Eric Jones Came Out, And Was Kicked Out Of The Boy Scouts

Eric Jones was an Eagle Scout with the Boys Scouts of America [BSA] for nearly 10 years, but that all came to end this past weekend when, while working as a counselor at a BSA summer camp, Eric told the camp director that he was gay.

And it was over.

"I'd been working on coming out," Eric said. "I thought it was time to have my life of scouting and my other life come together."

But after saying the words, “I’m gay,” the camp director asked Eric to leave. Oh, but first the director blamed the BSA, saying Eric deserved “to be there, but he had to follow the policy of BSA."

Or, um, you could stand up and say ‘No.’

The BSA has a long, long anti-gay tradition of barring openly gay males from joining the organization—and of barring openly gay women, and mothers, like Jennifer Tyrrell, of being Den mothers. Folks say the organization is “reviewing” a resolution that would end the 102-year-old policy, but a BSA spokesman insisted that there weren't any current plans to change it.

Of course not, a hundred-plus years of hate is hard to end.

Eric Jones knew of the anti-gay policy before coming out, but he had hoped the camp director would overlook it because he’d been working at the camp for five years. Still, Eric Jones is somewhat pleased with the outcome: "This is definitely good for me. I'm generally happy."

But he still feels the discrimination for being gay, and being asked to leave an organization that he has loved for the last ten years, but says he has no regrets even though he's lost a major part of his life.

“I have to thank BSA for making the person I am, for being the person who stands up for what I believe in.”

Too bad the BSA doesn’t practice what they teach.

Sidenote: Eric's story was filmed and will be part of a documentary from director Ryan James Yezak, entitled "Second Class Citizens."

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The Boys Scouts Will Review Their Ban On The Gays, But Aren't Making Any Promises

The Boy Scouts of America [BSA] has announced that it will review a resolution that would allow individual units to accept gay men and women as adult leaders, but a spokesman warns that there should be no expectation that the BSA ban on gay leaders will in fact be lifted any time soon.

Let me get this queer: they want to sound like they're doing the right thing,but they will retain the right to remain bigoted.

according to BSA spokesman Deron Smith, the non-binding, we'll look into it, but we promise nothing, resolution was submitted by a Scout leader last April and presented just last week at the BSA national meeting in Orlando.

And it will be referred to a subcommittee, which will then make a recommendation to the national executive board, though the national board may or may not follow the recommendations.

Got that?

And, to add insult to injury, this process is expected to take up to one year. Smith says there are no plans at this time to change the policy.

Jennifer Tyrrell

In protest to the BSA ousting of lesbian mother, Jennifer Tyrrell, as a den mother, a petition with over 275,000 names was presented to the BSA. 

Among those who presented the BSA with the petition asking that they change their homophobic policies, was Eagle Scout Zach Wahls, an Iowa college student who was raised by lesbian mothers, and has spoken out often, and eloquently, about LGBT rights.

Zach Wahls

Wahls, and his allies, plan a campaign to mobilize opposition to the gay-exclusion policy from within Scout ranks, with the goal of building pressure for the resolution to be approved. Zach says, "Up to the day they end this policy, they'll be saying they have no plans to do so. But there's no question it's costing the Boy Scouts in terms of membership and public support."

Hopefully, with the help of our LGBT allies, like Wahls, the BSA won't wait a year to make a decision, and they won't continue to practice bigotry and intolerance and homophobia in the name of character-building.

via The Associated Press

BSA Board Member Resigns In Support Jennifer Tyrrell

By now I think we've all heard the story of Jennifer Tyrrell, the Ohio mother who was booted out as scout leader of her 7-year-old son's Boy Scouts troop because she's gay.  [see post HERE]
But here's some more.....
The Boy Scouts of America say that one of their goals is to build character in young men, and that they don't want to involve gay people in their endeavors because they don't want to turn their merit badging and camping and stuff in discussions of sexual orientation, so they will not, now or ever, allow gay folks to be leaders.
Okay, but how does discrimination, written into your code of honor, and hidden behind your Freedom of Speech platform teach character? Doesn't that just teach discrimination of people who might be different?
I mean, that's what I think, but then I'm just a queer so, well, you probably don't care about my opinion. But, there is someone who's opinion does matter, and someone who took his opinion, and voiced, it, and then quit the BSA.
David Sims, board member of the Ohio River Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America announced his resignation last Friday in support of Jennifer Tyrrell:

April 27, 2012

Ohio River Valley Council

Boy Scouts of America

Attn: Bob Drury

Dear Bob:

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I write to you today to inform you that I am resigning as a member of the Board of Directors of the Ohio River Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Yesterday, after receiving the email from Paul Tucker, I first learned the story of Jennifer Tyrrell, the den leader for Pack 109's Tiger Scouts in Bridgeport, Ohio, who was removed as leader solely due to her sexual orientation. I understand that this action was taken as a result of a standing policy of the Boy Scouts of America and that said action is legal. However, Ms. Tyrrell’s removal goes against my fundamental beliefs of how we should treat our fellow human beings and is, in my opinion, wholly discriminatory. I understand that the Boys Scouts of America is free to run its organization as it sees fit, however, I can not formally be a part of it based upon this policy.

