When did Scouting EVER state, imply, or otherwise suggest that Scouting welcomed gay leaders? DALE vs BSA? Was he a BOY or an ADULT when he took the court case? Seems to me that he was an ADULT.

In more than 30 years as a volunteer I have NEVER had a mother say “I do not want my son in your Cub Pack or Scout Troop because you do NOT have a gay leader” - - - In fact I have had many parents say “the day you bring in the gay leaders is the day we take our sons OUT”

Is this stance on gay and atheist adult leaders the reason Scouting has fewer boys than years ago? Nonsense. Participation in Scouting is down from the 60-70% of boys in the 1950s-1960s to probably 20-25% now. There have been a few other changes in society since then, too. More Little League, more fall baseball, more soccer, more karate & martial arts, more band, more, more, more - the very issue that has been in the news so much lately - parents are “over-programming” the lives of their “hyper-achiever” children. Add to that the plethora of video games, computer games, and other legal (and otherwise) diversions. I suggest that these are more “to blame” for the decrease in youth in Scouting than the decades old belief in a supreme being and decades old “no gay leaders” stance. The Girl Scouts USA have seen similar declines (their Annual Reports are available online), yet GS USA embraces homosexuality and atheism – does that not indicate the issue of declining numbers is NOT the result of the BOY Scouts membership policies?

It goes for adults, too. Volunteerism & community involvement of adults, families and individual youth as a whole has dropped dramatically throughout the country. You cannot blame the incredible drop in volunteerism that has caused Kiwanis Clubs, Lions Clubs, volunteer fire departments and rescue squads - as well as in Scouting - on the BSA.

People are free to create organization that reflect their values - Gay and atheist families are free to do the same - what I detest are these "outsiders" coming in to an organization I have served as a volunteer for, that I have donated many dollars to, and thrusting their view on me and on my family. Then, if I don't embrace their point of view, it is ME who is intolerant. What about these individuals' INTOLERANCE to me and my beliefs?

START A GROUP! Model it after Scouts is you wish - you are free to do so! Do a google search on Wicca - they have "scouting-like" groups.