PROTEST HITS BOY SCOUTS

[RedCeltic]

This report is from Worker's World Party


PROTEST HITS BOY SCOUTS FOR ANTI-GAY BIGOTRY

By Frank Sarjanovic
Los Angeles

Demonstrators gathered Aug. 26 at the Boy Scouts of
America's Newport Beach Seabase in Orange County, Calif., to
protest the BSA's discriminatory policies toward gay youths.

The multimillion-dollar 400 feet of bay-front property,
according to the BSA, comes courtesy of the Orange County
Board of Supervisors. It is operated by the Orange County
Council of the scouts.

People living in Orange County have become outraged that
their tax dollars are used to fund an institution that
openly discriminates against people based upon sexual
orientation.

Whether they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or
straight, taxpayers' concern on this issue is spreading like
wildfire across the country. More and more people are
standing up to say that discrimination of any kind is
unacceptable, and that allowing an institution such as the
BSA, which promotes its program as instilling in young
people "solid values and good citizenship," is giving the
message that it is okay to discriminate. This in turn
promotes violence against lesbian, gay, bi and trans people.

Even the American Medical Association has stated: "The BSA's
discriminatory policies toward GLBT people are bad public
health. The feeling of being hated promotes severe emotional
damage." U.S. government statistics report that lesbian,
gay, bi and trans youths are three to seven times more
likely to commit suicide than heterosexual youths.

In addition to the intense internal pressure of being
closeted, lesbian, gay, bi and trans people who are open
about their sexuality face ridicule, humiliation and
violence such as being spit on, harassed at school, work and
in public, physically beaten and, in some cases, such as
Matthew Shepard's and others, murdered.

FBI statistics document 1,558 reported "hate crimes" toward
gay, lesbian, bi and trans people in 1999 alone. The BSA
openly promotes the idea that gay and lesbian people are "a
burden" to society, are "diseased and unworthy," adding to
the climate of anti-gay violence. Hate crimes against gay,
lesbian, bi and trans people have increased dramatically
over the past two years.

"It's important to be proud of who you are, gay or
straight," said Joe Delaplaine, organizer of the Stonewall
Initiative for Equal Rights, initiator of the Aug. 26 dem on
stration. "No matter how you try to suck up to people who
are oppressing you, they are still going to come down and
slap you down no matter what. So we have to band together
with other oppressed people to make permanent change for the
better."

Chants like "We're here, we're queer, we're equal, get used
to it!" roared out of the crowd.

Preston Wood from the International Action Center in Los
Angeles gave a motivational speech: "Gay, straight, bisexual
or transgendered, whatever we are, we're all together and
we're not going to allow them to wreak havoc and perpetuate
their hatred against us. So we've got to do like the older
generation did at the Stonewall Inn in New York City and
fight back!

"We've got to send a message to them that we are not going
to allow them to push us back, that we are going to fight to
the end, until we win our rights, and we are going to do
this by uniting with everyone who is fighting back.

"There's a change going on. You can feel it around the
world. In Seattle, in Genoa, Italy, the people want a world
of love, appreciation, inclusion, not a world of division,
violence, discrimination and segregation."

Many speakers at the demonstration also brought up the Bush
program. "Bush knows he is isolated by all the progressive
people. They can't function without dividing us, so it's
important that we stick together," said John Parker of the
IAC.

Other speakers also encouraged people to surround the White
House on Sept. 29.

The diversity of the people at the protest--gay, lesbian, bi
and trans, straight people, people of different cultures,
races, religions and genders--recognizing and uniting
struggles to fight back the Bush attack gave tremendous hope
that a world of true equality and social justice is
possible.

- END -

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[Guest]

Discrimination in the United States, sexual and racial is a long-standing tradition since it's founding. They have a lot to be proud of. Congratulations. Take your bow.

[CPK]

what do you guys personally think about homosexuality? is it right for the community? for humanity?