My grandfather was an Eagle scout, my father was an Eagle scout and I am an Eagle Scout. Other than his family and his Christian faith, the most important thing in my father’s life was the Boy Scouts. The lived and breathed scouting. That is what makes this decision so exceedingly difficult and emotional. However, I know that my father would support my decision.

Best wishes to you, Ohio River Valley Council and the Boy Scouts of America in future endeavors. I hope that the powers that be will look into their hearts and find the wisdom and courage to re-examine the policies of the Boy Scouts of America.

Sincerely yours,

David J. Sims

Sounds like someone learned a little something about character, but probably not from the BSA.

via GLAAD

I Didn't Say It....

Chris Evans, on marriage equality:

"Are you kidding me? It's insane that civil rights are being denied people in this day and age. It's embarrassing, and it's heartbreaking. It goes without saying that I'm completely in support of gay marriage. In 10 years we'll be ashamed that this was an issue."

Oh, I'm ashamed right now, Chris.

Cher, honoring her son Chaz as he received GLAAD's Stephen F. Kolzak Award:

"I'm here because Chaz has the most courage of almost anyone I know. The other day I was having a big meltdown--like you do--and Chaz was saying are you going to come to the thing, and I went God, you know, Chaz, I'm not doing well right now. And she, or he--what? it's 42 years--and he texted me and said 'I've turned into a very understanding smart man, you can call on me.' And so that made me feel so good...(to Chaz) You are the most courageous person I know."

Way to go, Cher.

Dr. Robert Spitzer, whose study of gay reparative therapy is heavily cited by anti-gay groups, apologizing for it:

I believe I owe the gay community an apology for my study making unproven claims of the efficacy of reparative therapy. I also apologize to any gay person who wasted time and energy undergoing some form of reparative therapy because they believed that I had proven that reparative therapy works with some 'highly motivated' individuals."

Takes some folks a long time to come around to admitting they've been an asshat, but when they do we should say Thanks.

Thanks.

Phil Bryant, Republican governor of Mississippi, on what the Democrats one mission is:

"Even if you believe in abortion, the hypocrisy of the left that now tried to kill this bill, that says that I should have never signed it, the true hypocrisy is that their one mission in life is to abort children, is to kill children in the womb."

Yes, as a Democrat the only thing I care about is electing Democrats who want to kill babies.

I'm thisclose to burning my Mississippi birth certificate.

Tom Batiuk, Funky Winkerbean cartoonist, on planning a month-long storyline that focuses on a gay student who wants to go to prom:

“It struck me that whenever I sit in classes at Midview High, which I still do, my overall impression is that the younger generation’s attitudes toward gays is more open and accepting than their predecessors. It’s not perfect, but it shows promise for an emerging generation that will bring this issue [intolerance] to an end. I wanted to take those two opposing viewpoints to reach across that divide of intolerance.”

First Archie gets a gay friend, and now Funky.

When, oh when will Cathy come out?

Newt Gingrich, thrice-married adulterer, speaking out for the same-sex marriage ban in North Carolina:

"Marriage between a man and a woman is at the heart of our civilization. It's a belief that is now under attack, yet it's at the very core of defining who we are. That's why I urge you to vote for the initiative right here in North Carolina. The chance to vote for a referendum to declare clearly that marriage is between a man and a woman....This is part of the same great process this year that's involved with President Obama, and that's involved with the whole danger of what's happening to our basic beliefs. There's an effort by radicals at every level to change who we are, to change what America is and to change for our children into a future that I think will be much worse. This is your chance to turn out and vote and vote for preserving America, and to vote for preserving a very basic institution."

I will give him props, of a sort, for being able to stand up in front of anyone and say marriage is between one man and one woman.

But then that's what asshats do. Ignore their own hypocrisy. And lie.

