Broward County Gives Boy Scouts Bum Rap!

It seems as though that the world is going completely insane these days. From removing prayer from schools to removing helmets from motorcyclists, is there anything that can top the waste of time that government is engaged in at the expense of taxpayers money? Well yes there is, this whole issue about those dangerous, mentally deranged, watch your kids, juvenile delinquent Boy Scouts!

In case you didn’t know, Boy Scouts were given the right to not allow Gay Scoutmasters in their organization by the Supreme Court of the United States of America. Broward County Commissioners have ruled that Boy Scouts are not allowed to use any Broward County facility as a result of a county ordinance that doesn’t allow discrimination against gays. The Superintendent of the Broward County School Board is going to recommend that Boy Scouts not be allowed to use school facilities,. This is what is commonly known as “In You Face Government” . You see, Broward County Commissioners do not believe in the Supreme Court. They think they are smarter. Yes sir, it is truly a fascinating place we live in when Broward County is worried about the message it might send the young people if they allow Boy Scouts to use their facilities

The United States Supreme Court has given the Boy Scout movement the right to decide on who can or can’t be involved in their programs. This is the same high court that handled the issues of Gay Rights. The courts claim that the Boy Scouts are a private group allowed to decide on issues as they feel fit, and that their policy of non-gays is not discrimination but rather their right to limit membership. The limiting of membership also occurs in other organizations as well, including sports clubs, men’s clubs, religious organizations, and other private groups. However, no commissioner has ever mentioned anything about those types of clubs.

I wonder how many Broward County residents are actually worried about the Boy Scouts using our facilities. To say the least I cannot see who exactly is being offended by allowing the Boy Scouts use of our schools and other recreational buildings. We allow any community organizations those rights and never really dwell into the nature of the group or whether or not they discriminate against anybody. I don’t think it’s our business to police them. We should allow any group equal access to the facilities without prejudging them or for that matter looking into their charter. Certainly no discrimination by the school board against any group including the Boy Scouts should ever take place.

I wonder to what extent these County Commissioners are willing to go with these type of issues. How about not allowing Men’s only baseball leagues to use Broward County Parks as they discriminate against women, , or other sexually one sided organizations to use our roads and highways? Or how about not allowing the United States Navy to use our port facility as they have a policy against Gays in the military. How about less rules and regulations and more common sense.

With the growing problem of ‘youth gangs’ and youth crime, let’s project what will happen if you deny the Boy Scouts access to our publicly funded structures. We drive them out and who comes in? Juvenile Delinquents that do not respect anyone’s rights let alone the Gays. I have not yet heard of any roving group of Boy Scouts beating up a gay youth or attacking senior citizens. I don’t know about you, but I never thought about crossing to the other side of the street when those roving gangs of Boy Scouts in their uniforms are walking towards me. I really wonder if increasing gang participation is the goal of the county commissioners. By not supporting the Boy Scout movement in our county, you are in fact increasing the likelihood of more youth crime. But that’s OK as long as we stood on the County’s principles and didn’t give these guys a break.

So what is all the fuss about? It’s about our County Commissioners on an insane rampage of rightfulness that is only going to lead us to higher crime rates. Doesn’t make any sense. 

So what can we do about it here in Coral Springs?

First: Let’s make Coral Springs ” The Boy Scout Capital of the World”. Let’s encourage as many Boy Scouts to come to our city and utilize our facilities. Any Boy Scout troop in and around our area should be able to use any of our City of Coral Springs facilities, that we pay for with our tax money, when they need them. Come out to the city commission meetings and let the commissioners know how you feel.

Second:Let’s find out which of the Broward County Commissioners are really big on this issue and make sure they understand our viewpoint. Moshe Levene, one of our candidates has told me in an interview that he supports the Boy Scouts, and will fight for them at the county commission. So vote for him over the other candidates in this week’s election. 

Third: Let’s make the same effort for any other organization that promotes the same type of attitude that the Boy Scouts do. That is respect for other peoples rights, do a good turn….you know…the stuff.

Fourth: Let’s make sure that the Gays understand that the issue here is about an organization that is established to promote good will towards everyone, including them. Supporting the Boy Scouts is not anti-gay and vice versa.

And finally, let’s not forget that as citizens, we are the ones that really count here. If our politicians refuse to listen to our voice….let’s change them!