“Today’s decision by the Boy Scouts of America was not a partial or incremental win for LGBT scouts; it was a disappointing failure by BSA to demonstrate the very leadership they should be fostering in kids.
“As I mentioned earlier today in an NBC5 interview, the BSA needs to understand that discrimination of any kind undermines the values and goodwill they have fostered in youth and families since I was a scout and for generations of scouts before and after.
“I get invited to speak to scout troops frequently, but last year when our foreign exchange kid Jakob joined the scouts I could only be a guest speaker, their Council member, and a his dad, but not a “scout dad” at his troop. Jakob and many of his fellow scouts saw through this absurd hypocrisy, as did their parents.
“And while many of my fellow parents of scouts are friends and were able to make a “learning moment” from the situation, what there is to learn from today is what makes me most sad about BSA’s decision: Inviting more youth into the organization to be told they will be accepted only up until a certain age and will then be rejected is grossly cruel, indefensible and shameful. The BSA today failed scouts and parents alike.”
— Gay Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns, commenting Friday on his Facebook page about the Boy Scouts’ proposal to allow gay youth but not gay adult leaders
