WorldNetDaily’s Jon Dougherty’s
piece about the Providence Rhode
Island United Way’s disingenuous, PC-inspired
blackmail really has me angry. “The Providence, R.I., chapter of the
United
Way has decided to cut off funding to local Boy Scouts, saying the popular 90-year-old organization discriminates against homosexuals, even as a group of congressional Democrats plans to introduce legislation to strip BSA of its honorary charter.”
Apparently, the policy decision is the Rhode Island United Way’s method of thumbing their politically correct nose at the U.S. Supreme Court ruling late last month that overturned a New Jersey Supreme Court decision ordering the Boy Scouts to lift their ban on homosexual scoutmasters. United Way doesn’t like the Supreme Court decision so they have now established criteria intended to obviate the Supreme Court’s decision with what must be a philanthropic variant of bribery.
Just as the Boy Scouts are a private organization and can establish rules and standards for membership, likewise United Way can establish rules and standards for those with whom they wish to do business. However, just as you are not compelled to join Boy Scouts (if you don’t believe as they do — if you don’t embrace their oaths and credos — you don’t have to join. Start your own club!), likewise you are not required to contribute to United Way. Oh, some corporate team leader may lean on you; your company may offer incentives, but you don’t have to contribute to United Way.
By the way, if some manager or United Way sycophant threatens you or harasses you for failing to participate, you can sue, and win. Then you would have more money to give to the charities of your choice.
The new New England chapter policy is very careful not to “specifically” single out the Boy Scouts. That would require courage the PC cabal lacks. Instead it states funding would be denied any group that “discriminate for any reason, including sexual orientation,” according to the Providence Journal-Bulletin newspaper. The Supreme Court has affirmed a private group can discriminate. United Way says they cannot. Actually the United Way is discriminating against those who discriminate in a manner considered inappropriate by the United Way.
A United Way letter that went out to would-be recipients has lifted a play from the Clinton playbook. Just as Smith & Wesson was blackmailed into signing an agreement that establishes “guidelines/requirements,” United Way is requiring charities to “sign (and return) an enclosed form that says they promise to adhere to the new policy.”
They don’t single out Boy Scouts specifically, but according to the Providence Journal-Bulletin, one honcho with the New England United Way chapter said it was written for them.
The policy doesn’t prohibit people from earmarking donations to a particular group — even one that rejects the nondiscrimination policy — through the United Way. However, it does make it a tad more difficult, and a contributor is still supporting an arrogant bullying leadership. Reportedly, “The Narragansett Council got $71,790 in such ‘donor designations’ this year, according to the United Way,” said the Journal-Bulletin. I’m suggesting instead of “donor designations” just write your check to Boy Scouts of America and mail it.
I have long held that principles are important. Like the song says, “If you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything.” They are the foundation on which everything we are or are not rests. Yeah, I learned that in Scouting. You got a problem with that? Duty, Honor, Country are not just words to some of us.
Scouting, and other youth organizations like it, are the dams holding back the flood of outcome-based-homogenized-lowest common denominator-ooze that the social engineering politically correct zealots would unleash on the republic.
My ire is both professional, and personal. Once upon a time I was the president/CEO of an advertising agency and was subjected to heavy-handed extortion, pressure and intimidation of this corporate piranha, and ever since I have refused to participate in any United Way fund-raising drive. I give to a wide variety of charities in addition to my church, Boy Scouts, Cancer Society, Big Brothers, Hospitals, and others. I strongly recommend to anyone who will listen that you too give generously, but cut out the middlemen and give directly to the charity of your choice. More of the money will go to good use (instead of six-figure executive salaries and perks). I also encourage you to donate equipment or services too. That old printer collecting dust in your office or that old 486 computer you have files stacked on could be put to good use by your church or some other worthy cause.
Dougherty’s story struck a harmonic with me personally.
I am an alum of Boy Scouts and specifically the Narragansett Council in Rhode Island. I was an Eagle Scout and so was my younger brother. Boy Scouts and specifically the Narragansett Council were very good to me and for me. When I joined Special Forces my scouting experience was a huge asset. Beyond the skills I brought into my military service as a benefit of scouting (woodcraft, knots, map reading etc.), the essence of scouting made me a better officer, a better leader, a better teacher, and a better student. Scouting established a foundation for me as a man that has made me a better son, a better husband and most importantly, a better father.
Big-buck blackmail is a powerful weapon. I was disappointed and discouraged to read “The Narragansett Council has since joined a Minnesota council by passing a resolution urging the national parent organization to reconsider the ban,” the newspaper said. “Officials from the Narragansett Council say the parent group is still reviewing its policy, even though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that the Scouts, as a private organization, may ban gay leaders.” Hey guys, didn’t you get the memo? The Supreme Court has affirmed you have the right to maintain the principles you claim to embrace.
Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., is leading a congressional effort to bludgeon Boy Scouts to accept the P.C. agenda or be decertified by Congress. In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling she said that while the Boy Scouts claim to be open to all boys, a recent Supreme Court decision has allowed them to reject gay members and scout leaders. “We’re not saying they’re bad,” she said last Tuesday, “we’re saying intolerance is bad, and I don’t see any reason why the federal government should be supporting it.”
Intolerance is bad? Tell that to Diane Fienstein, Barbara Boxer, Chuck Shumer, Barney Frank, and look in a mirror Lynn.