Boy Scout Denied Eagle status for being homosexual

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**Ahtman**

Article

A longtime Boy Scout claims he's being denied the organization's highest honor because he's gay.

Ryan Andresen, who lives near San Francisco, recently finished an extensive service project needed to earn his Eagle Scout award, but his troop leader refuses to give him the rank.

"He said he can't because Ryan said he is gay," said Karen Andresen, the scout's mother.

Ryan claims the scoutmaster knew about his sexual orientation well before he started the project and paperwork for the honor.

"He had been telling me all along that we'd get by the gay thing," Ryan told Yahoo News. "It was by far the biggest goal of my life. It's totally devastating."

The scoutmaster of Troop 212 in Moraga, Calif., did not immediately return phone and email messages seeking comment.

The Scouts' national spokesman, Deron Smith, said late Thursday that Ryan contributed to his situation by disagreeing with the BSA's religious principles.

"Recently, a Scout proactively notified his unit leadership and Eagle Scout Counselor that he does not agree to Scouting's principle of "Duty to God" and does not meet Scouting's membership standard on sexual orientation," Smith wrote in a statement to Yahoo News. "While the BSA did not proactively ask for this information, based on his statements and after discussion with his family he is being informed that he is no longer eligible for membership in Scouting."

Smith said belief in God is the foundation of scouting's strong, continuing commitment to encouraging moral, ethical and spiritual growth. It is the position of the Boy Scouts of America that no one can reach their full potential without belief in a higher power.

**hotsauceman1**

I have so many four letter words to say to these guys.
God im glad i got out of scouting. I hated that place, I went to one that was of a different religious persuasion, and sometimes even the scout master treated me like an outcast.

**timetowaste85**

That is absolute crap of the Boy Scouts. I hope Ryan sues them for all he can get. Granted, it sounds like he actually cares about the BSs, so I'm sure the money isn't gratifying to him now, but this kind of persecution sucks hardcore. I hope it takes them for all he can get. I'm pretty sure it's a case he'd win too. Supreme Court in Obama's age? Boy Scouts are gonna take it hard! And they deserve it.

**hotsauceman1**

Well, If he has proof that the scout leader told him its ok, there is basis.

**Kovnik Obama**

So, another ''atheists can't be moral human beings'' crapola? Kinda surprised about this being the BSA... you find that attitude in the weirdest of places.

Of course, this doesn't excuse having such crappy life objectives as ''getting the highest BSA'' award.

**d3m01iti0n**

Join the Girl Scouts.

**d-usa**

timetowaste85 wrote:
That is absolute crap of the Boy Scouts. I hope Ryan sues them for all he can get. Granted, it sounds like he actually cares about the BSs, so I'm sure the money isn't gratifying to him now, but this kind of persecution sucks hardcore. I hope it takes them for all he can get. I'm pretty sure it's a case he'd win too. Supreme Court in Obama's age? Boy Scouts are gonna take it hard! And they deserve it.

They have been to court a few times, even up to the supreme court, and so far they have always been given the right to decide what they want as a private organization. That doesn't mean that I agree with it, but so far the legal precedent doesn't look good.

**Kovnik Obama**

d3m01iti0n wrote:
Join the Girl Scouts.

Pretty damn sure that's offensive to someone somewhere. Oh well.

**Kaldor**

This is old news. I can't remember the fallout, if he got his award or successfully sued or whatever, but I do remember an article where a lot of eagle scouts started handing back their medals

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/25/157371035/eagle-scout-returns-badge-in-protest

http://boingboing.net/2012/07/23/eagle-scouts-stand-up-to-the-b.html

All I can say is that the scouts obviously have their right to let whoever they want into their private club, and exclude whoever they want. I just hope that in this day and age, the decision to only allow straight christian males is as abhorrent to the average citizen as militant white power groups and neo nazism, and that they become a lunatic fringe group like they should. The more publicity on this, the better.

**Mr Nobody**

Kovnik Obama wrote:
d3m01iti0n wrote:
Join the Girl Scouts.

Pretty damn sure that's offensive to someone somewhere. Oh well.

Actually, girls can join boy scouts now, but boys can't join girl scouts.

**Samus_aran115**

I hate the boy scouts. They've always annoyed me, since I was about five, and kids would brag about how much fun they had with the "troop"... bleck. I loved the idea of getting out in the wild and doing cool stuff, but that's actually not even a big part of what they do, and even then, I wasn't crazy about religion.

In retrospect, I probably could've put on a mask, like I'm going to have to do quite soon, but in the end, I would've been surrounded by a bunch of brainwashed little fanatics.

