Redwood Empire Council Statement to the Press

Press Statement
Steve Venkus, President
Redwood Empire Council
707-769-1111
August 21, 2000

The Redwood empire Council follows the National Scouting policy in the matter of gay adult Scouters and gay Scouts. The Scouting program, which celebrates its 90th year in America, is built around traditional family values. The Redwood empire Council believes that individual sexual orientation of Scouts is the sole domain of the Scouts' parents.

The Redwood Empire council has respected and supported the constitutional right of Eagle Scout Steven Cozza to debate the national policy on homosexuality. The Redwood Empire council believes that national debate in matters of important policy has always been the traditional American manner of changing social views on important issues. The debate on the Boy Scout policy has correctly been raised to the highest levels of our country.

The Scouting program, which intertwines outdoor skills with leadership and personal development, is offered to boys at a young age and helps mold character through their teenage years. The program is open to girls as well in the senior programs. Scouting also provides a school-parented program, Learning For Life, that is open to all adults and children regardless of sexual orientation.

All questions pertaining to the national policy, its application in the Redwood empire Council, and events surrounding Steven Cozza and Scouting For All are to be directed to me at the above listed phone number.


* This press release from the Redwood Empire Council of Santa Rosa California was in response to Scouting For All's National Day of protest held on 8/21/00. It is interesting that the Boy Scouts of America can exclude gays from their traditional Scouting program because they are considered by the BSA as morally inferior, but include gays in their Learning For Life program. They also exclude girls, but include girls in "senior" programs. How can gays be morally inferior in the traditional scouting program and morally in line with "Scouting" values in the BSA Learning For Life program? It appears that the Boy Scouts of America is talking out of both sides of their mouth.

Scouting For All asks, does funding have anything to do with this discrepancy in BSA policy? You see, some United Ways have been funding the BSA Learning For Life program as they have stopped funding the traditional Scouting program of the BSA. Something to think about. Is the BSA's policy of discrimination really based on "Scouting" values or money? I've read the Scout Oath and Law and Scout handbook and still haven't found anything written that says gays should be excluded from the Scouting program. You decide if it is a moral issue or a money issue.

Scott Cozza, Pres.
Scouting For All