An Open Letter to the Boy Scouts of America

The following is an exact copy of a letter I just sent to the BSA.

"I am an Eagle Scout. I have been proud to be an Eagle Scout. Beyond that, I have a Bachelor's Degree. It is also relevant to note that I am a founder and Executive Director of a corporation which aspires to 501(c)(3) status. I am also an Atheist and a supporter of LGBT rights. Your recent revocation of the charter for Troop 98 is despicable. It is contrary to the teachings of scouting, and it may be illegal.

The Scout Law, which we each swear to uphold, contains the words Loyal, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Brave. I will address each of these concerns in turn. Your actions in this matter has been none of these.

A Scout is Loyal. Loyalty is a form of respect given to other people. It is the embodiment of the trust we place in each other, that we will not abandon them in times of need, though it may damage us to do so. In the brotherhood of scouting, we each can reasonably expect the loyalty of our fellow scouts. You have been disloyal to Troop 98.

A Scout is Friendly. Friendliness is about being open to people. This (so I was taught) includes people who are different from you. To be friendly to someone means that you are willing to meet them, to talk with them, to get to know them for who they are without passing judgement upon them. It is not friendly to push someone away before you have met them. It is not friendly to condemn a group of people simply because you dislike some aspect of that group.

A Scout is Courteous. Courteousness is similar to friendliness, but distinct in action. It is a manner of acting which is extended to all people even after you have met them. Courtesy can be thought of as the mask you put on for the benefit of others whom you dislike. You have acted discourteously to the boys of the troop you disbanded. You have made this larger than your quarrel with a Scoutmaster, you have directly involved the troop and pack he led.

A Scout is Kind. Kindness is not about pity. Kindness is about actively refusing to do harm to others. It can take the form of preventing harm, or relieving pain. In this action, you have harmed the Scoutmaster and his troop and refused to relieve the suffering already taking place. This is cruel.

A Scout is Brave. Bravery is not a lack of fear, but standing tall in the face of it. It is choosing to do the right thing even when you know you will be punished for it. You are cowards. You bend to the fear of the unknown, the fear that outside factions will shun you, the fear that the training you so strongly advocate for will fail.I tell you it is not failing, it has been taken to heart by those who would throw away their Eagle Badges and stand up to unjust policies.

I have read extensively about the actions allowed to 501(c)(3) organizations. A recent court case affirmed that it is illegal for a 501(c)(3) to engage in discrimination on religious grounds. I do not know the proper format for referring to the case, but it is the recent case involving the Salvation Army in which employees of the Salvation Army were terminated on the basis of their religion. The Salvation Army lost that battle. While sexual orientation is not yet officially on the list of protected groups, it can easily be considered similar enough. I would warn against holding your ground too firmly.

I admit that I have not always been a model scout. As an Atheist, I am irreverent. I also admit that I will not give my Eagle Badge voluntarily, as so many have done, because I hold it and the experiences that led me to it very closely. In this respect I am a coward. I do not suggest that imperfect Scouts should not be Scouts any longer, and I do not expect perfection from any organization run by imperfect people. That is the very point of scouting: to learn to be better people. Being a Scout is, when reading between the lines, about learning to admit when you are wrong, and correcting yourself. You have come part way by allowing LGBT youth to participate in the organization. Do not tell those youth that they cannot continue to be part of Scouting after they grow up."

Scouting was a big part of my childhood, and I would like to share it with my eventual children. However, if they don't pull their collective heads our of their collective ass, I would not shed a tear to see them taken to court and dissolved over this. Scouting is bigger than America, it will survive and likely return in a new and improved form.