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Mr. David Worley Dear Mr. Worley: I am the new Youth Programs Director for the Unitarian Universalist Association. My job is to oversee our association's programs for 12- to 20-year olds, including the UU scouting awards Love and Help and Religion in Life. While the UUA is a small denomination and we serve relatively few scouts each year, I feel it is important that these youth have the opportunity to earn their religious awards in a program which shares their values and faith tradition. Therefore, I have recommended that we continue to provide services for UU scouts. We are concerned, however, with the Boy Scouts Association's policy of discriminating against homosexual and atheist youth. Our faith tradition values the worth and dignity of every individual, no matter their sexual orientation of their belief in a deity. We find it distressing that an organization that does so much for helping to develop young men's self-identity, confidence, and leadership skills can support a policy which is so destructive to youth who do not conform to their mold of what a boy should be. For this reason, our Board of Trustees passed a resolution at their recent meeting once again condemning BSA's policy and reorganizing the way we provide services to UU scouts. We have also committed ourselves to educate individuals regarding BSA's discriminatory policy and work toward having those policies changed. I have enclosed a copy of the resolution as well as a check for $7.00 to register as a member of the Religious Relationships Committee. I look forward to discussing these issues with your organization in the future. Shalom, Rev. Jory Agate
January 11, 1993 (Excerpt) To Rev. Jory Agate It is not our desire to sever relations with any of our national chartering organizations nor to deny a quality Scouting program to any person who is willing to subscribe to the Scout Oath and Law. But, the Resolution of the Unitarian Universalist Association appears to bring to an end our long-standing alliance in serving youth. Donald L. Townsend, Director
Jan. 1993 (excerpts) From: Jory Agate - UUA Youth Director It seems that they (BSA) are interpreting our request that the BSA not list the UUA as a chartering organization (it never was, which is why we didn't want to be listed as such) as a request that we do not want to be involved on the Religious Relationships Committee. They are insisting that we are severing the ties, but other than our statement in the Board's resolution, we have never said that was our intention. This could be an honest confusion because they don't understand our congregational polity, or they could understand exactly what we meant, but they are trying to manipulate so that it looks like we're the ones who asked to be out. Frankly, I still don't understand their procedure for who sits on the Relationship Committee. At first I thought it was because we have congregations that charter troops and therefore I was on the committee representing those congregations. Then it seemed from their last letter and my conversations with the UCC member of the committee, Gordon Svoboda, that it is because we have a scouting award program that we are on the committee. Townsend's letter just makes the matter more confusing. I'm not sure if we are appointed by a nominating committee or simply ad hoc members appointed at the will of the chairman.
January 11, 1993 (excerpts) To: Rev. Jory Agate With regard to question concerning the BSA Religious Relationships Committee structure, the bylaws of the BSA states that the Relationships Committee is the only standing committee recognized by the Executive Board. Clause 13 does establish the nominating committee as the standard operating procedure. The Religious Relationships Committee, Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Community Relations plus the other various committees are "ad hoc" and members server at the will of the chairman. The Religious Emblem Program of the BSA has given millions of Scouts the opportunity to earn the award of their particular faith. It is the responsibility of the BSA to establish guidelines if the award is to be worn on the BSA uniform. Donald L. Townsend, Director |
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