I just love it when the Boy Scouts get their butts kicked given their blatant discrimination against anyone who doesn’t agree with their religious views or anyone who is homosexual.  I agree that it is their right to do so, and I will never argue that they should be forced to change their views no matter how disgusting I think they are.  Despite this, however, I do so love seeing cosmic justice meted out against them.  They are about to get a big financial smack, and a deserved one at that — not to mention the federal government having to learn a lesson on supporting a religious group with millions of dollars of taxpayer money.

Ed discusses the in progress case against the Boy Scouts and federal government regarding the Jamboree Statute that uses millions of dollars per year to support the BSA’s annual “jamboree” (or, in layman terms, the annual national church get-together).  You see, there is a law on the books that lets the U.S. government provide financial support to the BSA, a self-proclaimed religious organization that is also discriminatory on its membership (you must believe in God, you can not be gay).  To use my money to support any religious organization, especially one that violates federal discrimination statutes, is offensive and illegal.  The first round in the courts was a summary judgment against the BSA and the jamboree law, so at least it’s going well thus far.

As violations of the establishment clause go, this is the most blatant.  As violations of federal discrimination guidelines go, this is also the most blatant.  I see no way for the courts to support the law or BSA in this case.  I’m looking forward to ending the funding for this group and forcing them to the streets for their future jamborees.  They certainly deserve as many smacks as they can get.

And just to demonstrate why I don’t like them, let me offer a few quotes that will help you understand what I mean.

“…once a person admits to not believing in God, this raises the question of whether or not that person believes in America…” (said by the chief spokesman of the BSA)

“Any organization could profit from a 10-year-old member with enough strength of character to refuse to swear falsely.” (New York Times editorial, 12/12/93, on the Boy Scouts’ refusing membership to Mark Welsh, who would not sign a religious oath; it’s important to note that the BSA told Mark that all he had to do was say he believed in god, even if he didn’t, and he’d be admitted, so they wanted him to lie and directed him to do so in order to become a scout)

“The Boy Scouts of America maintain that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing his obligation to God.” (the Boy Scouts of America bylaws)

“If a youth comes to a Scoutmaster and admits to doing wrong, like stealing, lying, cheating or vandalizing, the normal procedure is to counsel the youth privately and sympathetically… If the youth admits to being a homosexual, the Boy Scouts’ policy is to instantly terminate his association with Scouting.” (sworn testimony by the BSA in a Washington DC court case [R.D. Pool & M.S. Geller vs. Boy Scouts of America])

I’m sure you get my point.  Now, go read Ed’s discussion of the current case for details on why this must be decided against the BSA and the government.