By ZOLA ROSS-GRAY, age 11
Lucca Palumbo, age 12 – “No. The Boy Scouts are supposed to represent individuality and self-confidence. If a scout is gay then that’s who he is. Gay men already have the right to marry [in some states], which is similar, and they should be presenting themselves as who they are. The BSA should not condemn that.”
Baker Kolvenbach, age 10 – “There is no apparent reason for this ban to be active. The ban won’t change who somebody is. If my foot was cut off in an accident and I was banned from being an accountant as a result, it wouldn’t make any sense. I feel the same way about this.”
Azalea Danes, age 10 – “No, this ban is not fair. It’s the 21st century, and parents are teaching their kids that it is a good thing to be different. The BSA is choosing to protect its boy scouts from their openly gay peers. This is not healthy because the world is a big place and these scouts will need to experience and respect people for who they are.”
Edith Liben, age 10 – “No, this ban is unfair. Boy Scouts are people too. Boy Scouts should let all boys into the troops no matter their sexual orientation. The BSA should use the Girl Scouts as an example for how they should be — since the Girl Scouts are the exact opposite of the BSA in their ideas about LGBT scouts and leaders.”
