My Letter to the Boy Scouts of America

February 4, 2013

Dear Boy Scouts of America:

I fondly remember the Court of Honor where, together with my two best friends, I was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout.

I remember so many friends and family members coming to celebrate the occasion.  My family was very supportive of my scouting efforts and I was lucky to have a lot of help as I progressed through the program.  My three younger brothers were there, one of whom would go on to earn his Eagle rank a few years later.

I remember the pride in the eyes of my grandfather, who had long encouraged me to reach this goal and who had pledged his assistance in spite of failing health.  He would pass away less than a year later and I was so glad he lived to see me receive it.

Many of the scout leaders I had worked with for years were present, some of whom I had butted heads with from time to time.  One scoutmaster in particular had left a strong impression on me when I was trying for my First Class rank some years before.  I had been 12 years old at the time, and way too cool for Boy Scouts.  I remember him hesitating to sign off on my requirements and saying that he was disappointed in my lack of Scout Spirit.  His assessment stung and it motivated me to commit to try harder.  I came out of that discussion more humble and more teachable.

Preparing for that Court of Honor, I reflected on some of the experiences I had along the way.  I thought about the many campouts spent in the soggy forests of Western Washington, miserably waiting in a leaky tent for a break in the weather.  These experiences taught me patience and preparation.  I thought about the younger boys I had led through merit badge requirements and through the wilderness.  These experiences taught me how to mentor and how to teach.  Mostly I thought about how the program had helped shape my character, and how I had been richly blessed by the investment of so many dedicated leaders.

My leaders worked tirelessly to help me understand what it meant to be a responsible young man.  I was taught extensively what it meant to be a member of my community, my nation, and my world.  I was taught how to manage my finances, my time, and my fitness.  I was taught how to respect and take care of my environment.

More than 15 years have passed since that Court of Honor and these days I’m a dad with three young daughters.  While they obviously won’t have the benefit of learning these same lessons as members of the Boy Scouts of America, the values and lessons I learned through my Boy Scout experience color their lives every day.  Because of my experience with Boy Scouts, I know how to recognize and take advantage of opportunities to teach them important lessons about life.

I know, from first-hand experience, the benefits of participation in the Boy Scout program.  And I believe those benefits should be shared with as many people as possible, including youth and leaders who identify as homosexuals.

As a young man going through the program, I most likely would have been uncomfortable with homosexual members of my troop.  I hope that I would not have been the kind of person who would have picked on or bullied a young man who was wrestling with questions of sexual identity.  But I can’t say for certain how I would have responded in that situation.  One thing I do know – I didn’t develop the compassion that I now feel toward my LGBT brothers and sisters until much later in life.  I’m ashamed of that, and I wish I had found earlier opportunities to face the issue of homosexuality and to gain a better perspective.

The Boy Scouts of America is in a unique position to offer leadership in this sensitive area.  By opening its ranks to homosexual individuals BSA can demonstrate that they deserve respect and an equal footing in our society.  More importantly, BSA would create opportunities – ones that I did not have – for members to learn how to accept and how to treat young men who are homosexual.

Over the last decade I have been deeply involved in a youth character development program in my area (not BSA) where I have interacted with young people of diverse backgrounds.  I have worked with students struggling with various issues common to American teenagers - including questions of sexuality.  The supportive, loving environment this program creates has made a huge difference for these young people and has allowed them to flourish where otherwise their struggles may have proved overwhelming.

These opportunities are priceless and, as a society, we desperately need to foster environments where these lessons can happen in a safe place under the guidance of wise, trained leaders.  We need places where young men can learn tolerance, respect, and acceptance in lieu of ostracism, persecution, and ridicule.

A change in this BSA policy would be challenging.  It would raise new questions and create situations that require new guidelines for regulating behavior and supervision.  But these are challenges that can be capably handled with the kind of thoughtful, visionary leadership that is expected from BSA executives.

This letter is a request from an Eagle Scout for you to open your doors.  Allow homosexual individuals to participate as members and as leaders.  If handled carefully, a revised policy will be a tremendous blessing for all who interact with this wonderful program.

When I think of the future and all the additional young men who could benefit from this program under a new policy, I picture thousands of joyful, celebratory Eagle Courts of Honor like mine that otherwise would not happen.  I see leaders and young men working together and learning from each other - developing character in new and important ways.  I see generations of young men emerging from this wonderful program better equipped to handle the realities of a changing society.  Please make that future possible.

Sincerely,

Matthew Longhurst
Eagle Scout - 1997