Jon Gunn MSG US Army Ret
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On the article Boy Scouts’ Gay Ban: Should it Go?
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Jon Gunn MSG US Army Ret
12:46 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
My scouting experience goes back to the 1950's, when many schools and civic organizations provided sponsorship as well as churches. As a high school explorer I remember going to an LDS temple to explain to teen age boys what Scouting was about. As a young adult a interviewed a professional Scouter about becoming an Adult Scouter. From his questions, I realized he was worried about pedophiles gaining access to young scouts, a concern I felt was legimate then and now.
In the 1970's at the US Army test grounds at Dugway Utah, I was appalled to learn that the main scout troop on Post was sponsored by LDS, and closed to non-LDS applicates. I saw this as rank discrimination, counter to the values I had learned as a boy.
I submit Scouting needs to stand up to organizations that do not accept the values of Baden-Powell (founder of scouting at the beginning of the 20th Century) like LDS, stop worrying about Gays, and focus on pedophiles.