Press Release
For Immediate Release and Distribution
May 28, 2005

Contact
Scott Cozza, Pres.
Scouting for All
email - cozzahived@aol.com
Tel - 707-778-0564
web site - www.scoutingforall.org



Follow-upStatement From Scouting for All Regarding The Protest Of The Boy Scouts of America At Its National Conference,TX And Scouting for All's Response To Statements Made By BSA National, Irving Texas


  Scouting for All wants to take this opportunity to thank the following speakers who spoke at our Scouting for All press conference on May 24 in Texas. The speeches were heart-felt and very moving because they were all driven by love and compassion.

Father Edward Correll, Liberal Catholic Priest
St. Alban's Liberal Catholic Church, Glendale, CA
Mel Lipman, President
American Humanist Association, www.americanhumanist.org
Reverend, Dr. Cindi Love, Senior Pastor
Metropolitan Community Church
Dallas, TX, Web site: www.mccgreaterdallas.org
John Hattan, Secretary
Metroplex Atheists, web site: www.metroplexatheists.org
Mark Daly, President
Ft. Worth Chapter of PFLAG
Sandy Brouillette, Vice President
PFLAG-Dallas
Kathy Collier, Board Member PFLAG-Dallas
Pastor in the Presbyterian Church, USA, Mother of Gay Eagle Scout
Joshua Collier, Eagle Scout
Howard Menzer, Eagle Scout
Southwestern Regional Dir. Scouting for All
George Pegelow, Board Member Scouting for All
Board of Directors ACLU Northern California
Chairman of the Education Committee of the Marin County Human Rights Comm.,California
Barry Lawrence, Scouting for All Board Member
Representing Beacon Fellowship and the Ohio Center for Social Justice, Dayton, Ohio

  Scouting for All's presence in Texas was proven to be very successful,advocating for human rights and social justice. They opposedthe Boy Scouts of America's discriminatory policy against gay and atheist youth and adults. From the press conference, Father Correll's letter and advocacy at BSA national headquarters in Irving, our protest in front of the BSA national conference at Grapevine, TXand finally the candlelight vigil in Dallas;we all helped to make a difference in the lives of our fellow human beings.

  It just so happens that 2 seconds ago I received an instant message from a young person wanting to speak to Steven. He said he just came out as gay and found our web site and wanted to thank us for being there for him. That messagewas a gift for us all! It represents what our compassionate advocacy is all about!

  Greg Shields, BSA public relations person measures morality by numbers as quoted in a recent news article (see below). Scouting for All believes that morally should be judged on the act itselfand not on the number of people who may be colluding with the act by remaining silent. It is immoral to discriminate against any human being based on his or her religion (spiritual belief), gender, sexual orientation, disability, or race. Over the years the BSA has been in violation of human rights under all of these human characteristics. They discriminated against African Americans, the disabled, and women at one time. Now they discriminate against the atheist and the homosexual communities. What groupwill be next on their list?

  "There's no reason for us to meet (referring to Scouting for All)," said Shields, noting the Scouts' board of directors affirmed the policy in 2002. "Our parents and charter organizations approve of this policy. They (the protesters) may have 15 people with signs or a letter with 100 signatures -- we have four million members meeting every week. Our members vote with their feet."

  "Mr. Shields our members vote from their hearts and conscience. We stand on the side of social justice and human rights while you stand on the side of bigotry, exclusion, hate, ignorance, homophobia,and apathy. We had 15 people protesting your organization's discriminatory policy against gay and atheist youth and adults. As you point out 15 against 4 million, we are the courageous, while your national leadership in Irving, Texasremain cowards, refusing to dialog, kicking out any BSA members who oppose your policy and threatening any scout council or scout unit who dares to voice opposition. Shame on you and shame on the national leaders you represent, Roy Williams, Chief Scout Executive and John Cushman, President. They have failed in their duty to respect both human rights and their own scout oath and scout law."

  "Mr. Shields, you and the national leadership of the BSA can no longer ignore the hurt you have caused gay and atheist youth and the atheist and homosexual communities. You can no longer say you don't discriminate. The BSA has been ever changed, for now you have to look at the hate and pain you have caused and continue to do so as long as your bigoted policy is in place. When you see a scout you'll now have to see the gay and atheist scouts who you exclude or who have to hide from you out of fear of being kicked out."

  Mr. Shields "Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

  Until we meet again.

Sincerely,
Scott Cozza, President
Scouting for All