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AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Rick Perry said emphatically Saturday that the Boy Scouts of America shouldn’t soften its strict no-gays membership policy, and dismissed the idea of bending the organization to the whims of “popular culture.”
Perry is an Eagle Scout and in 2008 he authored the book “On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For.” It detailed the governor’s deep love for the organization and explained why it should continue to embrace traditional, conservative values – including excluding openly gay members and Scout leaders.
Gov. Rick Perry, left, bows his head for the invocation during the annual Boy Scouts Parade and Report to State in the House Chambers at the Texas State Capitol, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, in Austin, Texas.
Photo: Eric Gay, Associated Press
America’s longest-serving governor addressed the Texas Scouts’ 64th annual Report to State, where hundreds of Scouts from around Texas filled the state House of Representatives to announce their delegation’s recent accomplishments.
Perry has addressed the gathering several times before, most recently in 2010, but not since the announcement that the Scouts’ national leadership is mulling scrapping the mandatory exclusion of gay members. Instead, the group could allow different religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout units to decide for themselves how to address the issue – either maintaining the exclusion or opening up their membership.
Even though the Boy Scouts reaffirmed the no-gays policy just seven months ago, the proposal is expected to be discussed, and possibly voted on, at the meeting of the Scouts’ national executive board, which begins Monday in Irving, outside Dallas.
Perry told the youngsters that the Scouts was a key reason he joined the U.S. Air Force and later sought public office, and that society’s failure to adhere to the organization’s core values was a cause for high rates of teen pregnancy and wayward youth who grow up to be “men joining their fathers in prison.”
Speaking to reporters afterward, Perry said: “Hopefully the board will follow their historic position of keeping the Scouts strongly supportive of the values that make Scouting this very important and impactful organization.”
“I think most people see absolutely no reason to change the position and neither do I,” Perry said. He said his views on the subject haven’t changed since writing his book, in which he noted that profits would be donated to the Boy Scouts of America Legal Defense since “they continue to be under attack from the forces of secularism.”
Asked if he would feel different about the Scouts if the policy is changed, Perry wouldn’t say. But he added: “to have popular culture impact 100 years of their standards is inappropriate.”He also disagreed that allowing members of all sexual preferences would make the Scouts more tolerant: “I think you get tolerance and diversity every day in Scouting.”
Fred Sainz of the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights group, said Saturday, “It’s a shame that Governor Perry has chosen to be on the wrong side of history.”
“Governor Perry and the Boy Scouts are both completely out of touch with where America is going on this issue,” he said “There should be one national, non-discrimination policy. We can’t quite wrap our heads around why that is so difficult to do in 2013.”
Perry wrote in his book that he doesn’t “believe the teaching of sexual preference fits within the parameters of Scouting’s mission,” but also made it very clear he’d like to keep gay members from joining.
“Because gay activism is central to their lives, it would unavoidably be a topic of conversation within a Scout troop. This would distract from the mission of Scouting: character building, not sex education,” he wrote.
Perry also questioned whether sexual preference is determined at birth or is a matter of personal choice in his book, and wrote that he doesn’t believe in “condemning homosexuals that I know personally.”
Zach Wahls is an Eagle Scout raised in Iowa by two lesbian moms who has become a leading activist against the no-gays policy. Wahls said by phone Saturday he believes national Scout leaders will soften the membership policy next week, and he hopes the move won’t make Perry won’t turn his back on the Scouts.
“We’ve been called bullies and had people say ‘you’re imposing your will,’” he said. “Our organization isn’t calling for the removal of anybody who disagrees with us. We support fully inclusive Scouting.”
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And Rick Perry is important how?….
And, Texas should develop an anti-Perry policy.
Who?
another republican stuck in stupid
And Texas should get rid of Perry and his homophobic ways
What an irrelevant d-bag.
Dingle Perry would be better served to just not speak!
He makes me ashamed to ever step foot in Texas, that corrupted trailer trash bastard
Gay rights are whims of “popular culture”? Your a moron Governor Rick Perry! Take off your thousand dollar suit and take a walk where real people live!
And this is one of many reasons his campaign bus veered off the road.
Why?… this is stupid as heck. ignorance… it’s like not allowing black outfits when there is a base color of peach colored suits in the boy scouts. excluding innocent people to justify nothing but ignorance.