[Moskitto]

what do you guys personally think about homosexuality? is it right for the community? for humanity?

I was going to ask the same thing earlier today

I'm always disputing this (mainly with other christians) but I believe it is not and should not be relevant in society as I believe it is not a free concious choice because I cannot see someone choosing to stick his d*** up someones a*** when they could go around looking at chicks.

[Guest]

It should isn't relevant. What a person does in the privacy of his own home is nobody's fucking business as long as it'ss not illegal or hurting anyone else. You can't you see why a guy would want to stick his dick up some other guys ass when he could be looking at chicks? Sounds like you have a personal problem too. As long as it ain't your ass, it shouldn't matter.

[Moskitto]

OK that isn't the response I normally get I but I think i'll rephrase myself.

what I mean is that I cannot see how someone can choose to go against the logical biological processes of species and therefore shouldn't be judged as inferior or evil because of something that's out of their control.

P.S. What I normally get is "It says in the bible it's evil, God wouldn't have created someone evil, therefore it's a choice." Which I reply "God didn't write the bible and as the current trend is going towards the left wing it is logical to assume that the writers were right-wing and incorporated their ideas of homophobia."

[Jurhael]

No, it is NOT a concious choice and even if it is, it's NO ONE'S business and it does not justify taking jobs, houses, LIVES away from them. Or considering it "evil or inferior". It's not like everyone will die out because of same sexed couples and sex. Christ.

BTW, logical biological process? Tell that to the 600 species that "engage in homosexual activity".

[Moskitto]

No, it is NOT a concious choice and even if it is, it's NO ONE'S business and it does not justify taking jobs, houses, LIVES away from them. Or considering it "evil or inferior". It's not like everyone will die out because of same sexed couples and sex. Christ.

BTW, logical biological process? Tell that to the 600 species that "engage in homosexual activity".

erm was I supporting homophobia?

people normally call me gay for supporting gay rights.

[CPK]

i can't see why people are gay. but it's there personal life. as long as they don't bother me. i'm ok.

[RedCeltic]

Quote: from Moskitto on 4:26 pm on Sep. 10, 2001
OK that isn't the response I normally get I but I think i'll rephrase myself.

what I mean is that I cannot see how someone can choose to go against the logical biological processes of species and therefore shouldn't be judged as inferior or evil because of something that's out of their control.

P.S. What I normally get is "It says in the bible it's evil, God wouldn't have created someone evil, therefore it's a choice." Which I reply "God didn't write the bible and as the current trend is going towards the left wing it is logical to assume that the writers were right-wing and incorporated their ideas of homophobia."

Uh... Keep in mind this is a leftist site and so most people on this site are going to naturaly be for human rights. Homosexuals are people and deserve equal rights to participate in the public sector as any other person regardless of their sexual preffrence. It doesn't matter what the Blble says, nor if you can stomach what they do behind closed doors... they are not inviting you to watch them have sex and I'm sure they don't want to watch you have sex, they just want to participate in life without having to hide who they are.

The BSA has long been known as an inclusive vital part of America's communities. Public schools have let them use their facilities as they have always let in members from all walks of life. Even though they are actualy a privite organisation and a Christian organisatiion... they have kept that low key. Now that they have decided to bring that out into the forefront and ban homosexuals from the group, while truly nothing has changed, they remain as they always have... they can not truly be considered an inclusive public group for the entire community. Therefore it is in the best interest of govenmental bodies and public schools to ban the BSA from using public funds and facitities.

Socialism is about Equality for everyone comrades... the BSA is obviously not.

P.S. I was in the BSA and quit just before I would have been an Eagle Scout.

(Edited by RedCeltic at 8:38 pm on Sep. 10, 2001)

[myrmidon of Che]

I don't think the Boy Scouts should let gays be scout masters of these little boys. This isn't Peter Pan and Wendy folks. The Girl Scouts don't let men be the girls' scout master out in the woods where they might have to share a tent during a bad storm---and for good reason. Use your heads mon ami.

