Gay Men as mentors

[janette]

Happened to catch a little of a radio program and the guy was talking about the BoyScout official that plead guilty in a case of child porn. The files included photographs and videos of boys younger than 12 exposing themselves and engaging in sexual acts, the documents showed.

The radio guy (Mike Gallagher) went on to say that this instance underscores how right the BoyScouts are in forbidding openly gay men to serve as scout masters. Said that a gay man shouldn't be a mentor for a young boy and of course he was sure that everyone would agree with this.

I'd have been tempted to call if it hadn't been a rebroadcast

I can't get this logic at all. Should heterosexual men be banned from positions where they would be mentor to young girls?

These are pediphiles, doesn't matter which they prefer girls or boys. Yes, I think an open pedophile shouldn't be a mentor for children and I wouldn't allow my child anywhere around them but gay does not equal pedophile. To me there is no connection.

Do you think this case helps demonstrate why the Boy Scouts have this rule or does it just prove that it really hasn't made a difference?

 

[LisaZoe]

These are pediphiles, doesn't matter which they prefer girls or boys. Yes, I think an open pedophile shouldn't be a mentor for children and I wouldn't allow my child anywhere around them but gay does not equal pedophile. To me there is no connection.

ITA - I always get so angry when people seem to assume that because a pedophile prefers boys it must mean the man is gay! And then these people start to act as if all gay men would be a potentional menace! Come on, the vast majority of people (gay or straight) find the thought of pedophilia abhorrent. Being gay does not make one more inclined to deviant behavior.

 

[Sleepy]

The radio guy (Mike Gallagher) went on to say that this instance underscores how right the BoyScouts are in forbidding openly gay men to serve as scout masters. Said that a gay man shouldn't be a mentor for a young boy and of course he was sure that everyone would agree with this.

Then I guess a woman who is gay should not be allowed to serve with the Girl Scouts? Ridiculous.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

ITA - I always get so angry when people seem to assume that because a pedophile prefers boys it must mean the man is gay! And then these people start to act as if all gay men would be a potentional menace! Come on, the vast majority of people (gay or straight) find the thought of pedophilia abhorrent. Being gay does not make one more inclined to deviant behavior.

I agree

Then I guess a woman who is gay should not be allowed to serve with the Girl Scouts? Ridiculous.

I don't think that is allowed anyway (at least in the boy scouts--don't know if both scouts are governed the same way). But if she's into child porn--then absolutely NOT.

 

[RobinMarie]

The radio guy (Mike Gallagher) went on to say that this instance underscores how right the BoyScouts are in forbidding openly gay men to serve as scout masters. Said that a gay man shouldn't be a mentor for a young boy and of course he was sure that everyone would agree with this.


Do you think this case helps demonstrate why the Boy Scouts have this rule or does it just prove that it really hasn't made a difference?

No, I think the radio guy proved his ignorance. It's a shame someone on the radio has the opportunity to spread such nonsense.

 

[s&k'smom]

Oh that makes me so mad. I have had nothing but positive experiences with someone as Jerry Seinfeld said bats for the other team. I've been trying to think of a way to say this but it just shows me how ignorant some people are. That in this day and age people still think a person who is gay is out to molest little kids. I mean there is no one (IMHO) that does not have a gay person in their life. Whether they know it or not.

 

[shortbun]

My family does not allow our children to join Boy Scouts or any other group that projects hate. We DO welcome gay men and women to Godparent,teach and babysit our children. I think the Boy Scouts have made obvious stupid, horrible choices and they are not getting my child.

 

[DisDuck]

In my youth gay's could not be teachers as they may 'convert' impressionable young minds. Oh give me a break. This guy was on a board not directly involved in day-to-day connect with the scouts themselves. And while I will get flamed for this.. He pleaded guilty to viewing and send/receiving child pornography. Nothing in the news articles indicated that he did anything to anyone else. So don't jump to conclusions that have this guy going from watching to doing.

Flame suit cleaned/pressed and inplace.

