Victory for the Boy Scouts, Defeat for the ACLU
Amelia Wigton
August 2, 2005
The legal bullies at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sustained a substantial loss with the Senate's passage this week, by a 95-0 vote, of the Support Our Scouts Act of 2005.
The Act, which is an amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill, is expected to pass in the House.
The Act establishes that the Boy Scouts, and any group officially associated with them, cannot be discriminated against in any way through the denial of access to federal funding or public facilities.
"It's about time Congress stepped in to protect the Scouts from the ravenous wolves of the ACLU and the other Scout haters," said Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America's (CWA's) Culture & Family Institute, who is himself an Eagle Scout. "For too long, the Boy Scouts have been treated like criminals instead of the irreplaceable, character-building outfit they are. Sen. Frist deserves a high-five for his leadership on this bill."
The ACLU has been after the Boy Scouts for years for the group's refusal to include atheists and homosexuals. In 1999, the ACLU of Illinois filed a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts because of the Defense Department's sponsorship of the group. The ACLU claimed that federal funds should not be used to support the Scouts because members were required to swear an oath of duty to God, and that this violated the separation of church and state.
As a result, U.S. District Court Judge Blanche Manning ruled on June 22 that the Pentagon could no longer fund the readying of a Virginia military base for the 2005 National Scout Jamboree, which is currently taking place. The Jamboree brings together more than 40,000 Scouts, leaders and volunteers, and President George W. Bush is scheduled to speak.
Sen. Bill Frist (R- Tennessee), who spearheaded the legislation, expressed his gratitude to the Senate:
This amendment protects a unique American tradition that teaches our youth the importance of honesty, integrity and character. It enables the Scouts to continue their public service without the distraction of senseless legal and political attacks. I'm proud that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle chose to uphold the Boy Scouts' fundamental right of fair and equal access to public facilities. Now, more than ever, our nation needs young leaders who understand that content of character counts, and I'm pleased to know this integral scouting tradition will be protected as they continue their noble efforts to mold the hearts and minds of the next generation of America's leaders.
CWA strongly supports and encourages the leadership of Sen. Frist and the Senate on this issue. The Boy Scouts is an important institution that teaches values and life skills. In light of ongoing assaults on the morality of young people today, we must support the continued work of the Boy Scouts to encourage integrity and character among tomorrow's leaders.
Amelia Wigton is a recent graduate of Liberty University and an intern in CWA's Legislation Department.