The UUA and the Boy Scouts of America:
A Continuing Struggle for Inclusiveness
Correspondence
May 7, 1999 - Lawrence Ray Smith to John Buehrens
May 7, 1999
Lawrence Ray Smith, Chairman
Religious Relationships Committee
Boy Scouts of America
Dear Dr. Buehrens:
It has come to our attention that you have posted on the UUA web site a letter
of April 28, 1999, in which you state that the UUA has revised its "Religion
in Life" manual to the satisfaction of the Boy Scouts of America, referring
to a letter of April 23 from Thomas Deimler of the BSA.
Your letter goes on to say the following: "The new edition of Religion in Life
will be available from the UUA Bookstore this summer. Along with each copy ,
the Association will separately provide a letter from me, along with resources
appropriate to dealing with issues of homophobia and religious discrimination."
Unfortunately, this simply reopens the entire issue of using boys as a venue
to air your differences with the policies of the Boy Scouts of America.
These circumstances were not contemplated when Mr. Deimler wrote his letter.
Therefore, Boy Scouts of America is not in a position to authorize the awarding
of the Religion in Life emblem to Scouts and the wearing of that emblem on a
Scout uniform.
Sincerely yours,
Lawrence Ray Smith, Chairman
Religious Relationships Committee
UUA/Scouts
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