Another intolerant idiot.
he is so thick and doesnt care how many young suicides there is from that ban, so stupid, just hot air in his head, karma will get him for sure
The National Weather Service has just issued a Giant Asshole Warning for the State of Texas. . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PAJNntoRgA I would keep my mouth shut about gays Ricky. We have not forgotten about your “Strong” campaign ad from Christmas 2011… remember the one that had 8.6 million views on You Tube, that 92% did not approve/disliked and made you the joke of the Republican party and cost you the election. You don’t? Well, you can just go Fuck off.
Amen Tim! Time to kick out the OLD and bring in the New…this is just wasteful to Texans!
Rick Perry should come out of the closet, enough is enough.
Rick Perry is an ass and an embarrassment to America.
fuck religious fools…
@Jim…..no he should stay in the closet…..us gays don’t want him!!
Here is what Rick Perry can do with his mouth:
http://bossip.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/rick-perry-eats-a-corndog-e1325253636491.jpg
Mmmmm , smell that? Thats good ol’ fashion hate, being taught to our children. America must be soo proud (-_-)
Bye, bye…. Perry!
WTF does that JACKASS NIMROD, NITWIT, NINCOMPOOP have to do with the BSA? To hell with him. Shit for Brains, sonofabitchbastard.
Rick Perry sucks donkey swipe!
I don’t even know how he became govenor with the mental issues he has. There has to be money involved.
What a douchebag! Go fuck yourself Rick Perry.
Two words for Mr. Perry, Adios muchacho. So can’t wait to vote him out.
We should petition the Boys Scouts and the Texas capital!!!….
theres a reason why its called boy”" scouts bc real men are unafraid to accept others for who they are. and bsa if obviously not one of them
Perry always has been a nut job
Rick Perry’s opinion is not worth even considering.
Boy Scouts are pussys
eff u rick perry
thanks for your valued opinion Ricky .. now fuck off.
Ah such passing whims as equality, don’t bend to popular opinion.
One thing I still can’t understand about conservatives is when they say that sex-ed is fundamentally separate from character-building. First they lie about how birth control works, then they lie about why some people are gay, then they preach abstinence — which only makes people hornier by telling them they shouldn’t do anything that’s pleasurable, they lie about rape, they lie about abortion, they cover up paedophilia, and then they finish up by saying sex education has nothing to do with character. Excuse me, I think it clearly has a lot to do with character.
Bigot
oh he is relevant now?
Texas should keep rick Perry. The U.S. doesn’t want him for a president.
ANOTHER conservative prick I’m tired of hearing from. He should keep his mouth shut.
Rick Perry should drown in his own blood and vomit.
WHAT A ASS H–E
rick perry has always been so cute… every words that comes out from his mouth are always shitty! lol
start naming hurricanes after morons
Dear Mr. Perry, hope none of your kids or grandkids are gay. You (yes, even you) might feel their pain. Personally, I hope you feel the pain of the rejection you got during the primaries for many days to come.
Can you texans get your shoot together and get rid if this embarrassment?!
Damn him to hell!!!!
Shame, shame, shame!
As Porky Pig would say: Son of a de-de-son of a de-de, son of a (bitch).
There’s nothing pure or American about bigotry and discrimination. Fuck Rick Perry.
I almost forgot he was alive. Darn! STFU Perry!!! Who cares waht you think?
His statement makes Texas look like they are part of the Nazi party, will not ask, will just do what leader says to do.
Aren’t the part of the Nazi party?
I hate to say it, but I am in agreement with Gov. Rick Perry. Boy Scouts are trying to turn back the clock because they are losing monies from their Benefactors and Sponsors. Any offer by the Boy Scouts for Gays to return to the camp is highly SUSPICIOUS and DISINGENUOUS AT BEST! Furthermore, all these years have passed since they kicked Gays out, now they want us back! NO, NO…..I WOULD NOT TRUST THEM ON A DIME! “a Leopard Never Changes It’s Spots!”
humanity to Rick Perry, you should keep your mouth shut on things you know nothing about.
Perry is a quack and the fact is the BSA policy is outdated for too long and its time that the lgbt is recognized not only as scouts and leaders that are not pedophiles but just loving parents who want their child to experience all scouting has to offer.
Noone cares what this jack ass has to say
This from the guy who made an anti-gay ad wearing the jacket that was in Brokeback Mountain.
He is nuts, so why the worry?
yes, and become a thing of the past!
We are always our own worst enemies: when will his beard Anita say “enough is enough!”
Oh well. Rick Perry( sigh!)
Rick Perry can suck my Dick!
The hell with Perry!
I choose not to stoop to their level. Ignorance is bliss for those who are unwilling to learn anything that doesn’t agree with their personal beliefs. That being said, Rick Perry must be one happy guy. Have a gay day everyone!