The Boy Scouts of America are threatening a local Maryland troop, Pack 442, after the troop posted a Non-Discrimination Policy on its website reading "Pack 442 WILL NOT discriminate,against any individual or family based on race, religion, national origin, ability, or sexual orientation."
Mother Jones reports:
In September, the families of Pack 442, which is based in Cloverly, Maryland (a small town less than 20 miles from the nation's capital), anonymously voted and overwhelmingly approved to adopt a non-discrimination statement. According to Theresa Phillips, committee chair of Pack 442, the pack wanted Boy Scouts of America to know "we will not stand for the discrimination of homosexual minors or adults whatsoever."
Not long after the statement was posted, the National Capital Area Council (NCAC), one of the bigger local councils of the Boy Scouts of America, asked the pack to strike it from the website. "At first they [said] they would "allow" us to leave it up based on our right to freedom of speech. Now they are doing a 180 and basically asking us to either conform to BSA's discriminatory policy or get out," says Phillips.
The BSA has given the pack until tomorrow to remove the message or lose recognition from the BSA, which means losing access to member insurance, rank badges, and scout camps.
GLAAD President Herndon Graddick told Mother Jones:
"To think that the Boy Scouts would rather cast out elementary school children than accept a parent-approved policy allowing gay children and parents to participate is just unconscionable. How many young Scouts is the BSA willing to sacrifice in order to preserve its harmful and discriminatory policies? This despicable act of bullying and intimidation is yet another reminder that the BSA is out of touch with its members and the American public at large."
