No, I am not talking about the Army, Air Force, Marines or Navy I am talking about the Boy Scouts. Who ever thought that an institution like the BS would have to defend their charter from a city of "Brotherly Love"? In the year 2000 the U.S Supreme Court decided that the scouts were a "membership organization" and could include or exclude anyone they saw fit. Yet, the city of Philadelphia is saying we don't want to play by the rules and we want them to pay rent on a building that the scouts have occupied for years because the scouts not rejecting their national scout policy is violating local rules. I am beginning to think that since there is an incredible deficit within the city Mayor Nutter and Council are looking for any dimes they can find in the couch cushions and because this fight was started in 2006 they can push that much harder. The city leases land to other organizations and institutions that have "membership rules" one which includes a Catholic Church, yet they are not threatening to yank their rent or throw THEM out of their buildings if they do not conform to the city's rules. In fact one group, the Colonial Dames of America who control the Lemon Hill Mansion limit their membership to people who are direct descendants of those who lived in a colony before 1750. In my thought process lots of people can get upset and up in arms about that, it's a very restricting membership to say the least, but why is the city not pushing the Dames to pony up more rent?
It's a sad day when cities and towns have to attack an organization that has done many good deeds within each city and town and has caused very little if no harm to come to anyone just because they choose not to except into their organization a person. Where does it stop and when are we going to leave well enough alone? Maybe when Philadelphia can pay their bills?
VS
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