ACLU sues Pentagon over boy scouts (1 Viewer)

[Schweddy]

Source: WND

[font=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times]The Pentagon will warn its bases not to sponsor Boy Scout troops after agreeing to settle an issue in a five-year-old lawsuit brought by the ACLU, which charged the government with improperly supporting a group requiring members to believe in God. [/font] [font=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times]The settlement yesterday partially resolved the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois' complaint. [/font]

[font=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times]"If our Constitution's promise of religious liberty is to be a reality, the government should not be administering religious oaths or discriminating based upon religious beliefs," Adam Schwartz of the ACLU of Illinois said in a statement. "This agreement removes the Pentagon from direct sponsorship of Scout troops that engage in religious discrimination." [/font]

[font=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times]The ACLU complained the Boy Scouts of America "requires troop and pack leaders, in this case government employees, to compel youth to swear an oath of duty to God."[/font][font=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times]

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[TS212]

Just thinking out loud here, but would the same people who are unhappy with this have a different reaction if the Boy Scouts required members to believe in Allah? Personally, I don't give a rat's patootie what the requirements for being a Scout are, but if they are going to function as a religious organization they should not receive public funds.

 

[joneill]

This is an absolute tragedy for our nation's youth. The Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts respectfully, enrich and prepare our children as leaders of tomorrow.
Scouting is essential in showing our nation's children the importance of character, team building, leadership, management, and essential skills to be a productive citizen.

The ACLU is a despicable organization, equal to that of the extremist organization that attacked the U.S. on 9/11, and London last week! They are an affront to family values, character building, and moral leadership!

What's next, church will be outlawed because the ACLU does not believe in religion!, or family picnics will be outlawed because SOMEONE in the family does not like another family member! This is the sick mentality of the ACLU!

The United States, including the judicial system should not give one second of their time to the morons!

And for the record, as a life long Scout (and current Scout leader), Scouting recognizes all religion. As long as the boy believe is a "higher being", the Scout is allowed to participate. It does not matter whether the Scout is Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, but as long as the Scout believes in a higher being.

 

[Naughty Nurse]

The ACLU is a despicable organization, equal to that of the extremist organization that attacked the U.S. on 9/11, and London last week!

Oh, do post your source to demonstrate that the ACLU has been bombing innocent civilians!

 

[joneill]

Granted the ACLU does not use violence, but it uses legal battles to strip America of its rights to assemble freely. It is robbing America of this right to express religious freedomes. The two noted cases were ACLU vs United Way and most recenty ACLU against the Pentagon.

 

[Naughty Nurse]

Granted the ACLU does not use violence, but it uses legal battles to strip America of its rights to assemble freely. It is robbing America of this right to express religious freedomes. The two noted cases were ACLU vs United Way and most recenty ACLU against the Pentagon.

Or is it saving people from being forced into religious obligations?

 

[ShamMol]

The ACLU does great things and bad things in the eyes of the beholder, but they never shy away from a fight over personal rights, whether it be from defending nazis to stopping the breach of the seperation of church and state. You gotta admire them for that determination.

This is actually a bad policy. There was a case that allows the public to use bases, schools, almost any public building after hours for religious purposes, but alas, this case decided to be settled...

 

[shuamort]

A federal judge in Chicago has told the Pentagon it no longer can spend millions of dollars in government money to participate in the Boy Scouts' jamboree, an event normally held every four years.

Seriously, I think we can spend our money on better things than a fricking jamboree. If the Scouts want a party, they pay out of their own pocket.

What's interesting is that a Methodist Minister is one of the people suing the Pentagon over this

"We're not attacking the Scouts, and neither is the ACLU," said the Rev. Eugene Winkler, a Methodist minister and one of the plaintiffs.

"This issue is not about the Boy Scouts at all. It's about government funding for religious purposes. It's about separation" of church and state

 

[Alex]

The Boy Scouts are a private organization. They can do what they want with their own money. The government cannot sponser this beacuse they expect members to believe in a higher power. This is discrimination against people who do not believe in this. The Boy Scouts are a great organization that help to mold young people into good citizens. They can do what they want with their own money, not the tax payers.

 

[ShamMol]

The Boy Scouts are a private organization. They can do what they want with their own money. The government cannot sponser this beacuse they expect members to believe in a higher power. This is discrimination against people who do not believe in this. The Boy Scouts are a great organization that help to mold young people into good citizens. They can do what they want with their own money, not the tax payers.

Actually, no. The Supreme court ruled that use of a public building for purposes that are religious did not constitute a breach of the lemon test (which can be found in lemon v. kurtzman). However, it is sufficient entanglement if the public building is giving money or...I guess that could be applied to giving brownies as well, and punch, don't forget the punch.

 

[Alex]

Actually, no. The Supreme court ruled that use of a public building for purposes that are religious did not constitute a breach of the lemon test (which can be found in lemon v. kurtzman). However, it is sufficient entanglement if the public building is giving money or...I guess that could be applied to giving brownies as well, and punch, don't forget the punch.

Then couldn't that be extended to heating, air conditioning, electricity, desks (or things like it), and cleaning personnel?

 

[ShamMol]

That is why I said theoretically. The Lemon test is meant to test the entanglement. The entanglement woudln't be strong in providing basic necessities (thus those pesky faith based initiatives are ok) but not in just general funding. It is really complicated and to be honest, I never got a whole grasp on it.

Punch and brownies though I am sure are not entangling church and state.