ACLU: Boy Scouts Bad, Kiddie Nudist Camps Good
Vol: 38 Issue: 20 Saturday, November 20, 2004
The Pentagon is backing away, somewhat, from its settlement with the ACLU, saying this year’s Boy Scout Jamboree, which draws tens of thousands of Scouts and their leaders to Virginia’s Fort A.P. Hill Army base every four years, will go on as planned this summer.
This, despite a court settlement announced Monday that requires military bases and units to withhold official support from the Boy Scouts.
The Pentagon and a spokesman at Fort A.P. Hill confirmed that the Jamboree, a quadrennial gathering of more than 40,000 Boy Scouts and leaders on 3,000 acres of the 76,000-acre Army base, will go forward but future stagings of the event likely will depend on the outcome of the ongoing legal battle between the (ACLU) and the Scouts.
The God-hating ACLU (whose right to exist, ironically, is granted them by the Creator in the Constitution) seeks to force the U.S. Army to drop their financial support of the Jamboree.
The ACLU set it sights on destroying the Boy Scouts back in the 1990’s when the Scouts won Supreme Court backing for its policy of NOT letting homosexuals become scoutmasters. The ACLU has softened this approach in the wake of the anti-homosexual marriage votes during the election.
Now they are reverting to their backup position that the Boy Scout oath requires Scouts to believe in God — something they claim is prohibited by the Constitution.
At the time of this lawsuit, about 400 Boy Scout troops were officially sponsored by U.S. military bases. Since then, all those troops have changed their charters and are now sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion posts, as well as churches and other groups.
Spokespersons at Washington-area military bases said Boy Scout troops, often composed mostly of boys from military families, meet on their bases but that the troops are run by parents.
Contrast that to the recent ACLU lawsuit filed earlier this year in support of a proposed children’s NUDIST camp in Virginia.
The ACLU protested the requirement that children wanting to run around naked in the woods together first had to get permission from their parents.
To the ACLU, the Boy Scouts is an evil organization that should be denied any federal recognition, removing from military families the opportunity to enroll their kids in Scouting on the bases where they live.
On the other hand, the ACLU thinks it is entirely reasonable to deprive parents of any say in whether or not their kids should be allowed to spend the summer at a nudist camp.
Notes From the Field
First, my apologies for not sending out an Omega Letter yesterday. Between the jet lag and the whirlwind of activity when we first got here, there wasn’t much time left. You must have prayed hard for journey mercies for Gayle and I, and the Lord certainly answered your prayer.
This is the first time either of us have flown since 9/11 and we really didn’t know what to expect.
Security was tight, but the lines were short and everyone was cooperative. We found the screeners to be thorough, but polite. Perhaps it was because Raleigh’s airport isn’t that big, but it was a breeze to get through it all.
The flight was smooth, changing planes was a breeze, and all flights were on time. In fact, our plane touched down at our destination at the exact time it was scheduled to — to the minute.
Hal was waiting for us at the airport. He looked terrific for a man of his years. We were supposed to go for dinner with them after we checked in to our hotel, but I made the mistake of lying on the bed for a short nap first. (I woke up the next morning.)
We spent the day with Hal and Jolynn, and their other guests, a pastor from Miami and another, (Hal’s cousin Ralph) who pastors in Houston. It was a wonderful time.
By the end of the day, we had mapped out a course to cure all the world’s ills, and determined the exact time the Lord would return. (I can’t tell you, though. We swore each other to secrecy)
I went to Best Buy and bought a digital camera so I can record the festivities for you. Right now, Gayle is reading up on how it works. Then she will show me and I can take some pictures.
The trip so far has underscored the goodness of God and His faithfulness to answering prayer. I dreaded the trip — I hate flying anyway, and with the post-9/11 security measures, I expected it to be much worse than usual. During the flight, I could FEEL your prayers. It was an indescribable comfort to me.
Today will be a time of fellowship and relaxation in advance of the birthday party tomorrow. I wish you all could be here with us. But I will do my best to share with you as it all unfolds.
And thanks to all of you who posted birthday greetings to Hal in the briefing forum. Today, I will sit down with my laptop and share them with Hal. I am sure he will be as warmly moved by them as I was.
And a final note for all subscribers, particularly those on the seven-day trial. Since this week’s publication schedule is a bit haphazard while we are away, your subscriptions will be extended accordingly.
May God richly bless you all for your prayers and for your love.
I’ll keep you posted.
Omegaletter 