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Wed 19 May, 2004 08:49 pm
Should an organization, such as the Boy Scouts, really be forced to allow people to join that openly do not have the same beliefs that the organization has? Please don't get me wrong. I am not asking if you think homosexuals, or athiests should be allowed to join the Boy Scouts. I could care less. Rather, I am asking, why should ANY private organization be forced by law to let anyone join that wants to, regardless of their personal open beliefs, or background? And why we're at it, why would someone want to join an organization who's belief system was different then their own? It seems to me that if I wanted to be part of an organization based on my own personal beleifs, I could either find an organization which has the same belief structure, or I could create my own organization.
You wrote "then" when you obviously meant "than."
It makes the entire post confusing.
The boy scouts are not forced by law to allow everyone in.
They might, however lose some of the many forms of government subsidy.
Your use of "private organization" is the key. Governmental subsidies blur that line.
You are right. I meant "THAN". I apologize for making a typing error. However, I think the meaning of my post remains to be understood (by at least MOST readers) the way I intended it. Thank you for pointing out my mistake.
I know, buff, I was just being annoying. I agree with you mostly.
Buffalo: First of all, welcome to A2K. I understood your initial post, even though the correct preposition should have been "from" rather than "than."
Secondly, Craven is right. Anyone is free to start any sort of private organization and exclude or include whomever they see fit. If you want to start the "He-Man Woman-Haters Club" and exclude all women, blacks, Catholics, homosexuals, midgets, Swedes, and left-handers, then there's nothing in the law stopping you. On the other hand, if you want to hold your meetings on public property, or get a liquor license for your clubhouse, or apply for tax-exempt status, then that's something else entirely. Once you seek to have public benefits conferred on your club, you will have to play by society's rules rather than the club's rules.
As interesting as the idea of Black female homosexual left-handed Catholic midget Swedes in the Boy Scouts is, I have to concur. It's a private orginization, and they do not have to allow everyone into their little club. I also agree with Craven regarding government subsidies. IMO, a private club that wishes to exclude people should be privately funded. To second Joe, if they want the benefits, they do indeed have to play by society's rules.
cavfancier wrote:As interesting as the idea of Black female homosexual left-handed Catholic midget Swedes in the Boy Scouts is, I have to concur. It's a private orginization, and they do not have to allow everyone into their little club.
Oh, I forgot Canadians. They can't belong either.
I just heard we can't vote for Kerry either. Imagine that.
I guess I should have known...It is all about the All Mighty Dollar. Isn't it always? So how much are your beliefs worth?
Buffalo wrote:I guess I should have known...It is all about the All Mighty Dollar. Isn't it always? So how much are your beliefs worth?
I'm not quite sure what you are getting at here Buffalo. If you want to start your own private club, I suppose your beliefs are worth whatever people are willing to pay for them. If you want help from the government, then some of your beliefs may come into question. This isn't actually about money at all. You can start a club and run meetings out of your basement for free. Nobody will stop you.
At first I was under the assumption that the Boy Scouts WERE a private organization, and there was a legal debate to decide if they had to change their belief structure to allow certain people to join. Now, you are saying that is not the case at all. Rather they are recieving government funding, and if they do not change their belief structure, they stand to loose some of that government funding. Therefore, their debate is is not who do they allow to join. It is how much money do they stand to loose if they don't change, ie. How much money is their current belief structure worth?
Buffalo wrote:At first I was under the assumption that the Boy Scouts WERE a private organization, and there was a legal debate to decide if they had to change their belief structure to allow certain people to join. Now, you are saying that is not the case at all. Rather they are recieving government funding, and if they do not change their belief structure, they stand to loose some of that government funding. Therefore, their debate is is not who do they allow to join. It is how much money do they stand to loose if they don't change, ie. How much money is their current belief structure worth?
From what I know, the Boy Scouts are a private organization that also wants to suck on the government teat, so to speak. Given that they want government support, they will indeed have to change their beliefs and acceptance policies. As for how much money they would lose to go completely private, I have no idea, so therefore can't answer the question "how much is their current belief system worth." That is up to the Boy Scouts to decide.
Boy scouts start and end meetings with prayer. I've never known anyone to get offended.
SCoates wrote:Boy scouts start and end meetings with prayer. I've never known anyone to get offended.
Maybe because if a scout expressed his offense he would be kicked out of the Boy Scouts (remember, a belief in God is a requirement for membership in the scouts).
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