Josh Hutcherson, accepting GLAAD's Vanguard award and expressing his weariness of having to use certain words to describe people: 

"I'm so sick of saying the words gay and lesbian. Can we just — people. I'm so tired of that. One day I want my son to come home from school and be like, I found this guy and I love him. And I'm gonna be like yes, you do, and that's okay."

We have to get through admitting who we are, before we can simply exist as people.

There will always be differences, in gender, age, skin color, language, religion, and sexual orientation, that need to be embraced.

I get what he's saying, but when we realize that we are all so very different and yet so very much alike, we can make these changes.

Jennifer Tyrrell, the Ohio den mother who was removed by the Boy Scouts for being gay, at the GLAAD awards:

"There was an outcry from the parents who were beside themselves about this and the total disregard that I have to tell my 7-year-old son that his mother can no longer participate in his scouting adventures. Cruz wasn't raised to discriminate. He doesn't understand. I taught all my scouts, just accept people for who they are. I hope that my story will help other kids and parents stand for these values....One of my parents texted me a few days ago and said, 'I want to thank you for bringing awareness to my prejudice. I'm ashamed of the way I used to feel about gay people.' And I thought to myself, 'if that's the only person that I have changed, then that's huge.'"

It's funny that the BSA wants to help young men build character while they, themselves, discriminate.

You can't teach character if you don't have it.

President Barack Obama, speaking at Washington's Holocaust Memorial:

"We must tell our children about a crime unique in human history… The one and only Holocaust — six million innocent people — men, women, children, babies — sent to their deaths just for being different, just for being Jewish. We tell them, our children, about the millions of Poles and Catholics and Roma and gay people and so many others who also must never be forgotten. We must tell our children… But more than that, we must teach them. Because remembrance without resolve is a hollow gesture. Awareness without action changes nothing. In this sense, ‘never again’ is a challenge to us all — to pause and to look within.”

We can never forget who dies, and why they died.

If we forget, it might just happen again.

Kim Kardashian, on how she handles people who say mean things about her on Twitter:

"I love writing them back. People will write me, “My phone battery lasts longer than Kim Kardashian’s marriage,” and I’ll write back, “Oh, which phone is that?” When people are so stupid, you just have to have fun with it. Someone [without a profile photo] will say I’m fat, or a hairy Armenian, and I’ll write back, “Oh, that egg picture of yours is so gorgeous.”

So, she hates people who say dumb things to her and responds like that?

Her brains are all in her ass.

How is it that she has a reality show and not a comedy show?

She funny.

More Anti-Gay BS from the BSA

Okay, so we all know the Boy Scouts of America are virulently homophobic. I mean, that story is as old as, well, almost any story. But they don't just dislike the gay kids who might want to join the BSA, they target the gay parents of kids who want to volunteer for the BSA.

They don't seem to realize:

♫♪ We're here

We're queer

And some of us have queer parents

Get used to it ♪♫ 

Last week the Boy Scouts of America told  Ohio mother Jennifer Tyrrell that she could no longer serve as a "den mother," even when no one else was available.

One night the then-current leader called Jennifer  Tyrrell  and said, "I can't do it." Suddenly, the troop had no leader, and not one other parent stepped up, so Jennifer Tyrrell did: 'I'll be the den leader." 

And she served as a den mother for a year until the local district council learned of her homosexuality, and then they told Tyrrell she had to leave her den leader position. 

"I feel like I've had a great year, I've bonded with my parents, my children, we've done a lot of really good things.  And in light of other circumstances, it was brought to the council's attention at a higher-up level that I was gay and I was forced to resign," added Tyrrell. 

Bob Drury, Scout Director with the Ohio River Valley Council, says, "almost all the positions within the [BSA] are volunteer positions.  They are generally moms and dads that are concerned with the well-being of their child, and they're willing to step forward and help out you know, other children as well."

And they can do exactly that unless, goddess forbid, they're gay.
The Boy Scouts of America, showing their complete lack of compassion and understanding, and not one iota of gratitude to Jennifer Tyrrell for stepping up, say they are within their first amendment rights to exclude openly homosexual persons from membership, pointing out that, in 2000 the Supreme Court agreed with them.

Just because it's a 'right' doesn't make it right.

And then Bob Drury added, "It's just something that has been determined to be a distraction to what the program is.  The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to develop character and leadership skills and the youth of today to become the leaders of tomorrow.  And anything that distracts from that mission distracts from what our program is."

I guess that, in addition to building a certain kind of character, the BSA also wants to breed a new generation of bullies and bigots.

Go to Change.org to sign a petition that the BSA reinstate Jennifer Tyrrell to the position she held for a year because no other parent, or at least straight parent, wanted.

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