SCOUTS: An exemplary stance

Sunday’s paper ran a cartoon showing a man chiding a Boy Scout over the Scout’s ban against gays becoming scout leaders; the picture portrayed the Boy Scouts as prejudiced, discriminating, homophobic and backwards. Has the cartoonist not been following the news about the nightmare at Penn State, which has resulted in former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky being convicted of 45 criminal counts with a possible maximum sentence of 468 years in prison for acts of child molestation? The shame and disgrace that this took place at all, let alone that it was ignored and even covered up by higher-ups will haunt Penn State for decades and will certainly be a warning to other institutions to do everything in their power to see to it that it does not happen to them and those young people in their care.

The Boy Scouts have a history of moral teachings, personal achievement and service to their communities of which they can be proud. This organization has been fighting to protect their reputation and the young boys who benefit from their membership in the Scouts and should be applauded for it, not ridiculed by a media which has had its own shortcomings in this regard. Thirty years ago virtually every newspaper in this country had youth carriers delivering door-to-door; this was a way for young people to learn responsibility, how to deal with a diverse group of readers and earn money in the process. This opportunity is now all but gone. Newspapers all across the nation have stopped using youth carriers because children were suddenly being raped and several were actually killed while on their routes.

Institutions from religion and education to business and industry have reacted to the threat to themselves and the vulnerable within their charge to avoid the horror that others have experienced. The Boy Scouts have done an exemplary job and should be held up as an example for others to follow, not be ridiculed for their stand to protect the young boys in within their ranks.

STEVE NOVAK

Coeur d’Alene

Editor’s note: Most newspapers no longer use children as carriers because papers today aren’t delivered in the afternoon; they’re picked up by carriers around midnight and delivered by 5 a.m. or so.