 

[PlutoPony]

Ditto Shortbun. It's hard to explain why this isn't something we want to be involved with in a way that doesn't get peoples' hackles up tho (at least around here).

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

In my youth gay's could not be teachers as they may 'convert' impressionable young minds. Oh give me a break. This guy was on a board not directly involved in day-to-day connect with the scouts themselves. And while I will get flamed for this.. He pleaded guilty to viewing and send/receiving child pornography. Nothing in the news articles indicated that he did anything to anyone else. So don't jump to conclusions that have this guy going from watching to doing.

Flame suit cleaned/pressed and inplace.

I don't know that he is gay or not and think it irrelevant--but someone who illegally views child porn does not in any way belong in an organization who's primary purpose is children. It is illegal plain and simple. It is the one place where "I smoked, but I didn't inhale" is completely irrelevant. Looking is just as bad as acting on it IMHO. The possibility to interact with children is there whether it is not a day to day occurance or not. He compromised his morals with his illegal activity and is a sick person. He was justifiably removed from his post.

However the idiot the OP speaks of on the radio show is an idiot to think that being gay or not had anything to do with it.

 

[MsLeFever]

This thread underlines all that is good about the DisBoards. Open, loving people.

What a good way to start my day. Thanks!

 

[Charade]

My family does not allow our children to join Boy Scouts or any other group that projects hate. We DO welcome gay men and women to Godparent,teach and babysit our children. I think the Boy Scouts have made obvious stupid, horrible choices and they are not getting my child.

Aren't you Catholic? I only ask because of their stance on homosexuality?

 

[chrissyk]

Then I guess a woman who is gay should not be allowed to serve with the Girl Scouts? Ridiculous.

My sister's Girl Scout troop leader was gay. Nobody cared, and rightfully so. I always hated it when the Boy Scouts came before the United Way Asset Allocations panel that I used to sit on. It pained me to give any money to an organization that promoted hate. The Girl Scout troops that came in front of us had their own bag of issues, too, but at least they didn't involve hate.

As for not allowing your kids in Scouts...well, on principle, I wouldn't like for my child to be a Boy Scout because I am opposed to this organization's stand on homosexuals serving as Scout Masters. However, I'd have to temper that with my desire not take something away from my child that he wanted participate in. My sister says with 100% assuredness that her children will never be in the scouts on principle. I can't say quite as much at this moment, but I can say that I do not support the Boy Scouts stand on homosexuals as scout masters.

 

[HauteCuisine]

Well, I guess I'm in a minority here. I would not want an openly gay man to be a mentor for my sons.Sorry. I don't hate gay people, it's just not the model I want my boys to look up to , or to aspire to become.

 

[RobinMarie]

Pssst... it's not catchy or a fad.

 

[DoeWDW]

In my opinion, Mike Gallagher tends to boost his ratings by taking an unpopular position on a controversial topic and then having people get all riled up about it. I think he'll say whatever gets people buzzing. I wouldn't put much stock in his on-air opinions.

 

[HauteCuisine]

Pssst... it's not catchy or a fad.

Who knew?!!

 

[Charade]

In my opinion, Mike Gallagher tends to boost his ratings by taking an unpopular position on a controversial topic and then having people get all riled up about it. I think he'll say whatever gets people buzzing. I wouldn't put much stock in his on-air opinions.

But you can pretty much substitute most other talk radio hosts for MG. A lot of them do the same thing. That's what makes talk radio so popular.

 

[ncgolfer]

Well, I guess I'm in a minority here. I would not want an openly gay man to be a mentor for my sons.Sorry. I don't hate gay people, it's just not the model I want my boys to look up to , or to aspire to become.

I agree.

 

[debster812]

Well, I guess I'm in a minority here. I would not want an openly gay man to be a mentor for my sons.Sorry. I don't hate gay people, it's just not the model I want my boys to look up to , or to aspire to become.

I can't say I understand this stance, but I can also say there are PLENTY (and I mean PLENTY) of hetero men who I would not want to mentor my son. The flip side to that is that there are a handful of gay men, one of them right here on these boards, who I would WELCOME to be part of my son's life.