The Boy Scouts of America are often associated with ideal values for a young American male. According to their official website, Boy Scouts are dutiful, brave, loyal, kind, friendly, and revenant. However, time and time again, the Boy Scouts of America defy their own values in order to allow discrimination in their ranks. Historically, the Boy Scouts have had membership controversy over race and religion, but in more recent memory there was a controversial rule that held that gay people could not be Boy Scouts or Boy Scout leaders. Although both policies were overturned, it seems that the Boy Scouts are back into their old, discriminatory habits, this time by removing an 8 year old Cub Scout from his New Jersey Pack.
The eight year old Cub Scout, Joe Maldonado, was kicked out after complaints from his group member’s parents. The Boy Scouts of America stated that they will defer to one’s birth certificate over eligibility requirements. Boy Scouts spokeswoman, Effie Delimarkos, said “If needed, we defer to the information provided for an individual’s birth certificate and their biological sex. Scouting teaches its youth members and adult leaders to be respectful of other people and individual beliefs.”
However, her last statement is contradictory. The Boy Scouts of America are not only not being respectful of this boy’s gender identity, but also defying their own values. This boy, besides being male, is also brave for being able to express himself at such a young age. As long as he’s kind and loyal and revenant, Joe Maldonado meets every requirement for being an upstanding and outstanding Boy Scout.
It’s time for the Boy Scouts to reevaluate their biases and policies on discrimination. If the Boy Scouts of America truly want to continue to raise morally righteous American men, then perhaps they should consider what their lax attitude towards discrimination is teaching these young men. This organization is reflective on the values of good American citizens and good Americans should be outraged with the discrimination going on in the Boy Scouts of America.