This is just sad though.

**feeder**

Samus_aran115 wrote:
I hate the boy scouts. They've always annoyed me, since I was about five, and kids would brag about how much fun they had with the "troop"... bleck. I loved the idea of getting out in the wild and doing cool stuff, but that's actually not even a big part of what they do, and even then, I wasn't crazy about religion.

In retrospect, I probably could've put on a mask, like I'm going to have to do quite soon, but in the end, I would've been surrounded by a bunch of brainwashed little fanatics.

This is just sad though.

It's much easier to not participate, and just pass judgement without trying, isn't it?

I had a blast during my scouting experience, I got to go camping and hiking, learn to sail, canoe, bivouac, rappel, all that fun stuff. And I was smart enough not to get diddled by the pedo scoutmaster.

Come to think of it, I learned a lot more "real world" skills scouting than in school.

**hotsauceman1**

feeder wrote:
Samus_aran115 wrote:
I hate the boy scouts. They've always annoyed me, since I was about five, and kids would brag about how much fun they had with the "troop"... bleck. I loved the idea of getting out in the wild and doing cool stuff, but that's actually not even a big part of what they do, and even then, I wasn't crazy about religion.

In retrospect, I probably could've put on a mask, like I'm going to have to do quite soon, but in the end, I would've been surrounded by a bunch of brainwashed little fanatics.

This is just sad though.

It's much easier to not participate, and just pass judgement without trying, isn't it?

I had a blast during my scouting experience, I got to go camping and hiking, learn to sail, canoe, bivouac, rappel, all that fun stuff. And I was smart enough not to get diddled by the pedo scoutmaster.

Come to think of it, I learned a lot more "real world" skills scouting than in school.

Yeah, My Scouts taught me important lessons, Like dont trust anyone, they are all out to get you, and authority will never help you(I was bullied in scouts, and sometimes it was the scout masters own kids, so i wouldnt get any help)

**Kovnik Obama**

feeder wrote:

I had a blast during my scouting experience, I got to go camping and hiking, learn to sail, canoe, bivouac, rappel, all that fun stuff. And I was smart enough not to get diddled by the pedo scoutmaster.

Come to think of it, I learned a lot more "real world" skills scouting than in school.

The ''Real World'' includes a whole lot less tent-setting, sailing, rappel and wilderness exploration than you seem to think.

**dogma**

Smith said belief in God is the foundation of scouting's strong, continuing commitment to encouraging moral, ethical and spiritual growth. It is the position of the Boy Scouts of America that no one can reach their full potential without belief in a higher power.

I like how the BSA refuses to simply state that you can't be a Scout if you're not straight and Christian.

This is an interesting article, and one which makes me question why homosexuality has been singled out the BSA.

**Crablezworth**

I know whenever I picture what a heterosexual looks like, I think boy scout...

This is just sad man, it's obviously a big part of his life. I think if the boy scouts wanna take a hard line they should ban all shellfish consumption and start killing people that they see working on the sabbath.

**Kovnik Obama**

Crablezworth wrote:
I know whenever I picture what a heterosexual looks like, I think boy scout...

This is just sad man, it's obviously a big part of his life. I think if the boy scouts wanna take a hard line they should ban all shellfish consumption and start killing people that they see working on the sabbath.

You don't counter ridiculous social positions very well by making ridiculous claims about how much more ridiculous that social position could be.

**Crablezworth**

I assure you my policy suggestions to the boy scouts of america are not sarcastic or satirical in anyway.

**Monster Rain**

The assessment of what goes on in the boy scouts that I expected from this bunch is disappointingly accurate.

That said, I don't quite get why they care so much about whether or not someone is gay.

**JohnnoM**

Mr Nobody wrote:
Kovnik Obama wrote:
d3m01iti0n wrote:
Join the Girl Scouts.

Pretty damn sure that's offensive to someone somewhere. Oh well.

Actually, girls can join boy scouts now, but boys can't join girl scouts.

^This is one of the things wrong with society today.

**Chongara**

I'm not sure what he expected. The organization is hardly secretive about it's dislike of homosexuality. If the leadership proudly announces that they hate you for your very existence on a regular basis, you shouldn't be surprised when they kick you out of their club.

**feeder**

Kovnik Obama wrote:
feeder wrote:

I had a blast during my scouting experience, I got to go camping and hiking, learn to sail, canoe, bivouac, rappel, all that fun stuff. And I was smart enough not to get diddled by the pedo scoutmaster.

Come to think of it, I learned a lot more "real world" skills scouting than in school.

