Dear Friend of Scouting;

For nearly a century, Scouting has helped millions of boys mature into responsible men and good citizens. Unfortunately, Scouting recently has come under increasing attack. We are launching this newsletter to help keep you informed about what is happening with Scouting around the country.

A coalition of liberal activists, homosexuals, atheists and feminists were enraged last June when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Constitutional right of the Scouts to prevent openly homosexual men from serving as Scoutmasters. Since then, as you know, they have made the Scouts the target of their anger.

I agreed to chair the Scouting Legal Defense Fund for two reasons. One was because there has never been a time when Scouting's positive influence has been more essential to our nation's future than it is today. But it was also clear to me that the Scouts are merely taking the brunt of what is a much broader assault. The same Constitutional rights of speech and association that protect the Scouts also protect tens of thousands of other groups and organizations. We must never lose sight of the fact that all of these groups are the true target of this liberal coalition.

So, in defending the Scouts we are also defending all of these other groups that together comprise the essential fabric of our country.

I look forward to joining with you in this defense!

Ed Meese
Chairman, Scouting Legal Defense Fund