We found the following article while we were browsing the web, we thought you might like to read it as well:
City Council in Philadelphia is moving ahead with a $199,000 rent increase (from $1) on that Cities Scout Chapter “The Cradle of Liberty Council”, because they have so far refused to accept openly Gay Scouts and Scout leaders.
Philadelphia Solicitor Romulo L.Diaz Jr. states that Mayor John Street, City Council and the Fairmont Park Commission (City landlord) have been asking the Scouts for the last year for a clear cut anti-discrimination policy. So far this has not been produced. Diaz says the Scouts have been given a choice: agree definitively in writing to stop the discrimination, or pay a new rent at market value!
“They had been put on notice over the last year by the mayor, the City Council and the Fairmount Park Commission that they had a choice to make,” Diaz said in a phone interview with Fox News. “They need to provide evidence that they would not engage in discriminatory practices against gays as either Scout masters or Boy Scouts. …. They have either not responded or essentially played the victim.”
The article goes on to say that while the Boy Scouts of America doesn’t allow openly Gay members, the do have that fabulous “don’t ask, don’ tell policy”. According to Jeff Jubelirer a spokesman for the Cradle of Liberty Council, “We know there are gay Scouts. Of course there are. We don’t care. Nobody cares. We tried to change the policy. National wouldn’t allow us. We’re trying to do the right thing as all parties are concerned.”
Now not being from the US, but from that little Country just North of there (Canada), shouldn’t/couldn’t this issue be attacked the same way that Gay marriage/Civil Unions are being handled by various States (and previously successfully in Canada), the nibble away approach? That is each Chapter make there own rules. After all Canada started the slippery slope to Gay Marriage, which is legal her by making it legal Province by Province, until basically it was legal in almost the whole Country. In the US case, Gay Marriage is now allowed Massachusetts, Civil Unions are now recognized in Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey and California. As of January 1st 2008 include New Hampshire in that fold. Legal Unions are now recognized in Maine, Hawaii, District of Columbia, Oregon and (as of January 1st 2008) Washington.
Not wanting to get too Political on this site, we should keep in mind that Public policy and Laws are just that! PUBLIC.
