AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA

Resources
Congressional Scorecards

Home

Statement of Purpose

Current Action Alert ( sign up to receive AFA of PA Action Alerts

Pornography Fight

Pro-Life Issues

News Release
For Immediate Release: July 27, 2009
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

PA Human Relations Chairman vs. the Boy Scouts

(Philadelphia) – The battle for the headquarters built and maintained by the Cradle of Liberty Scout Council (COLBSA) since 1929 continues. In May 2008, under continued threats of eviction or having to pay a $200,000 annual rental fee, the Scouts began to fight back and sued the City of Philadelphia in federal court. A recent request by both the Cradle of Liberty Scout Council and the City of Philadelphia to extend the July 6th discovery deadline to October 5 was denied. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide pro-family group, noted that homosexual activists are increasingly showing their agitation towards both sides. The original eviction threat by the City was spurred on by homosexual activists lobbying for it.

Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA, also remarked, “Recent comments by Stephen Glassman, the openly homosexual chairman of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, again reveal his disdain for the Boy Scouts, first publicly revealed in 2004, and his desire for them to be required to allow homosexual leaders and members. Governor Rendell has ignored repeated requests that he replace Stephen Glassman with someone who will not use that position as a bully pulpit to redefine Pennsylvanian society.”

Since 2004 Glassman’s support for unsuccessful bills that would have added ‘sexual orientation and gender identity’ to the PA Human Relations Act show his continued work to undermine the Boy Scouts as a whole, not just the Cradle of Liberty Scout Council.

“As Glassman has lobbied across the state for municipalities to add ‘sexual orientation and gender identity’ to their ordinances, it is appalling that he always fails to mention his views on the Boy Scouts. As we’ve said in the past, these municipalities are being misled when they are not being told about the real ramifications of these law changes,” Gramley further noted.

One thing the AFA of PA agrees with Glassman on is that the reputation of the City of Philadelphia may be hurt by the Boy Scout case, but we don’t agree with how Glassman believes the City will be hurt.

“As this situation drags on, people are beginning to understand this attack by the City of Philadelphia and they are appalled that the City is trying to evict the Scouts from the headquarters they built on property the 1928 City Council gave them free use of in perpetuity or forever. It is truly a matter of fairness – the Scouts have not moved on their positions, but the City of Philadelphia has drifted out of the mainstream by passing ordinances giving homosexuals and transgenders special rights and now they are trying to force their new position changes onto the Scouts. This is outrageous,” commented Gramley.

Additionally, the AFA of PA believes Glassman (and Governor Rendell) should be just as concerned about the PA Human Relations Commission’s reputation being hurt under Glassman’s leadership and his homosexual activism.

# # #