Letters: The Boy Scouts and sexual abuse

The Boy Scouts of America and its leaders are an extraordinary group of men and women who are shining examples of the leadership our country so desperately needs ["Excuse me while I badger the Boy Scouts," Opinion, Oct. 22].

As a proud parent of an Eagle Scout and wife of an active scout leader, I have seen hundreds of these young men develop the leadership and discipline needed to succeed in life. If you Google "famous Eagle Scouts," you will see lists of distinguished Americans that include a Nobel prizewinner, corporate chief executives, a president, astronauts, a civil rights leader and servicemen.

Behind each of these successful individuals were adult scout leaders who sacrificed their time and shared their talents to teach the basic skills needed to be a solid contributor to our society.

Carol Lynn Savage, Baldwin
 

The Boy Scouts' exclusion of gay youth from its organization, and the publication of the organization's "perversion files," is damaging evidence against the moral decency of the scouting institution.

I cannot, however, grasp how this relates to raising funds to visit a national memorial, the aircraft carrier Intrepid, which well served our country during dire times. The Navy continues to serve in a world where terrorism and oppression are still very much alive.

June Miodownik, West Hempstead
 

I am not the least bit surprised the Boy Scouts are in the headlines once again. It is truly a disgrace that they covered up heinous acts of child molestation for so many years.

I do not understand why so many of our businesses and public school districts continue to support them, given their discriminatory policies against homosexuals, and now these horrible claims against them.

I wonder if there is any ethics committee the Boy Scouts have to answer to. I would never put my child in an organization that is so discriminatory and unregulated -- Scout's honor.

Linda Woods, Farmingdale