - good thing I lived in a small town lol) and they figured it out.

290483[/snapback]

 

 

I went through scouting through Cadette's and also ran a Daisy, Brownie and Junior troop.

 

We don't teach religion at Scouts. With all the training for both Girl and Boy Scouts, PC is key. They stress teaching through example. Sounds like many famous leaders of history, not just religious.

 

A church affiliation is on the forms needed to take with you on trips. Thus is the worst possible scenerio happens, the proper religious people can be on hand at the hospital.

Edited December 21, 2004 by italiangirl