A Message from Congressman Cannon:

IN THE CULTURAL WAR INVOLVING THE BOY SCOUTS, NO ONE CAN BE NEUTRAL.

Dear Friend of Scouting

The current attacks on the Boy Scouts are actually battles in a broader cultural war. And the outcome of that war is very much in doubt.

On one side in this war are those of us who are defending the values, traditions and institutions, including the Scouts, which have made this nation "a shining city upon a hill," as President Reagan often described it.

On the other side are those who see these values, traditions and institutions merely as obstacles to implementing their "politically correct" social engineering agenda. In addition to being anti-Scouts, they also tend to be anti-religion, anti-family, anti-individual liberties, and anti-free enterprise system. These are some of the other important battlefields in this cultural war.

No one can be neutral in this war.

That's because the harsh reality is that if you are not actively defending what has made this nation great, you are aiding the attackers.

Someday our children and grandchildren will ask us what we did in this cultural war.

Now is the time to think about how you will answer.

And then go beyond thinking about it and act. Defending the Boy Scouts is an excellent place to draw the line and fight.

Join us!

Congressman Chris Cannon
Member, Scouting Legal Defense Fund Advisory Board

FROM THE EDITOR: A Big Win For the Scouts In Court, A List of Companies Cutting Off Funding, and More United Ways On The Watch List.

Dear Reader:

A Florida federal district judge's recent grant of an injunction against the Broward County School Board (yes, THAT Broward County!) was a victory not just for thousands of boys served by the South Florida Scout Council but also for the Constitution. The school board had tried to evict the Scouts from using any school facility because of their policy of prohibiting openly homosexual men from serving as scoutmasters.

The judge's action suggests that the Scouts will likely prevail in a trial. This case should be very useful to others around the country who are dealing with school boards that are attempting to do the same thing. We have posted the decision, along with other useful documents in the case, on our Web site here.

In this issue we are also beginning a list companies that have cut off funding to the Scouts over the homosexual issue. We appreciate all of you who have contacted us about this. We will be adding to this list as quickly as we can verify that they have stopped funding. We are also adding more local United Way organizations to the Watch list.

Finally, we appreciate receiving copies of the many articles and letters to the editor which so many of you personally are writing to defend Scouting. We feature two of the best of them in the "Thoughtful Commentary on Scouting" section of this newsletter.

As always, thanks to all of you who contact us. Please continue to let us know what is happening with Scouting in your local area so we can spread the word.

Peter Ferrara
Editor

P.S. Please help us pass the word by forwarding this newsletter on to others you think would be interested.

NINE ADDITIONS TO THE UNITED WAY WATCH LIST:

• California; United Way of Sonoma-Mendocino-Lake Counties, United Way of California Capitol Region.
• Connecticut; United Way of Norwalk-Wilton, United Way of Northern Fairfield County, United Way of Westport-Westin.
• Florida; Community Chest/United Way of Palm Beach.
• Massachusetts; United Way of Central Massachusetts.
• Minnesota; United Way of Winona.
• Wisconsin; United Way of Dunn County.

NEW! LISTING OF COMPANIES CUTTING OFF FUNDING FOR THE SCOUTS:

These are companies that we have verified are cutting off funding Scouts as a matter of company policy. As we verify others, we will be adding to this list. They are being posted in a new section of the Watch List.

• CVS (Drugstore chain in the Northeast)
• Knight-Ridder Newspapers
• Levi-Straus
• Medtronics (A large medical device manufacturer)
• Minneapolis Star Tribune
• Orlando Sentinel
• Portland General Electric (Oregon)
• Textron
• Wells Fargo Bank

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO SCOUTING AROUND THE COUNTRY

--A BIG WIN FOR THE SCOUTS IN A FLORIDA COURT.

A federal district judge granted the request of the South Florida Scout Council for an injunction to stop the Broward County School Board from evicting the Scouts from the schools. The judge noted that once the school board made facilities available to community groups generally, it could not could not extend or withhold access based on a group's views and policies. (Explanation of the decision from the South Florida Scout Council can be found here. The text of the decision is available here.)

--AND MORE GOOD NEWS FOR THE SCOUTS.

Cutting Off Scouts Is Backfiring On Some United Ways

When local United Way organizations indulge in social engineering and move to cut funding to the Boy Scouts, it only affects the allocation of the "discretionary funding" the Scouts would have received. This is money that is donated with no restrictions or directions by the donor and which the United Way divides among recipients as it sees fit. However, if the donor designates a particular recipient, such as the Scouts, the United Way must pass the money on to them. In several instances, the Scouts have gotten more money after United Ways have moved against them than before. The Scouts collected more than $61,000 from the West Palm Beach United Way compared to under $20,000 last year. Designated donations to Scouts through the Duluth United Way resulted in a 20% increase from what the United Way was providing before cutting off discretionary funding. In the Twin Cities in Minnesota, designated contributions to the Scouts, which have not been cut off by the United Way, jumped from $166,000 in 1999 to $669,000 in 2000 anyway. Added to their normal allocation from discretionary funds, this resulted in a $500,000 windfall to the Twin Cities Scouts. No articles available.

Milwaukee businessman steps up for scouting

Richard Blomquist, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area businessman has started a campaign to convince the United Way of Greater Milwaukee to continue to fund the Boy Scouts. The United Way, which currently provides 24% of the local scout council's budget, has appointed a committee to study whether "sexual orientation" should be added to the list of categories that recipient organizations must pledge not to discriminate against. He has sent out 100 letters to other business leaders and associates and urged each of them to send the letter on to at least 5 others. He has also informed the United Way that his company will no longer participate with the United Way if they stop funding the Scouts. (See article here.)

Wisconsin Governor Removes Threat To Scout Funding

Wisconsin Governor Scott McCallam ordered a halt to a proposed rule change that would have prevented state employees from contributing through payroll deductions to organizations like the Boy Scouts that have policies or prohibitions based on sexual preference. The state legislature's only openly homosexual member was pushing the proposed change. (See article here.)

The Scouts' Base Standing Firm

This U.S. News and World Report article summarizes some of the impacts on the Scouts across the country in the aftermath of the Dale Supreme Court decision. It notes that membership is growing and that the only dissent from within the organization is coming from a few Scout units in traditionally liberal areas. (See article here.)

--BUT PROBLEMS STILL ARISING.

Santa Barbara County Condemns the Scouts

Santa Barbara County supervisors passed a resolution in March condemning the policy of the Boy Scouts that excludes openly homosexual men form serving in leadership positions. The resolution was seen at least partly as a reaction to the dismissal of Leonard Lanzi, former Executive Director of the Las Padres Council, following his public declaration that he was homosexual. No article available.

AND SOME THOUGHTFUL COMMENTARY ON SCOUTING.

"Insight Op-Ed" by Michael Beates. This is an eloquent defense of Scouting by a former Scout and parent of Scouts submitted in response to a statement by the publisher of the Orlando Sentinel newspaper announcing that the paper would withdraw financial support of the Scouts because of their stand on homosexuals. (See article here.)

"The Boy Scouts and Discrimination and Tolerance" by Marilyn George. This perceptive article points out that the definition of discrimination is "the ability to distinctions, to discern" and is essential in determining right from wrong, among other things. It was written shortly after Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's bill to rescind the national charter of the Boy Scouts was resoundingly defeated in the House. (See article here.)