California Moves to Revoke Boy Scouts' Tax-Exempt Status

The recent decision by the Boy Scouts of America to allow gay scouts but to throw them out once they reach age 18  continues to elicit sharp responses, especially from hate driven conservative religious denominations which are threatening withdraw support for local packs and dens.  To be a godly Christian is, after all, all about hating others.  The California Assembly is taking a very different approach: a bill is progressing that would wipe out the Boy Scouts' (and other discriminatory groups) tax exempt status under California law.  The concept is simple: if a group discriminate against citizens , then it will not receive indirect support by all taxpayers via tax exempt status.  Frontiers LA reports on the legislative reaction.  Here are excerpts:

Sour reactions continue in response to last week’s split decision by the Boy Scouts of America to end their ban on gay youth participating in the organization but ejecting youth once they turn 18 and denying participation by gay adults and parents. This may be the first time, however, that a state legislative body has reacted so strongly – with the California Senate passing The Youth Equality Act (SB 323) by a whopping vote of 27-9. It’s the first time in California history that an LGBT rights bill has passed with a two-thirds majority.

SB 323, authored by openly gay Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Long Beach)   and sponsored by Equality California, would require that youth groups that enjoy state tax exemptions, such as the BSA , also follow state non-discrimination laws. If youth groups - even nonprofit private organizations - elect to continue to discriminate, SB 323 would disallow tax exemption for sales and use taxes, as well as corporate taxes, to bring them in line with California law.

“While the Boy Scouts of America took a step in the right direction to include LGBT youth, the standing ban on LGBT adults is premised on absurd assumptions and stereotypes that perpetuate homophobia and ignorance,” Lara said in a press release.

Karen England, Executive Director of the antigay Capitol Resource Institute, was not happy.  

Lara opened his roughly six and a half minute speech on the Senate floor with the Boy Scout pledge and then noted that neither the Girl Scouts, nor the 4-H clubs, nor the Boys & Girls of America nor the YMCA discriminate against gay kids, making them eligible for tax-exemption. The BSA, however, “is an organization with the central flaw so profound that until it is fully fixed, it means that they are out of line with the values of California and should be ineligible for a tax benefit paid for again by all Californians…”

EQCA notes that SB 323 is an ideal bill for exporting to other states and municipalities, pointing out that last week a New York senator introduced similar legislation that would deny tax exempt status to all youth groups that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or other defining characteristics.

The approach needs to go nationwide.  Its a very positive step in ending the special rights and privileges long afforded Christofascist organizations.  These groups should not be above the law.  Moreover, taxpayers should not be forced to underwrite the activities of groups that have hate and discrimination as one of their core characteristics.