Lisa Hardiman

This is an article about the boy scouts. An 18 year old was kicked out
because he was an atheist. Lisa

-----Original Message-----
From: Michele [mailto:prism@...]
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 4:45 PM
To: lisa Hardiman
Subject: (Fwd) [CFLeader] FW: [UU-Scouting] Fwd: Press Release BSA Kick

Thought you'd appreciate this tidbit.

------- Forwarded message follows -------
To: <[email protected]>,
<[email protected]>,
<[email protected]>
Date sent: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 10:23:11 -0600
Subject: [CFLeader] FW: [UU-Scouting] Fwd: Press Release
BSA
Kicks Out Atheist Youth
Send reply to: [email protected]

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Here is an item I picked up off another scouting list, that might be
of interest in terms of outreach.

Mina Loomis
Austin, TX

-----Original Message-----
From: uu-scouting-admin@... [mailto:uu-scouting-admin@...] On
Behalf Of Rob Bordner Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 9:44 AM To:
uu-scouting@... Subject: [UU-Scouting] Fwd: Press Release BSA
Kicks Out Atheist Youth


>
>Press Release
>For Immediate Release and Distribution
>
>>October 26, 2002
>>Contact:
>>
>
>Scott Cozza, Pres.
>
>>Scouting for All
>>707-778-0564
>cozzahived@...
>
>>
>>
>>Boy Scouts of America Kick Out 19 Year Old Eagle Scout For Being
>>Atheist
>>
>>
>>Darrell Lambert, Eagle Scout was kicked out of the BSA by the Chief
>>Seattle Council of Seattle, Washington. On October 12 at a Scout
>>Master training Glen Schmidt, Dist. Comm. Chair was quoted as
>>saying, "I ask scouts during the training if they believe in god and
>>if they don't I boot them out. In order for scouts to become good
>>citizens they must believe in god." Darrell responded to the
>>comment by saying, " I am an atheist and no one in this room can
>>rightfully say that I'm not a good citizen. Mr. Schmidt you are
>>discriminating against the 6% of Americans that don't believe. I got
>>my Eagle award with my board knowing that I didn't believe in god.
>>They don't discriminate."
>>
>>Glen Schmidt, Dist. Comm. Chair then went on to say, "Anybody that
>>doesn't believe in god isn't a good citizen, and that if an atheist
>>found a wallet on the ground they would pick it up plunder the money
>>and throw the wallet back on the ground." Darrell's mother is a
>>scout leader and was told by another scout leader, Dave Jones, "if
>>you have any other boys in scouts that don't believe in god they
>>need to be kicked out of scouts."
>>
>>In a phone conversation, Brad Farmer, Council Executive told
>>Darrell that the BSA couldn't take his Eagle Award away because he
>>already received it. He also told Darrell that because he didn't
>>believe in god he was not welcomed in scouts. In a conversation with
>>Toby Estes, District Executive the following day, Mr. Estes is
>>quoted as saying, "Darrell, scouting will be less without you, but
>>it was the right thing to kick you out." He also said that "It is
>>not discrimination it's policy. Scouts have been kicking atheists
>>out for years and we are a private organization. Darrell it was also
>>a mistake you received your Eagle Award."
>>
>>About Darrell Lambert, Eagle Scout
>>
>>Darrell Lambert joined the Boy Scouts of America as a first year
>>Webelos. He received his arrow of light and colors and went straight
>>into troop 1531. There he participated as an assistant patrol leader
>>from the day he started with the troop. Since then he had been a
>>patrol leader, quartermaster, librarian, assistant senior patrol
>>leader, den chief, JASM, senior patrol Leader twice, and patrol
>>leader 2 other times. Darrell received his Eagle award in April of
>>2001. He joined explorer search and rescue in march of 1999 and
>>earned a team leader certification a year and a half later. At the
>>time Darrell was kicked out for being an atheist he was a field
>>leader in training. He had been actively involved in leadership
>>competitions through the FFA for his sophomore and junior years in
>>high school. He also raised pigs to show at fairs. He was an
>>agriculture student his sophomore year. His senior year he had 777
>>hours of community service time spent in athletic medicine class.
>>Darrell tied for state champion that year, and was the top senior.
>>Darrell also was a staff person at various weekend camps for trail
>>of the eagle, and fall camporee, teaching scout skills, and merit
>>badges. This Last June through September he went to fight Wildfires.
>>
>>This is Darrell Lambert, 19 year old Eagle Scout who is considered
>>by the Boy Scouts of America, not to be a good citizen because he is
>>an atheist.
>>
>>Steven Cozza, Eagle Scout "I think it is horrible the Boy Scouts of
>>America would kick out Darrell Lambert. He is more of an Eagle Scout
>>then many Eagle Scouts who believe in god. Believing in god is not a
>>measure of the quality of person. In fact the two murders of Matthew
>>Shepard was an Eagle scout and a Mormon. The character of a person
>>is seen by how a person lives his life. Apparently Mr. Farmer, Mr.
>>Schmidt, and Mr. Estes, lack the strength of character that Darrell
>>has if they don't stand by him as the person they truly know he is.
>>Sometimes rules that people follow are wrong. It would take the
>>character of an Eagle Scout like Darrell Lambert to point that out.
>>When will the Boy Scouts of America ever learn that their policy of
>>discrimination is a violation of their own scout oath and law and
>>hurts kids? Businesses, individuals, and United Ways should stop
>>funding an organization that discriminates against nontheists, gays,
>>and girls."
>>
>>Other Contacts:
>>
>
>
>Darrell Lambert, Eagle Scout 360-895-6057
>
>>Chief Seattle Council
>>PO Box 440408,
>>Seattle, WA 98114-4408,
>>Phone (206) 725-5200, FAX (206)723-4330
>>
>
>
> Brad Farmer, Council Scout Executive
> Glen Schmidt, District Committee Chair
> Toby Estes, District Scout Executive

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------- End of forwarded message ------- Michele Moss
Infinity Computer Solutions
Great Falls, MT
406-727-5609
http://www.icsvnet.com

Shyrley

On 30 Oct 02, at 8:19, Lisa Hardiman wrote:

> This is an article about the boy scouts. An 18 year old was kicked out
> because he was an atheist. Lisa
>
Good grief. My daughter has just joined Girl Scouts and they
seem fine with the non-Christian bit. Some of the other girls said
she might go to hell cos she saw Harry Potter and has read read
the books and were also surprised when she wouldn't say the
Pledge (why should she, she's English) but generally its been fine.

I wonder if I want her involved in an organisation like that!!

Shyrley


"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."