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Activist Groups Urge Obama to Reject Boy Scout Honor
From Fox News:
Activist groups, including Scouting for All, urge President Obama not to accept the honorary Presidency of the Boy Scouts of America until they stop discriminating.
Scouting for All is a 100% Volunteer 501-(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization. Every dollar donated goes toward our education and advocacy programs, and is tax deductible.
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Send Letters To The United Way
A Sample Letter to United Way Fund Raising Businesses and City Municipalities
Date
United Way Fund Raising Coordinator
Address
RE: United Way funds Boy Scouts of America, Inc.
Dear United Way Fund Raising Coordinator:
Your city/company actively raises funds for the United Way. The United Way helps fund the Boy Scouts of America
an organization that directly violates United Way's own funding eligibility requirements.
The United Way's funding eligibility requirements requires that any organization that discriminates be excluded
from receiving funds. The Boy Scouts of America is such a group. They now exclude any sponsoring scout units if
they are open and affirming to homosexual youth and adults. Since the June 28, 2000, United States Supreme Court
decision, the Boy Scouts of America
have acknowledged that they discriminate against gay youth and adults and atheists. They are now openly in clear
violation of the United Way's policies.
Furthermore, your city/company has recently spent much money to train your employees about the importance of diversity
in the work place and our community. Discrimination is no longer tolerated. Why continue supporting an organization
which directly violates our city's own ordinances?
While the United Way does provide many community partners with much needed funding, I encourage you to withdraw
your city's/company's support of the United Way until the United Way decides to enforce the eligibility requirements
concerning their own partners or until the Boy Scouts of America complies with United Way policies and eliminates
their policy of exclusion based on sexual preference.
Sincerely,
Citizen X
Address
Phone number
Scouting For All thanks Shelly (shelly@civilgrrl.com) for contributing this
letter to our effort!
New policy could jeopardize funding for Boy Scouts
By DAVID RISING, Associated Press Writer
PROVIDENCE, R.I. The United Way of Southeastern New England announced plans Tuesday to cut funding for groups that
discriminate against gays, including the Boy Scouts.
The rule is part of a nondiscrimination policy the agency adopted, prompted by the debate over whether homosexuals
could join the Scouts.
The new guidelines, developed after months of discussion, threaten $200,000 the agency provides annually to the
Scouts' Narragansett Council, based in Providence, for programs for poor and disadvantaged children.
In order to continue to receive the funding, the Boy Scouts and about 150 other agencies must certify by year's
end they are complying with United Way standards. The agencies cannot discriminate on the basis of a person's age,
sex, color, race, veteran status, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.
Seven other United Way organizations nationwide have similar anti-discrimination policies, United Way of America
spokesman Philip Jones said.
The Narragansett Council, which covers Rhode Island and parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut, abides by the Boy
Scouts of America's ban on "open and avowed homosexuals" and plans to continue to comply unless the national
group directs them otherwise.
"The Narragansett Council is not in any position to adopt anything that is counter to the policy of the national
organization," said David Preston, a Narragansett Council spokesman. "When you accept the charter of
the national organization it's contingent on abiding by the national policy."
Last year, a 16-year-old Eagle Scout filed a complaint with the Rhode Island Human Rights Commission saying he
was denied a job at a Scout camp because he is gay.
In response to the teen's complaint, the local council asked the national organization to review its membership
policies.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Boy Scouts can bar homosexuals from serving as troop leaders.
Dennis Murphy, president of the United Way of Southeastern New England, said the new policy is designed to avoid
punishing those who benefit from the programs.
Donors who give the United Way money for specific charities can continue to do so, even if the groups don't comply
with the nondiscrimination policy. Funding withdrawn from groups will be redirected to maintain services for people
the programs served.
Preston said the Narragansett Council would make sure the boys in the Scouts' United Way funded program "are
not abandoned or forgotten."
The other United Way groups with nondiscrimination policies are in New Haven, Conn., Somerset County, N.J., Santa
Fe, N.M., and Portland, Maine, and in San Francisco, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz in California.
The United Way of Southeastern New England provides about $9 million a year to programs in the region.
Hello....
Just wanted to say I support your work.....here's a copy of a letter I sent to the Santa Barbara
United Way:
Greetings:
As a former Boy Scout and one who earned the Eagle Scout award in 1961 , I wish to state my
feelings about United Way contributions to the organization.
I am ashamed and disgusted by the BSA's systematic and vocal discrimination against boys who are or may be homosexual
or bisexual or just questioning who they are. The BSA position , in my opinion, is a disgraceful violation of liberty
and honorable respect for individual freedom .
Therefore, I would urge your organization to cease whatever financial contributions you may be giving the Boy Scouts,
and to let them know the UW doesn't support hatred and exclusion.
Yours sincerely,
David L. Bates
Shelly Shows Us How to Stop United Way Funding of the BSA
Dear Steven,
We had a monthly meeting and discussed the BSA protest. A member reminded us that the BSA receives United Way funding.
I did a little research and wrote the following letter to the two UW boards. FWIW, I found out that the Providence,
R.I. UW has stopped giving funding to their BSA council. They will continue funding if the BSA stops discriminating.
September 1 is the big fund raising kickoff date, so the timing is right. Our club members have volunteered to
write their local governments and employers. A sample letter follows. We may be able to get the donors to do the
right thing if the local UW chooses not to.
Sincerely,
Shelly
July 20, 2000
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
Gary G. Godsey
President and Chief Professional Officer
901 Ross Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75202
RE: United Way funds Boy Scouts of America, Inc.
Dear Mr. Godsey:
The United Way helps fund an organization that directly violates United Way's own funding eligibility requirements,
The Boy Scouts of America, Inc.
The eligibility requirements for the United Way's Community Initiatives Fund states that funds are not available
for 'programs which provide services only to members of a particular religious belief, or which require that the
client belong to or actively participate in a specific religious activity as a condition of receiving service.'
The Boy Scouts of America is such a group.
In recent years, they have added requirements that their members be heterosexual Christian males, in clear violation
of the United Way's policies.
While the United Way does provide many community partners with much needed funding, I encourage the United Way
of Metropolitan Dallas to enforce the eligibility requirements concerning the Boy Scouts of America and stop funding
this organization until they comply with your policies and eliminate their policy of exclusion based on religion.
I am also encouraging the companies, cities, and other government entities, which fund raise for United Way, to
stop raising money for your organization until this problem is rectified.
Sincerely,
Shelly S. Hattan
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