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OKC Gay Boy Scouts rally August 21xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | |
(Posted 8-15-2000)
Final plans have been set for a demonstration at the corner of NW 63rd and May at noon on Monday, August 21. Signs and banners calling for Gay inclusion in the Boy Scouts of America will be held up for passing motorists to look at for about half an hour, then there will be a procession to the Last Frontier Council BSA headquarters on 64th Street a couple blocks west of May, where a short ceremony will be held for Scouts who wish to turn in their badges in protest (to be given to Scouting For All), and letters in support of Gay inclusion will be hand-delivered to local Scouting officials. More details later.
The following is an e-mail I sent out on August 8
(Posted 8-8-2000)Nathaniel Batchelder (director of the Oklahoma City Peace House) and I are organizing a demonstration to support inclusion for Gays in the Boy Scouts of America. This event will take place on Monday, August 21 as part of a national day of protest called by Scouting For All. We are asking for your help. Of course we would love for the Community to turn out for this and show their support, but we also need people to help us organize it. If you are interested or know anyone who might be, please get in touch with either Batch or myself:
Nathaniel Batchelder BatchOKC@aol.com 524-5577
Rob Abiera rabiera@gayokc.com 524-4938
If you know any Scouts who would like to be involved - Gay or otherwise - please have them get in touch with us!
A planning meeting will be held on Monday, August 14 at 5PM at The Center, 2135 NW 39th Street. Please attend and help us accomplish this event.
We have set up a mailing list at eGroups to facilitate discussion on and post announcements about our plans (announcements will also be posted at GayOKC.com - www.gayokc.com). To subscribe, send an e-mail to gayscoutsokc-subscribe@egroups.com
We have less than 2 weeks. This doesn't leave us a lot of time to set up a bunch of meetings or play phone tag. While we don't expect anywhere near the response (though it would be nice), our model in getting this accomplished in such a short time is the Shepard vigil of a couple of years ago, which happened very quickly and was spread mostly by word of mouth. Help us make this happen! Please start talking now!
Did you know that for at least the first fifty years of it's existence, the Boy Scouts of America was a pioneer of inclusion by reaching out to offer the benefits of Scouting to all minorities? It's true! Help us to let them know that they need to resume this important work by reaching out to Gay people and letting them be Scouts. All we're asking is that the Boy Scouts of America live up to it's own ideals. Help us get the word out.
Please feel free to forward this to anyone else you think might be interested.
Rob Abiera
GayOKC.comRelated GayOKC.com postings:
OKC activist calls on Scouts to return merit badges in protest (7-20-2000)
More from Nathaniel Batchelder on the Boy Scouts of America (7-24-2000)
An open letter to the Boy Scouts of America (8-6-2000)Scouting For All:
www.scoutingforall.org
Mission Statement
On the Boy Scouts of America's magnificent history of inclusion
Scouting For All says send Eagle badges to them, not BSA
TAKE A STAND FOR SCOUTING "A CALL TO ACTION"
Massachusetts's Bay State Scout Councils Will not Follow the Boy Scouts of America's Policy of Discrimination!
The letter that inspired the Scouting For All movementBoy Scouts of America:
BSA website
Last Frontier CouncilWorld Scout movement:
www.scout.org
The following is a press release from Nathaniel Batchelder, director of the Oklahoma Peace House:
(Posted 8-5-2000)PURPOSE OF PUBLIC EVENT - AUGUST 21:
"The purpose of this event is to honor and celebrate the Boy Scouts of America's history of inclusion and reaching out to offer the benefits of scouting to all, and to show support for efforts to gain inclusion of gays in BSA.
"We are acting in solidarity with the national call from "Scouting for All.""
ACTION
On August 21, Oklahoma City citizens will act in solidarity with others around the country calling the BSA to end its policy of discrimination against homosexuals.
Probable action will be delivery of letters and merit badges to local BSA officials, and dialogue with interested media.
The organization "Scouting for All" (S4A) will receive merit badges from Scouts across the country who publicly turn them in, and will hold them until BSA changes their policy.
Nathaniel Batchelder of the Peace House and Rob Abiera of GayOKC.com in Oklahoma City need your input and contacts to gather letters to the BSA and merit badges for a public event August 21.
Do you know Scouts, former Scouts, and Scouting families who might join in the call for the BSA to adopt a nondiscrimination policy against homosexuals?
Might your organization or house of worship endorse or support such a call with a letter to the BSA?
Would you meet with us to help plan this event?
-- PLEASE REPLY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
- if you can help plan the event.
- if you know interested Scouts, former Scouts, families,
- if you have other ideas to help this action succeed.
Nathaniel Batchelder BatchOKC@aol.com 524-5577
Rob Abiera rabiera@gayokc.com 524-4938
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