-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! L.A. Times shuts out Scouts Cuts aid due to BSA's exclusion of homosexual adult leaders ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- © 2001 WorldNetDaily.com After years of supporting the Boy Scouts' "Campership Program" – which enables needy Scouts to attend summer camp by underwriting part of the costs – The Los Angeles Times is for the first time turning down the Scouts' application for The Los Angeles Times' annual Family Fund. In a letter to the San Gabriel Valley Council of the Boy Scouts, the Family Fund's program director, Raul Bustillos, explained the denial: "The Times limits its charitable support to organizations whose policies and practices are consistent with ours regarding non-discrimination." The almost century-old Boy Scouts of America, which currently includes some 5 million youths and 1.2 million adults, has had a consistent policy from day one of not allowing open homosexuals to become scout leaders. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last summer that, as a private organization, the Boy Scouts had a constitutional right to include or exclude members of their own choosing and could set membership standards as the group saw fit. Homosexual groups and advocates took offense to the high court ruling and have been waging a public relations and funding battle against the Boy Scouts of America ever since. That activism has led to a number of United Way chapters, corporations, city councils and other private charities ending their financial support for the Scouts – the latest being the Los Angeles Times. According to a press release from the Scouts Alumni Association, "the charitable donations in question are private contributions solicited in The Los Angeles Times for youth from low-income families who cannot afford summer camp programs, some of which are run by the Scouts. The funds do not originate with the Times, nor do they go directly to the Boy Scouts of America." Although The Los Angeles Times or any private company is entitled to promote its own ideology, adds the scouting alumni group, "advertisements soliciting contributions for low-income youth should disclose that one of the largest providers of camping programs is excluded." Scouts stick to anti-gay stand, losing United Way By Tim O'Meilia, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Wednesday, May 30, 2001 WEST PALM BEACH -- The Boy Scouts of America said Tuesday it will not sign an agreement promising not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in providing services to members. That means the Boy Scouts will no longer belong to the United Way of Palm Beach County, and the United Way's annual $120,836 contribution will end after June 30, 2002, because the organization excludes gay Scouts, United Way executives and Scout leaders said after meeting Tuesday. "We very respectfully and cordially agreed to disagree," said Chuck Edgar, an executive board member and past president of the Gulf Stream Council of the Scouts, which covers seven counties, including Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee. The Scouts exclude leaders and members who are "avowed" homosexuals. In September, the United Way of Palm Beach County voted to add sexual orientation to a non-discrimination statement -- including race, age, sex, religion and others -- that health and social service agencies must sign to receive United Way money. The county's other 58 agencies that receive United Way money have indicated they will sign, said Scott Badesch, the executive director of the United Way of Palm Beach County. The national policy notwithstanding, local Scout leaders have said they have never discriminated. "It's still the feeling of the local United Way and the local Boy Scouts that they don't discriminate here," said Gale Howden, chairman of the United Way board of trustees. "The trouble is, they can't sign the paper." While the Scouts said Tuesday they won't sign the agreement, the deadline isn't until June 30. After that, the Scouts will not be included on the pledge card many workers will receive to make their contributions this fall -- contributions that will be distributed after June 30, 2002. The Scouts will receive money from the fall 2000 pledge drive, which will be distributed beginning July 1. The Community Chest/United Way of Palm Beach, which serves Palm Beach, South Palm Beach and Manalapan, will cut off its $70,000 contribution to the Boy Scouts as well. United Way chapters in Martin and St. Lucie counties will continue their support, which amounts to about $75,000. "It means we spend less time with the kids and more time chasing money," said the Scouts' Edgar. In addition to the $120,000 from the United Way, the Scouts also receive contributions to the United Way specifically earmarked for them by contributors. That will amount to about $65,000 this year. As it does for all non-members, the United Way of Palm Beach County will continue to pass that money along to the Scouts even after their affiliation ends, minus an 11.9 percent fee for administration and fund raising. "That money is particularly important this year because we are kicking off a capital campaign for our camps and we don't want to rob Peter to pay Paul," Edgar said. The Scouts want to raise $10 million to refurbish the Tanah Keeta Scout Reservation in Jonathan Dickinson State Park and Camp Oklawaha near Sebastian in Indian River County and don't want to have to dip into that campaign to help pay operating expenses. More than $300,000 of the Gulf Stream Council's $2.3 million annual operating budget comes from United Way chapters. The Scouts raise about $500,000 from their annual "Friends of Scouting" campaign and another $50,000 to $60,000 through events such as a golf tournament, an auction and a corporate clay shoot. The rest comes from private donors. Scout leaders hope to make up the loss by finding more corporate sponsors and major donors. They say they will continue to support the United Way with an annual office campaign. Badesch, of the United Way, said, "Our hope is that people realize how difficult a decision it was (to require the non-discrimination pledge). It was still the right decision." *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
