Philadelphia’s Boy Scouts may want to follow their lady counterpart’s lead and start selling cookies. The city of Brotherly Love has revoked the anti-gay, Christian-based group’s rent free lease on their half-acre HQ.
The Philadelphia Scouts – who go by the name Boy Scouts of America’s Cradle of Liberty Council – first moved into the tony spot in 1928, when the Philadelphia Art Museum donated the land for the historical group. Council members voted yesterday, however, that the city cannot offer such incentives to a group that bans gays. The United States supreme court ruled in 2000 that the group has the constitutional right to exclude homos, but warned them that they may face consequences for doing so. The Evening Bulletin fills us in on the Philadelphia details:
The council resolution, introduced by Councilman Darrell Clarke and passed by a vote of 16-1 Thursday, claims the national Boy Scouts organization “has a policy of discrimination based on sexual orientation … and has required the local Boy Scouts to implement its discriminatory policy by excluding participation on the basis of sexual orientation.”
It continues, “The local Boy Scouts unfortunately has implemented that discriminatory policy and publicly has declared its intention to continue doing so… The Boy Scouts’ policy and conduct is directly contrary to the principles of equal access and opportunity enshrined in Philadelphia law.”
Philadelphia’s decision is hardly the first time the Scout’s anti-gay ways nulled their privileges – the group’s nautical division, the Sea Scouts, recently sued Berkley after the city repealed their rent free docking space. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which refused to hear it.
adamblast
Awesome. While gay rights activism is important and must continue to press forward, decisions like this are where the real progress comes, thru gradual social and cultural change.
When it becomes too costly or uncomfortable for groups like the Boy Scouts–and the US Military, while we’re at it–to continue to openly discriminate, they will finally change their policies due to their own self-interest.
sstephen
Great to see this story. I was in the Bot Scouts for 17 years, earned my Eagle award and became a Scout Leader before I was “politely” asked to not come back so this story appeals to my sense of karma.
NoChange
Won’t stop the great work these boys do, or the Leaders that give their time, freely! The day will come when you all won’t be so bitter towards people of other opinion. Scouts make great leaders, just look at the House and Senate……