My son posted an article on his Facebook wall and I read this letter with awe. This family decided to leave the Boy Scouts after they reaffirmed their decision to deny membership to boys who are gay and deny leadership positions to men who are gay.
I wrote about my feelings when it happened. Then I saw this letter and was blown away by the commitment this woman and her husband showed in their action. Many people talk, few people are willing to do what they did.
Here are a couple excerpts from her letter:
“When we explained our concerns to the boys, they couldn’t understand why we wanted to leave, since none of us are gay. But that is precisely the point: how can I in good conscience allow my children to be conditioned to stand by while others around them are excluded or oppressed? By staying in the scouts, we would send a message that it is fine to stand by as a school bully attacks a classmate, a husband beats his wife, as women are kept out of schools in the developing world, as humans are enslaved, or as gay families are left out of normal activities in what is supposed to be a great nation.”
“I have heard a lot of talk about “fighting from within”. What does this mean exactly? Place pink triangle neckerchiefs on the boys? Gay pride colors added to the pack flag? I don’t see how anything will change if families like mine continue to give time and money to a group with such good intentions but such a flawed take on what it means to raise our children properly.”
The letter is well worth reading. I hope you will take the time.
How do you fight for what is right?
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