GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 25, 1994

EDITORIAL

What we're up against

Theocracy: 1. a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler. 2. a system of government by priests claiming a divine commission. 3. a state under such a form of govern-

ment.

Most gays, lesbians and bisexuals aren't familiar with the word theocracy. In fact, most Americans aren't. Some would guess that theocracy has something to do with government. But after reading the Random House College Dictionary definition of theocracy above, many would agree that a theocracy is ill-suited in defining our American form of government. The thought of having an official body of priests, advising our elected officials and revising American domestic and foreign policy according to how they interpret the will of a national deity, is ludicrous to the average person, gay or straight. But, according to Jerry Bunge, program director of Citizens for Justice, the religious right is intent on creating such a government in the United States.

At a recent rally in Indiana, Randall Terry, leader of Operation Rescue, said, "... Christians shouldn't be bothered by the word theocracy... Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a biblical duty, we are called by God, to conquer this country. We

don't want equal time. We don't want pluralism."

Straight America has the luxury of laughing at comments made by religious rightwing radicals. We don't. After the flurry of anti-gay rights ballot initiatives around the country at both the local and state level, gay, lesbian and bisexual communities have found that they are easy targets for religious hate-groups and their "special rights" message.

It was the success of this “special rights” message in Cincinnati that has led the gay community in Ohio to begin preparing for an expected statewide anti-gay rights initiative. The organization Citizens for Justice, along with the Ohio National Organization for Women and other concerned groups, organized a statewide coalition building meeting held at OSU Law School. Invitations went out to all organizations that care about equality and fighting the agenda of the religious right. The meeting was intended to inform as well as facilitate networking between groups in attendance.

Jerry Bunge opened the meeting with an overview of the larger right-wing religious organizations, emphasizing the financial strength of each organization. "Focus on the Family (one of several Colorado-based right-wing religious organizations) has

1,000 full time employees and has netted 90 million dollars in book and tape sales alone," said Bunge. Nancy Minson and Ted Good, who led the fight against the anti-gay rights initiative in Cincinnati, discussed the significant financial role played by out-ofstate right-wing religious organizations. "They (Colorado for Family Values) had no trouble contributing $390,000 to the local anti-gay 'special rights' campaign," Minson said. "We underestimate our opponents."

It has become obvious that beating the religious right at the ballot box will take a lot of money. Other than raising plenty of money, it has become clear from the Cincinnati experience that building bridges between our community and other minority groups is also important in guaranteeing our constitutional rights as American citi-

zens.

We can't let the religious right manipulate other minority groups into becoming our adversaries on this issue. As Americans, we must all remember that no one group has a monopoly on the cry of discrimination and injustice. Civil rights are for everyone. The fight for civil rights should involve all of those who champion them. Creating community between communities is a challenge for everyone to accept and creatively address. ✓

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Volume 9, Issue 17

Publisher: Martha J. Pontoni Business Manager: Patti Harris Managing Editor: Kevin Beaney Production Manager: Brian De Witt Reporters & Writers: Martha J. Pontoni,

Dora Forbes, Marne Harris, Kevin Beaney, Timothy Robson, Barry

Daniels, Mike Radice, John Graves, Charlton Harper, Joseph Morris

Akron-Canton: Paul Schwitzgebel,

Artist:

Richard Simonton,

Jerry Kaiser Christine Hahn Sales Manager: Patti Harris Account Executive: David A. Ebbert

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SPEAK OUT

Boy Scout bureaucrats don't teach good values

by Michael S. Geller

February 22 marked the 137th anniversary of the birth of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the worldwide Boy Scouts movement. Across America, Scouts commemorate this day by reaffirming their Oath and renewing their commitment to the Scout Laws.

Most of you know the Scout Laws: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, and so on. Unfortunately, in 1994 we have to add a corollary to each of these statements.

According to Laws in the Scout Handbook, A Scout is trustworthy: A Scout tells the truth. Actions of Scouting officials suggest just the opposite-a Scout who is honest about his sexuality can't remain a Scout.

