bsaThe controversy surrounding the Boy Scouts of America’s choice to exclude homosexual youth and adults from scouting has made an impact felt locally and nationally.  Both CNN and NBCNews.com are reporting that President Obama, honorary president of the Boy Scouts of America, has expressed his opposition to the BSA’s ban.

CNN quotes White House spokesman Shin Inouye explaining the President’s position,  “The President believes the Boy Scouts is a valuable organization that has helped educate and build character in American boys for more than a century.  He also opposes discrimination in all forms, and as such opposes this policy that discriminates on basis of sexual orientation.”

This public stance follows the President, during an interview with ABC News in May,  voicing support for same-sex marriage.

While every sitting President since 1910 has served as honorary president of the BSA, NBCNews.com reports that BSA spokesman Deron Smith was unaware of any of President Obama’s predecessors opposing the policy. Smith qualified, “This is not a focus of our program and we do not have an agenda on these issues.”

The responce to the BSA’s statement supporting its long-term policy of exclusion has been witnessed here in Brookline with Dr Karin Weldon‘s resignation as Troop 6, Den 3’s leader. Reports of similar actions across the country have flooded the news of late.  Eagle Scouts, as exemplified by Kelsey Timmerman’s personal account in the Huffington Post are returning their Eagle Scout badges to the BSA in protest.  Timmerman explains his choice, “The independence, confidence, leadership, and moral compass that Scouts instilled in me, forces me to speak out against their discrimination against gay boys and leaders, ” and encourages other Eagle Scouts to follow suit.

While it has been reported that the Boy Scouts do not plan to revisit their policy, the topic remains a focus of national attention and unlikely to fade away anytime soon.

By Catie Hayes, Editor