Teenage Boy Scout Denied Organization's Top Rank Because He's Gay

[JRLeft]

Source: NPR

Ryan Andresen spent 12 years as a Boy Scout. Now that he's 17 and about to graduate from high school, he completed the final requirement to receive the Eagle Scout award, which signifies the highest rank in the organization.

Except, according to his mother Karen, when he submitted the paperwork, the scoutmaster for Troop 212 in the San Francisco Bay area told him he could not give him the Eagle Scout honor because he was gay.

His mother has started an online petition to protest the decision and it's already gathered 143,877 electronic signatures.

"It hurts me so much to watch Ryan suffer for being who he is, because to me, he's perfect," Karen wrote on the petition. "Ryan has worked for nearly 12 years to become an Eagle Scout, and nothing would make him more proud than earning that well-deserved distinction."

The Boy Scouts of America sent a statement to several news organizations, including ABCin which they say they didn't inquire about Ryan's sexual orientation.

Read more: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/10/05/162371701/teenage-boy-scout-denied-organizations-top-rank-because-hes-gay

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This is why I will not donate to Boy Scouts of America.

[sakabatou]

1. They really need to change

Otherwise, they'll be viewed as homophobic (if not already).

[JRLeft]

4. Pedophiles or Okay, but Gay people............Obviously Gay people are a detriment to society.

[Stuckinthebush]

2. As an Eagle Scout

I know a lot of gay Eagle Scouts! The problem is not that he is gay it is that he is out. The BSA seriously sucks for this.

[Fearless]

3. They actively chose to deny him this because of who he is.

Every person who supports LGBT rights who is or isn't themselves LGBT, should threaten to renounce membership. Hit them hard.

[Chemisse]

5. That is just sick and cruel.

I bet there are a lot of boys in this same position, but in fear of revealing their sexuality because of just this kind of response: repulsion and ostracizing. What is really sad is that it is not just their peers, but the respected adults in their lives who are doing this.

[Atypical Liberal]

6. As an Eagle Scout, I think this is wrong. n/t

[stubertmcfly]

13. Seconded n/t

[cpamomfromtexas]

7. That scoutmaster is wrong,

There is nothing in the Advancement guide regarding where the scoutmaster is to ask a kid what his sexual preference is.

I'm pretty sure the gay issue applies only to leaders. I also disagree with the leader part too.

Here's the part that NO ONE will talk about. The MORMONS OWN BOY SCOUTING! They use it for their youth training so every Mormon boy is required to participate.

The BSA is responding to their constituents with their policies and the Mormons are a huge part of it.

Frankly, I wish there were just Scouts period and not separated groups like they do in Europe, but that's not the real story here.

[AlbertCat]

10. MORMONS OWN BOY SCOUTING!

Of course religion is at the root of it.

It was at the root of Prop 8

and Prop 1 in NC


I'm sure there's a Human Secularist or Atheist camping group somewhere that would be glad to have him come on over have some fun with them. Eagle...schmeagle. Everybody knows what he's done (now) whether he gets their stupid designation or not.

[Capt.Rocky300]

8. Count me among fellow Eagle Scouts....

who think this is a bigoted travesty. Here's a link to sign a petition in support of Ryan.

http://www.change.org/petitions/boy-scouts-don-t-let-your-anti-gay-policy-deny-my-son-his-eagle-award

[Swede Atlanta]

9. I was in the Boy Scouts.......

I didn't stay with it to achieve Eagle Scout honor but had great admiration for those boys that achieved this distinction. I also know there were probably at least 3-4 other gay boys/men in my troop, this in the early 1970s.

I do not give to the BSA nor do I purchase any products or services they offer. This hurts one part of me...that I am not really hurting the BSA but rather the local boys who are just trying to sell something or get donations to support a Jamboree, etc. But the other part of me says that as long as people continue to buy or donate this is nothing more than an endorsement of their bigoted policies.

If scouting is supposed to teach you skills and help prepare you for leadership, how does this policy further that cause? It teaches young boys that gay boys (and girls) are immoral or are not worthy. How does that teach leadership or how they will have to live in a world that increasingly supports equal rights and recognition for the LGBT community?

It doesn't. It perpetuates an ignorant world view that equates sexual orientation with deviance and immorality.

[Kolesar]

11. United Way of Greater Cleveland dropped the Boy Scouts last month

because BSA discriminated against gays.
There are plenty of reasons for locals to be proud: Clevelanders have always been leaders in amount of charitable donations.

[sinkingfeeling]

12. Here's the link to the petition on Change.org.

http://www.change.org/petitions/boy-scouts-don-t-let-your-anti-gay-policy-deny-my-son-his-eagle-award

[sdfernando]

14. This is so disgusting

BSA is in trouble for a scandal similar to that in the Catholic church and they do this? Seriously....I think it is time for their "Honorary President" to resign the office...what say you President Obama???

[Ash_F]

15. Boy scouts need to let go of their bigoted ways. /nt

[8 track mind]

16. I wonder.....

Last edited Fri Oct 5, 2012, 05:59 PM - Edit history (1)

Does the Boy Scouts receive any federal funding? If so, yank it and give it to PBS......