Cradle Of Liberty Council, BSA to Have It's Day In Court

This story is of particular interest to me, as I am both a scout parent (Scraps is a First Class scout), and a troop committee member/mentor.

It looks like the Boy Scouts of America, Cradle of Liberty Chapter has the city of Philadelphia back in it's sights.

A judge has ruled that the lawsuit brought against the city does have Constitutional merit on First Amendment issues. The lawsuit was filed in Federal court this past May by Cradle of Liberty (COL), just prior to the city ordering the scouting organization to vacate the building that the scouts built and gave to the city, in return for rent of $1.00 a year.

The city, in it’s infinite wisdom, decided that because the boy scouts do not permit openly gay people in leadership positions, they have violated the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance. the outcome? Revoke the trust agreement and charge the COL full market value rent on a building that the Scouts GAVE TO THE CITY IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!!!!

Egregious, no?

The City of Philadelphia is going to lose this case. Why? Because, Nutter cut funding to youth programs paid for by tax dollars. The scouts take no monies from the city to run their organization. By taking the headquarters, and/or charging an outrageous amount of rent to the COL, the city is effectively taking non-tax dollars away from a youth program that works. It would be in their best interests to let it go and continue their agreement with the COL as if nothing has happened.

As far as the COL being solely discriminatory? The City gives the Daughters of the American Revolution (a society that excludes those who cannot trace their lineage to the Revolutionary war) cheap rent for two Fairmount Park buildings to use as their headquarters. In the grand scheme of things, this, too is discrimination.

Click on the link below to read the latest from the Philadelphia Daily News on this developing story:

Court advances Boy Scouts suit against the city

Cross posted on PAWaterCooler