Mr Stemberger,
I was really disappointed to read your op-ed about the Boy Scouts and the Supreme Court. While I fully respect your right to hold whatever religious view you wish on the subject of gay people, it is sad that you use such a poor line of reasoning to try and connect two unrelated issues. I realize that for the radical religious right, anything homosexuality, is still homosexuality, but truly, there is no connection whatsoever between the Boy Scouts potential decision and the upcoming Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage.
I do not know why people who call themselves Christians like you, always try and play the victim card, and try to make out gay rights activists as big,mean, and powerful. They are no more so or less so than anyone else. What they do use however, are facts and real stories of how discrimination against gays and lesbians has a profound and enduring affect. They use real stories of Scouts who are now returning their Eagle badges because they are proud to be gay. They use stories of brothers who wonder why one can be a scout but the other can not simply because one is gay. Are Gay Rights activists relentless? Yes, I bet they are. But anyone who believes in something enough ought to be relentless. Those who oppose gay people certainly are relentless as well.
I would say that the BSA issue has been big news because there is no plausible, rational, or ethical reason to keep gay youth out of the BSA. There is only one supportable reason, and that is a theological reason. Unfortunately, the folks who try and support a ban on gay youth use unsupportable rationale, like they will turn other boys gay. That’s hog wash.
A more rational reason why the BSA leadership chose to revisit their decision probably has more to do with corporate and other sponsorship than with unrelenting gay activists. Corporations such as Merk and the UPS Foundation, and just today, the “God Bless America Fund” announced it will no longer fund the New York State BSA. These are not radical Gay activists! Your attempt to paint Gay activists as the villain is close to bearing false witness which is a sin, if you weren’t already aware.
I’m sure the real story is a bit more complex than that too. I’m sure that while some at the BSA leadership have been on-board with the ban, others have not been, and groups both for the ban and opposed to it have sought to support those perspectives.
My second favorite piece of rhetoric in your op-ed however is this: “Well, unbeknownst to the BSA officials who were being pounded by activists from all sides, the two same-sex marriage cases were also slowly and silently making their way to the U.S. Supreme Court.” You must be joking! Anyone who lives in the real world has been aware of the highly public and much publicized cases covering both Prop 8 in California, and the DOMA case accepted for review by the Supreme Court. There has been nothing “silent” about it.
People who oppose gay people, like you, are failing because you select these crazy ideas (like the cases were happening silently) which don’t stand up to any rational consideration.
Which brings me to my favorite piece of lunatic rhetoric in your op-ed- the way you disparage Justice Kennedy as someone swayed by public opinion. This fine Justice rose to a position on the highest court because of his commitment to the Constitution and to Justice, just like every other Justice on the bench.You are entitled to your own opinion, but not everyone agrees with your critique of his opinions. He is often a swing vote, but if you are really following these two cases currently before the Supreme Court, he is very likely not the swing vote this time.
There is nothing questionable about the timing of the BSA decision or the Court case, or the efforts across the country for Equality for all Americans. But like so many opponents, you fail to see things as they really are, and it seems as if you are treating the upcoming Supreme Court Decision as if it will be the end-all decision about same-sex marriage. It won’t. It is even possible that the decision will have no broad impact on the battle for same-sex marriage! The court may deem same-sex marriage legal again in California and it may decide that the Federal government will have to recognize those legally married couples in states that accept same-sex marriage, but it isn’t very likely to impact anyone else. Truly this will be enough momentum to keep the push for same-sex marriage moving forward, but that is happening anyway! With 11 states accepting marriage equality, and a 12th by the end of today, there is no turning back. Marriage Equality is a given, and will be everywhere eventually.
The BSA decision needs to be 100% about the BSA decision and how we help the youth of America. It should not be based on worry about a Supreme Court decision. There have always been gay youth in the Scouts. I was a Boy Scout, and my partner of 15 years, was an Eagle Scout. I know many guys today, with whom I was a scout, and many are leaders of their community and fine citizens because of their scouting experiences. Their orientation of gay or straight is unimportant.
Sincerely, Thomas Waters