So for the 3rd time in my life I'm at the head of an organization as major change is coming about.
Back 20 years ago I was an officer at the Eagle Lodge in San Antonio voted on and rejected, then later voted on and accepted the first black man in our lodge.
Fifteen years ago I was president of the Elks Lodge in Gonzales as the National Elks brought the vote to the local level and we had to vote on whether or not to allow women in the Elks. The vote was against letting women into the Elks that time. Yet a couple of years later we had our first woman president.
Now I'm Scoutmaster of Troop 262, liaison for Crew 264, Skipper for Ship 265 and Unit Commissioner for Gonzales serving 5 units, and again change is in the air. Our 100+ year of excluding gay boys and gay volunteers will be up for discussion and on the ballot for the summer national convention.
After over 17000 emails, 10s of thousands of surveys filled out by scouters, parents, and volunteers, and general discussions with just scouters (no 3rd party organizations), the scouts have decided to amend part of their membership requirements. The proposal is to allow boys who are openly gay to be Boy Scouts. It will not amend the adult membership requirements to exclude gay adult volunteers.
Can you say let's straddle the fence?
So now those who are against any gays aren't going to be happy, and those who want gays in scouting aren't going to be happy. *sigh*
I want to point out 2 things. First a scout should be courteous. That means that even if we disagree with someone, their opinions or their ideology, we accept who they are and are civil to them just like we are to ANYONE else. Doesn't mean we have to like them, or agree with them or what they do, just that we have to be courteous to them. Regardless of what side of the fence you sit on.
Second, if history is going to repeat itself, and if you read above you'll see where I'm going here, it won't be long till this whole issue is behind us and the fact that some one is gay is no more important as if someone was a woman be 75 years ago when they were excluded in scouting. Within 5 years of the change the cub scouts will be all new, and they won't even know there was a change. Even the leaders will have to scratch their heads to remember 'when'.
I understand the reluctance of some, both on religious grounds and in the fear of safety categories. And I'm willing to have either a private or open dialogue with anyone who would like to with the end goal that you'll feel better about the decision that BSA is heading in that direction. Note I didn't say you'd agree with it, but that you'd feel better about it. Less than 10 years ago I would have been with you making sure scouting never changed, so I know where you're coming from.
By the way, the Eagle Lodge #70 doesn't think twice about a black applicant now. Elks lodge 2413 has as many active women as they do men running the show, and no one ever talks about the days the women weren't allowed. It will be nice when scouts won't even remember that we ever discriminated against any group.
God Bless,
Dennis