Still if two gays want to fuck on their own time and if they're consenting adults they can do the hell they want. It is none of my business.

(Edited by myrmidon of Che at 2:53 am on Sep. 11, 2001)


(Edited by myrmidon of Che at 3:01 am on Sep. 11, 2001)

[RedCeltic]

I don't understand why this homophobic and vulgar language is needed to make your point... You obviously are confusing homosexuals with pedophiles. Homosexuals only want to have sex with other homosexuals... why do you think they want to have sex with children?

(Edited by RedCeltic at 9:06 pm on Sep. 10, 2001)

[pce]

i'd like to address a few problems i'm seeing.

first of all for some reason, whenever people start talking about gays/lesbians, they feel the need to get rude and use derogatory words to get their point across. i don't know what's up with that. everyone here never talks like this until they start writing about homosexuality. this is wrong. i think it has to do with people wanting to somehow proove that THEY are not homosexual while going on to say that it's everyone's right to do whatever they want. "well....i PERSONALLY think it's disgusting, sinful, terrible, barbaric, gross buuuuuut...... it's ok if that's the way you feel......"

point no.2: there is also the notion that gay/lesbian people run around all day and try to have sex with as many men/women as possible, molest as many children as possible, and try to convert everyone to homosexuality. this is ridiculous and a large part of why homosexuals are discriminated against- when in fact they have just the same sexual, along with every other type of, urges as everyone else.

and third: people always start making little jokes and have little anecdotes about homosexuals- again to push the fact that, god forbid, THEY themselves aren't "like that....." (that was sarcastic)

[pce]

sorry i kind of restated redceltic's post- i was typing and didn't notice his post going up :biggrin:

[RedCeltic]

Yes PCE... thankyou.

[RedCeltic]

I think you said it better.

[Guest]

I saw your original posting myrmidon, I think you should have left it up.

In ways homosexuality does get into deviant public behavior like those gay bathhouse/public toilets in Ca and elsewhere, the one George Michael got busted in. There are penis-sized holes in the stalls to..... well, I don't think I have to explain what the holes are there for. So, maybe they are consenting adults, sure.... but... shit, what if somebody took a wrong turn and assumed it to be a place to relieve yourself rather than to relieve your load. I know I would'nt want to be in there when some creepy ass dick comes barreling through the hole in the wall after it's just been lodged out of some other unknown hole - the figurative asshole that is. How unsanitary is that?

[Moskitto]

I think the reasons I used to explain my belief should be used on a different forum.

The reasons I mentioned are to appeal to the emotions of the homophobes of a different online community (Planetarion.) To make them question the reasons as to why they would theoreticly choose.(I got someone to agree with me on a chatroom without them realising like this.)

What would have been better to have said was to mention the fact that many gay people are actually diagnosed with a condition which gives them the personality of women. Also I have seen on an social education video about relationships there was a gay teenager who said that "I realised I fancied other boys" not "I decided i'll fancy other boys" which indicates a lack of choice in the matter.

Although a christian I do not believe the bibles teachings on homosexuality are the absolute truth because I cannot see how something that is not a matter of choice can be seen as evil.

I take back my previous comments except the ones quoting debates i've had about this with other people (please read them again.)

[Guest]

Ja ja ja ja ja. That was very funny Guest. You have a way with words, my man. Ja ja ja ja ja ja

[WUOrevolt]

Homophobia is a terrible(so obvouisly it is right winged) thing. Gays are the same as Heterosexual and Bisexual people. The boy scouts should be stopped until they let homosexuals into their club or whatever it is called. Homophobia is a social disease as is racism and sexism and mcCarthyism and naziism. The world will never be free until the discusting diseases are wiped off the entire earth. All Leftists should get together and fund and protest the disgusting orginazations that support and harbor these bigots.