Boy Scouts of America
National Executive Board
1325 Walnut Hill Lane
PO Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079Mr. Brock, BSA National Executive Board,
In the early 1950’s my grandfather Bill Baldwin took a bold step: He and a friend of his (Les “Jack” Hill, who was African American and a fellow Mason), decided to integrate scout troops in South Bend, Indiana. It started off with joint camping trips between African American and White troops, and ended with troops that were integrated by 1954. They served as scoutmaster and assistant scoutmaster, trading the roles every few years. When I was visiting my grandfather in about 1984, he told me that he had someone whom he wanted me to meet. We drove over to his friend’s house and I heard the whole amazing story of this struggle from 30 years before. I told him of the amazing senior patrol leader I had, who was African American and I thanked them both for their courage. As we drove home, I asked my grandfather why he decided to work to integrate the troops in their area. He looked puzzled and said “Coloreds (that was the word their generation used) are people too. Scouts is about tolerance. I mean, my gosh, even the US Army had started integrating by that point. It was just the right thing to do.”
My grandfather was the one who pinned my Eagle Scout Medal on me at my Eagle Court, and a year later my bronze, silver, and gold palms.
But now, I must return it, and I am sure he would approve. It is the right thing to do.
Don’t like ads? Become a supporter and enjoy The Good Men Project ad freeThe Boy Scouts of America still discriminates against atheists, women, and gay men and boys. Even the US Army has moved beyond this level of discrimination for each of these groups. These are not the scouting values I grew up with, and I don’t want to be associated with bigots.
Returning my Eagle Medal and writing this letter was not any easy thing. I have agonized over this decision with my wife and daughters for several months now. The problem is that when I was a scout in the San Francisco Bay Area, in a troop of scouts of European, African, Sikh, Japanese, and Chinese ancestry; with fellow scouts whom we knew were gay and others who were atheists; with women helping in leadership roles; this was the “big tent” of scouting as I knew it. Originally, I felt that returning my Eagle would dishonor the memory of this unique experience that made all of us such good men. But now, I realize that it is the Boy Scouts of America who dishonor this memory.
I expect that my treasured award will go in the trash. After all, I doubt that the Boy Scouts of America wants to keep it lying around as a reminder of the moral conviction they instilled in me, or their bigoted policies. I can only hope that you will one day change your policies and eliminate bigotry and discrimination.
Best Regards,
Dr. Erik Melchiorre
Former Eagle Scout (bronze, silver, gold palms)
Order of the Arrow (Oo Yum Buli Lodge)
Maybe what this tells us, is that besides an organization, the eagle scouts represents mainly an IDEA, that includes bigotry and fascistic tactics, and that no amount of pro-active criticism about their system, is going to change its core value. You can’t keep throwing alcohol on a wart, and expect it to be cleansed like a wound. It’s not a wound, it’s a wart.
I was a Scout in late elementary and early middle school. I dropped out because I thought it was lame and I didn’t really like being outdoors much. That being said, I’ll be the first to admit that the troop leaders, parents, and other Scouts are among some of the caring and involved community leaders I have every met. Ever. Scouts is about community, challenge, leadership and teamwork. My best friend got his Eagle at 17 and I was never more proud of him. No one I know (my friend, the Scouts I knew, our troop leader, or the parents)… Read more »