Wednesday, February 6, 2013

FRC Encouraged by Boy Scouts' Delay, Urges Board to Reaffirm Current Standards


WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council (FRC) today said that it was encouraged to see the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) not take the action that was anticipated last week of changing its national policy against having openly homosexual leaders and Scouts.

FRC President Tony Perkins made the following remarks:

"The leaders of the Boy Scouts were wise not to abandon their longstanding national membership standards, as they were reportedly on the brink of doing. We thank the Scout parents and members of the public who responded to these reports with an overwhelming outpouring of support for maintaining the Scouts' timeless values that have served the Scouts and the nation well for 103 years.

"However, it is not enough that they postpone a decision. Instead, the BSA board should publicly re-affirm their current standards, as they did just last July. We look forward to continuing to work with scouting parents, leaders of the faith-based organizations that charter over two-thirds of the packs and the troops. We will also continue to communicate with the Scout leadership about the grave consequences that would result if they were to compromise their moral standards in the face of threats from corporate elites and homosexual activists."

FRC spearheaded a phone and email campaign to members of the BSA National Executive Board, which included a half-page ad in USA Today on Monday.