EDITORIAL
We can understand why the Lawrence Township Community Foundation did not grant Boy Scout Troop 27’s request for $2,100 to purchase a trailer.
The Boy Scouts of America policy not to accept homosexuals as leaders turns our stomach, too.
But, while we understand the foundation’s motivation, we must disagree with the way it chose to make its point.
Whether homosexuals should be allowed to work closely with children is a philosophical argument that must take place between adults. It should be settled in a mature forum between grown-ups. There is no issue important enough where hurting children is ever an acceptable option, especially these children.
The Scouts of Troop 27 have given to Lawrence through countless service projects and no doubt would have found a way to make their new trailer benefit the community in some way, in addition to using it to haul camping equiment.
The actions of these child Samaritans are not political in any way and in no way work to reinforce the national organization’s stance on homosexuals.
This is not to say that the Boy Scouts of America policy on homosexuals is correct. There simply must be a better way to solve the problem than by picking on children.
The public at large has numerous political and philosophical disagreements with the policies of political parties, corporations, organized religions and civic groups. However, those groups see little backlash for their sins. Local Boy Scout troops have become a politically and socially acceptable target because they have little clout, individually, and don’t have the wherewithal to mount a public relations campaign.
Should we even be concerned with individuals?
We don’t attack the salesman at Footlocker because the sneakers in the store were assembled in a third-world sweatshop. We don’t beat up our mail carrier because the postal rates are going up (again). We don’t yell at the clerk in 7-Eleven because he sold us a pack of cigarettes.
We don’t do these things because these people don’t have any power over the things that make us angry. Attacking them does nothing to solve the problem. Anything we did on that level would just be venting.
The same goes for Troop 27. There’s a legitimate cause that needs to be made right. Let’s find another way to fight for the cause besides denying these children their request.