President Obama opposes Boy Scouts' reaffirmed ban on gays
The White House on Wednesday said Obama opposes the youth organization's recently reaffirmed policy of excluding gays as members and adult leaders.
President Barack Obama speaks to supporters at a campaign stop in Grand Junction Colo., on Aug. 8, 2012.
William Woody/AP
NEW YORK
When it comes to gays and the聽Boy聽Scouts, President Barack Obama and the youth organization he serves as honorary president have agreed to disagree.
The White House on Wednesday said Obama opposes the youth organization's recently reaffirmed policy of excluding gays as members and adult leaders. He has no plans to resign as honorary president, White House spokesman Shin Inouye said.
The聽Scouts聽said in a statement that they respect Obama's opinion and believe that "good people" can disagree on the subject and still work together to "accomplish the common good."
American presidents have been honorary presidents of the聽Boy聽Scouts聽for a century. Obama became theScouts' honorary president in March 2009, shortly after taking office
Last month, after a confidential two-year review, the聽Scouts聽reaffirmed their longstanding policy, which has been the target of numerous protest campaigns.
For three weeks, the White House didn't comment on the聽Scouts' decision. On Wednesday, the press office issued an email to The Associated Press on the subject.
"The president believes the聽Boy聽Scouts聽is a valuable organization that has helped educate and build character in American聽boys聽for more than a century," the White House statement said. "He also opposes discrimination in all forms, and as such opposes this policy that discriminates on basis of sexual orientation."
The聽Boy聽Scouts聽responded with a brief statement from their national headquarters in Irving, Texas.
"罢丑别听叠辞测听厂肠辞耻迟蝉听辞蹿 America respects the opinions of President Obama and appreciates his recognition thatScouting聽is a valuable organization," it said. "We believe that good people can personally disagree on this topic and still work together to accomplish the common good."
Obama is a staunch supporter of gay-rights, even coming out in support of same-sex marriage earlier this year. Various liberal organizations have called on him to distance the White House from the聽Boy聽Scoutsbecause of its exclusionary membership policy.
Two years ago, the聽Boy聽Scouts聽invited Obama to appear at its 100th anniversary jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia. The president sent a videotaped message, but the White House said he was unable to attend because of out-of-town commitments to tape a TV appearance and attend Democratic fundraisers.
Obama's Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, has not spoken publicly about the聽Boy聽Scouts' policy in recent days. A campaign spokeswoman, Andrea Saul, told the AP that he still stands by his support of the聽Scouts聽as he noted in a 1994 political debate in Massachusetts.
"I support the right of the聽Boy聽Scouts聽of America to decide what it wants to do on that issue," Romney said then. "I feel that all people should be able to participate in the聽Boy聽Scouts聽regardless of their sexual orientation."