PHILADELPHIA — The city has decided that the Boy Scouts chapter here must pay fair-market rent of $200,000 a year for its city-owned headquarters because it refuses to permit gay Scouts.

The organization's Cradle of Liberty Council, which currently pays $1 a year in rent, must pay the increased amount to remain in its downtown building past May 31, Fairmount Park Commission president Robert N.C. Nix said Wednesday.

City officials say they cannot legally rent taxpayer-owned property for a nominal sum to a private organization that discriminates. The city owns the land on which the council's 1928 Beaux Arts building sits.

Scouting officials will ask the city solicitor for details on the appraisals that yielded the $200,000 figure, said Jeff Jubelirer, spokesman for the Cradle of Liberty Council.

The higher rent money "would have to come from programs. That's 30 new Cub Scout packs, or 800 needy kids going to our summer camp," Jubelirer said. "It's disappointing, and it's certainly a threat."

The Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that Scouts, as a private group, have a First Amendment right to bar gays from membership.

The council adopted a nondiscrimination policy in 2003 but was ordered to revoke it by the National Council, which said local chapters cannot deviate from national rules barring participation by anyone who is openly gay.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,303280,00.html

bravo

I'll see your "bravo" and raise you one "here! here!"

If you insist on discriminating do it with your own money and not mine is my attitude.

This simply saddens me.

Not because of the rent raise, but because the scouts discriminate.

Here is their mission statement:

http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=mc&c=mv

I was a girl scout for many years, and then an adult leader. I believe strongly in scouting, but of course, we differ on the gay issue.

It's just a shame to me that they have this unfortunate position... it's hurting kids who would otherwise benefit greatly.

I agree. It is sad. And kids are missing out.

I was also a girl scout. And I loved every minute of it. While I have yet to fulfill my dream of being a leader I was a counsellor at Girl Scout camp. It didn't pay much but that was just about the most wonderful job I have ever (or will ever) have.

Sexual orientation just plain and simply wasn't an issue. None of us cared if we were sharing our tent with a lesbian and who may or may not be one. It just wasn't a problem. I guess we were taught early on to not be afraid of "cooties." Something tells me the boy scouts would do well to learn that lesson too. Newsflash--Gay isn't contageous.

I was a cub scout - not a boy scout. But, we never even THOUGHT about 'gay.'

Not only didn't we know who was/wasn't gay - we didn't care.

The Girl Scouts have no such policy. They have no issue with Lesbian scout leaders and they have no problem with lesbian scouts.

It's just the Boys Scouts that have the problem!

Yes, I know. I find it very telling about human nature, as well.

Men are under societal pressure to be "manly" or face the consequences. Homophobia is a natural outgrowth of that, so it makes sense (well, it's internally consistent, anyway) that the Boy Scouts would have a "no gays" policy.

Women have no such silly concept of being "womanly" or else, so of course this wouldn't be an issue with the Girl Scouts.

Say what you like about the glass ceiling, less pay for equal work, etc., I feel pretty lucky to not be a man. I would hate living with that pressure.

I think the Philly city government is well within their rights (and actually their duty) to maintain their no discrimination policy without prejudice. It's just a really unfortunate thing that the Boy Scouts are suffering because they do such good work for kids.

But as someone said already, if you are going to discriminate, do it with your own money.