Mr. Robert Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive & BSA National Executive Board
1325 Walnut Hill Lane
PO Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079
Dear Mr. Mazzuca and Board Members:
Beginning as a Cub Scout, working to the rank of Eagle, and serving as an adult leader, I have spent nearly 25 years in Scouting. Throughout my experience, I gained many useful skills; made wonderful friends; and learned invaluable lessons about leadership, character, and responsibility. Most importantly, Scouting played an important role in forming my sense of citizenship, ethics, and justice.
Ironically, it is these very lessons that lead me to the decision to return my Eagle Scout pin to you as a token of my disapproval and protest of the anti-gay policy of the Boy Scouts of America. I can no longer rationalize a policy of arbitrary discrimination and exclusion within an organization that could be of such value to all boys regardless of their sexual orientation.
This is not a decision I have taken lightly. It took me years to make this decision. I still have many friends in Scouting. Some of them may not take this step with me, but I know they agree that the anti-gay policy is wrong. My loyalty to those friends, fond memories as a Scout and leader, and my belief that the Scouting method is a terrific model for maturity and growth were part of what kept me from returning my pin. As a leader, I never enforced the policy. I also had the optimism that, given the opportunity, the National Executive Board would follow our Scouting principles and remove the ban on homosexuals.
On July 17, 2012, you failed Scouting and chose to continue an indefensible policy to ban gays. Because of this misguided decision, many boys will not have the chance to learn valuable skills and lessons or foster lifelong friendships the way I did. Many fantastic adults will not have the chance to be positive role models that can make a difference in the lives of Scouts. Instead, you will deny them that opportunity and continue to treat them as inferior and undesirable.
I hope that you will reflect on your poor choice — your wrong decision. I urge you to revisit the ideals of Scouting. Consider the Scout Oath’s pledge to be mentally awake and morally straight. Obey the Scout Law to be friendly, kind, and brave. And, of course, Be Prepared to do the right thing by overturning the anti-gay policy.
I look forward to the day that BSA is welcoming to all boys. When the anti-gay policy is overturned, I will gladly and proudly return to Scouting. Until then, I will not participate or support BSA.
Sincerely yours,
Rob Breymaier
Eagle Scout 1988
see article: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/oak_park_river_forest/ct-met-oak-park-eagle-scout-20120730,0,1097416.story
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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 »