Posted 10:58 pm Friday, February 15, 2013
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Boy Scouts, February 15
In response to recent letters to the editor in the Tyler Paper about the Boy Scouts admitting gay leaders and members, I want to say that when I was a scout, my family, church, and scout troop taught me to be helpful, friendly, courteous, and kind toward all people, especially those that other kids were inclined to bully and tease.
As I picture the angry faces of people intimidating students who integrated Little Rock High School in 1957, I remember the words to the song “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” from the musical “South Pacific!”:
“You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear. You’ve got to be taught from year to year. It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear. You’ve got to be carefully taught.
“You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late, before you are six or seven or eight, to hate all the people your relatives hate. You’ve got to be carefully taught!”
My troop didn’t teach me to hate and fear. They taught me the opposite. But I’m afraid that today’s Boy Scout leadership is working very hard to teach hate and fear.
It breaks my heart to see this and realize what people are missing out on.
I’ve seen families reject their own children, never seeing them again, and grandparents who never see their grandchildren.
I’ve seen people unwilling to form social relationships with gay people in general.
Hard as it may be, I know that the Boy Scouts will eventually change, and I look forward to that day when they are the organization I used to think they were.
Richard Guldi
Dallas
As I picture the angry faces of people intimidating students who integrated Little Rock High School in 1957, I remember the words to the song “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” from the musical “South Pacific!”:
“You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear. You’ve got to be taught from year to year. It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear. You’ve got to be carefully taught.
“You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late, before you are six or seven or eight, to hate all the people your relatives hate. You’ve got to be carefully taught!”
My troop didn’t teach me to hate and fear. They taught me the opposite. But I’m afraid that today’s Boy Scout leadership is working very hard to teach hate and fear.
It breaks my heart to see this and realize what people are missing out on.
I’ve seen families reject their own children, never seeing them again, and grandparents who never see their grandchildren.
I’ve seen people unwilling to form social relationships with gay people in general.
Hard as it may be, I know that the Boy Scouts will eventually change, and I look forward to that day when they are the organization I used to think they were.
Richard Guldi
Dallas
