June 28, 2000
Local Boy Scout leaders are relieved after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that the Scouts do not have to allow homosexual Scout leaders.
The local leaders are
saying let's put behind what's been 20 years of litigation and millions in legal fees, and let the Scouts go back to fully-servicing its more than six million members.
One reason local Scout leaders are so relieved is the existence of the Scouts in some states was hanging in the balance.
Utah included.
State sponsorship numbers help explain it.
Statewide there are 150,000 Scouts.
Of those, 90-percent of the sponsorships are backed by various churches.
Kay Godfrey says local scouting could have shut down if the court had ruled the other way.
He says the issue was also about an organization setting it's own rules.
Kay Godfrey/Great Salt Lake Council: "IT COULD HAVE BEEN ATHEIST, COULD HAVE BEEN A GIRL, COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY. THIS ISSUE IS ONE OF FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION."
The Supreme Court specifically covered gay leaders, but the opinion is so broadly written local leaders believe they can apply it to gay Scouts as a whole.
"BUT IF AN INDIVIDUAL COMES TO US AND MAKES HIS FEELING KNOWN AS A HOMOSEXUAL, WHETHER IT'S A YOUTH OR A SCOUT LEADER, HE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO JOIN SCOUTING."
Rdell Johnson/Former Boy Scout: "IT'S ONLY ONE OF THE PERSONALITY DEFINITIONS OF ME. I'M A MAN AND WAY, WAY DOWN THE LIST A GAY MAN-- WAY DOWN THE LIST."
That's Rdell Johnson, an Eagle Scout who spent more than a dozen years in the organization.
He's also openly gay.
Although disappointed by the ruling, he also encouraged.
Rdell Johnson: "THE 5-4 DECISION LENDS SOME CREDENCE THAT THIS COUNTRY SOONER OR LATER IS ALMOST READY TO ACCEPT EQUAL RIGHTS."
Aside from the issue itself, legal experts say there will be ripple effects.
The Center for Law and Justice says the ruling will have a dramatic impact on all private organizations, their missions, and their criteria for leadership.