The ''Real World'' includes a whole lot less tent-setting, sailing, rappel and wilderness exploration than you seem to think.

I was referring to me learning to trust my creeper/jagoff radar. That lesson has served me much better than my knowledge of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

**RatBot**

I used to be a Boy Scout but quit when I realized the only reason I ever went to the meetings was for the eventual laser tag trip we'd take a couple times a year. Was never really into the camping thing. I liked Cub Scouts, but that's cuz everyone in my den or whatever the feth it's called was a friend of mine beforehand anyway.

Interestingly, half the people in my Boy Scout Troop seemed like they were borderline sociopaths, and half of Eagle Scouts I know may very well be (or at least are extremely narcissistic and callous). Of course, I only know four or five Eagle Scouts, and at least one of the Eagle Scouts who isn't potentially borderline dangerous is a really great, stand-up guy, IE the kind of person an Eagle Scout should theoretically be, so there's that.

The above is totally irrelevant, though; I suppose, being a private organization, the Boy Scouts can exclude whoever they damn well please, but they're definitely gakky for doing this.

**hotsauceman1**

I concor with the sociopaths. They Thought that killing something was the ultimate test of being a man. And because i was from a broken home, they thought i was odd and mal adjusted

**RatBot**

I do feel I should qualify my statements with "I am not a psychologist" and I say "borderline sociopath", but it's also just as likely that they were just being typical stupid teenagers. Or perhaps even especially foolish teenagers.

**Peregrine**

Monster Rain wrote:
That said, I don't quite get why they care so much about whether or not someone is gay.

Because they get a lot of funding from conservative religious groups, and those groups have ensured that a lot of the leadership shares their beliefs. It's unfortunate because it has nothing to do with the goals of the organization, it's just a petty "you can't join our club" statement.

RatBot wrote:
The above is totally irrelevant, though; I suppose, being a private organization, the Boy Scouts can exclude whoever they damn well please, but they're definitely gakky for doing this.

Well, except for one problem: IIRC they get public support (for example, meeting on school property). Until they stop being worthless bigots they should have all of that removed.

**dogma**

RatBot wrote:
I used to be a Boy Scout but quit when I realized the only reason I ever went to the meetings was for the eventual laser tag trip we'd take a couple times a year. Was never really into the camping thing. I liked Cub Scouts, but that's cuz everyone in my den or whatever the feth it's called was a friend of mine beforehand anyway.

God, I hated Cub Scouts. I had to be involved because the Den held its meetings at my dad's church, and it was expected that I would be a member. Not by my dad, he didn't care, but by my dad's congregation; ministers need to construct certain fictions.

Pinewood derby though, that gak was awesome. I still have all my cars, and occasionally look at them and weep at my horrid understanding of drag. If Cub Scouts were "Pinewood Derby League" hells yeah I would be a member.

RatBot wrote:

The above is totally irrelevant, though; I suppose, being a private organization, the Boy Scouts can exclude whoever they damn well please, but they're definitely gakky for doing this.

Indeed they can, but if they want to remain relevant they may need to reconsider their policies.

This is a good article on the subject.

**Fafnir**

I'm not sure what being gay has to do about believing in God or not.

**LoneLictor**

Kaldor wrote:This is old news. I can't remember the fallout, if he got his award or successfully sued or whatever, but I do remember an article where a lot of eagle scouts started handing back their medals

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/25/157371035/eagle-scout-returns-badge-in-protest

http://boingboing.net/2012/07/23/eagle-scouts-stand-up-to-the-b.html

All I can say is that the scouts obviously have their right to let whoever they want into their private club, and exclude whoever they want. I just hope that in this day and age, the decision to only allow straight christian males is as abhorrent to the average citizen as militant white power groups and neo nazism, and that they become a lunatic fringe group like they should. The more publicity on this, the better.

What's your opinion on "WHITES ONLY" businesses?

**Ratbarf**

JohnnoM wrote:
Mr Nobody wrote:
Kovnik Obama wrote:
d3m01iti0n wrote:
Join the Girl Scouts.

Pretty damn sure that's offensive to someone somewhere. Oh well.

Actually, girls can join boy scouts now, but boys can't join girl scouts.

^This is one of the things wrong with society today.

Well as far as I'm aware the reason behind this is that some places don't have enough female membership to warrant a separate Girl Scout Troop, so they get folded into the Boy Scouts. The reverse can't actually happen because there has to be a Boy Scout Troop in the area before a Girl Scout Troop. Or at least that's what I remember when I saw girls at the Cub Camps or whatever.