● Also according to Scout Law, A Scout is friendly: A Scout is a friend to all. He seeks to understand others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than his own. Today's Scouts are learning from the action of Scouting officials that they should hate and revile their gay peers, and drive them out of Scouting at all costs.

And again, from Scout Law, A Scout is brave: A Scout has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at or threaten him. However if those bully-

ing him are executives of the Boy Scouts of America, a gay Scout should tuck his tail between his legs and humbly submit to censure by Scouting officials, no matter how justified he feels his case to be.

I suggest these changes as someone who rose through the ranks of Scouting, someone who believed (and still believes) that Scouting builds character and self-reliance, and prepares Scouts to be leaders of tomorrow. I took these laws to heart. I suggest these changes as a gay Scout who now finds himself battling the Boy Scout bureaucracy, a bureaucracy that has summarily dismissed me as an Eagle Scout, taken away my privileges of sharing Scouting with America's youth, and publicly condemned me as unfit for Scouting for nothing more than the simple declaration that I am gay.

Because I am gay, Boy Scout officials rescinded my 20-year membership and rendered my Eagle Award-the highest honor in Scouting-the most hollow of trinkets.

What are today's and tomorrow's elevenyear-olds learning from my expulsion? They're learning to reinterpret the Scout laws according to the bigoted and prejudicial biases of Scouting officials who should know better, former Scouts themselves for whom Scout Law was only so many words

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to be parroted on cue.

Today's Scouting youth are not learning much about tolerance and respect for others different from themselves. They're not even being taught to take responsibility for their decisions since I was expelled by letter almost two years ago, Scout executives have systematically refused any comment, denied any opportunity for me to question them publicly about whether their actions represent Scout values, rebuffed any chance for me to prove that-gay or not-I'm still a model Scout.

But, I also learned from Scout Law that, while he is obedient, if a Scout thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them changed in an orderly manner rather than disobey them.

My attempts to have these rules changed in an orderly manner have been smugly ignored by the Boy Scouts of America. With no recourse, I and other Scouts have filed suit in courts across the land to make the Scouts live up to our promises, to fulfill the oaths that each of us took as Scouts in our youth, and that each of us is sworn to uphold.

But the path through the U.S. legal system for this kind of redress is slow and painful. More than a year after first bringing

complaint against the Boy Scouts of America through the District of Columbia Department of Human Rights, there has still been no public hearing, no cooperation from Scouting officials, and no progress toward regaining my status as a registered Scout.

The slogan of the Boy Scouts of America is "Do a good turn daily.” Meanwhile, every day, a gay Scout is humiliated in front of his peers. Every day, a gay Scout is forced to lie about his sexual orientation, to undergo the secret torment of hiding his feelings from his closest friends. Every day, a gay Scout is taught that actions speak louder than words, and the words of the Scout Law are no more than lip service.

The Scout motto is "Be Prepared." When I joined the Boy Scouts of America, I thought that meant be prepared to be a helpful,

courteous, and kind human being; a model citizen. Twenty years later, I know it means be prepared for duplicity, falsehood, and empty pledges. Twenty years later, I am prepared prepared to see this case through and expose the moral bankruptcy of the Boy Scouts of America.

The urgency in my message is not only for me, or for other Scouts-gay or straight-who disagree with the current exclusionary policy of the Boy Scouts of America. America itself has a lot invested in the Boy Scouts with the expectation that Scouting teaches values to our youth that promote good citizenship based on adherence to Scout Law. This social contract means that local, state and federal governments accommodate the Boy Scouts by allowing them special access to buildings, land and parks for the purposes of educating Scouting youth, America's youth. Instead we find the Boy Scouts abusing this special relationship by instilling hate and intolerance in America's youth.

It is time to reexamine this contract between the Boy Scouts and the American people.

Next Chronicle comes out Friday, March 11

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