Save Our Scouts, Part 3

I used Hallwatch.org to send this letter to my councilwoman and the at-large members of the Philadelphia City Council.

To: Councilman Clarke, Councilwoman Blackwell, Councilman Goode, Councilman Greenlee, Councilman Kelly, Councilman Kenney, Councilman Ramos, Councilwoman Reynolds Brown, Councilman Rizzo

cc: Mayor Street

The City of Philadelphia is moving to evict the Boy Scouts of America from their headquarters at 22nd and Winter Streets. This is in direct response to the national scouting organizations policy of barring avowed homosexuals from serving as leaders. The Scouts were vindicated in their right to set membership standards by the Supreme Court’s Dale decision. However, the local council has been hamstrung by the national office in their efforts to appease the city. In the end, the people who lose are the children.

Currently two acts, the Support Our Scouts Act and Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act, have been enacted that protect the rights of the Boy Scouts. This move by the city to force the Scouts to pay market rates on a building they have held for 80 years is clearly retaliation for standing up for their principals (i.e. viewpoint discrimination).

The city’s insistence on evicting the Scouts at a time of record youth violence is in poor judgment. There is no reason to evict the Scouts except to make a political point. Since the city is clearly violating one or both of the two acts noted above (and risking HUD and Education funds), what are you going to do to help the Scouts?

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Note: The Boy Scout building sits in Councilman Clarke's District:

Councilman Darrell L. Clarke City Council 5th District City Hall, Room 484 Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290	Mayor John F. Street Room 215 City Hall Philadelphia, PA 19107
http://www.phila.gov/citycouncil
Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell City Council 5th District City Hall, Room 484 Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290	Councilman William Greenlee City Council At-Large City Hall, Room 580 Philadelphia, PA 19107
Councilman W. Wilson Goode, Jr City Council At-Large City Hall, Room 316 Philadelphia, PA 19107	Councilman Jack Kelly City Council At-Large City Hall, Room 594 Philadelphia, PA 19107
Councilman James Kenney City Council At-Large City Hall, Room 330 Philadelphia, PA 19107	Councilman Juan F. Ramos City Council At-Large City Hall, Room 590 Philadelphia, PA 19107
Councilman Blondell Reynolds Brown City Council At-Large City Hall, Room 581 Philadelphia, PA 19107	Councilman Frank Rizzo, Jr. City Council At-Large City Hall, Room 582 Philadelphia, PA 19107