The Terrible Irony of the Boy Scouts, Homophobia, and Pedophilia

I'm curious how many people read an article in Thursday's Times headlined "Boy Scouts Lose Philadelphia Lease in Gay-Rights Fight." In essence, the City of Brotherly Love decided to insist that the Philadelphia Council of the Boy Scouts of America renounce its discriminatory and hate-fueling policies against homosexuals or else face expulsion from a Beaux Arts municipal building that has been hailed, the article says, "as the birthplace of the Boy Scouts."

The Scouts' council refused, so the city told the council to go bye-bye -- that is, to get out of the municipal building which the Scouts' council has been renting for $1 a year since 1928. Oh, and the city owns the land under the building, so, indeed, it is out, out, out they will go -- evicted as of June 1, 2008.

Although I was in the Scouts when young, I hope those homophobes fall on their asses when they're booted.

In the article there's a great quote from a Philadelphia City Councilman, Darrell L. Clarke: "...you can not be in a city-owned facility being subsidized by the taxpayers and not have language in your lease that talks about nondiscrimination."

And a quote from a devil spawn named Gregg Shields (pictured): "Since we were founded, we believe that open homosexuality would be inconsistent with the values that we want to communicate with our leaders. A belief in God is also mentioned in the Scout oath. We believe that those values are important. Tradition is important. Our mission is to instill those values in scouts and help them make good choices over their lifetimes."

One of them is pedophilia, apparently, for there was this article, also in the Times on Thursday, about a scout leader "who once sued the City of Berkeley for challenging a national Boy Scout ban on members who are gay or atheist" being arrested on felony charges "that for at least five years he sexually abused young males in the troops he led." There are 19 counts in all. And one hell of a merit badge.

Good work, Gregg.

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