Photographic illustration by Jacqueline Ramseyer

Boy Scouts nationwide have expressed concerns about the recent Supreme Court ruling that allows the barring of homosexuals from the organization.




Scout's Honor

Straight Eagle Scout takes a stand against group's anti-homosexual policies

By Daniel Hindin

Sunnyvale native John Roshell (nee Gaushell) devoted much of his boyhood to the Boy Scouts of America. His family was very involved in the organization, and his parents felt that John and his brother Rich could learn a lot from the Boy Scouts. "I watched their leadership skills bloom," says their mother Nancy Gaushell of her sons' years with the Scouts.

Roshell spent almost eight years earning his Eagle Scout badge. At almost 18 years of age, Roshell completed his final badge and entered into the esteemed group of young men who call themselves the Eagle Scouts.

But some 12 years later, things have changed.

Now 30-years-old and disheartened by the July Supreme Court decision to allow the Boy Scouts of America to bar homosexuals from their organization, Roshell, who now lives in Santa Barbara with his wife, faced a tough decision. The Scouts were such a big part of his life that he felt he owed them something, but he didn't feel that he could remain a part of a group that openly discriminated against gays.

"He kept reading his Scout book looking for anything that justified it," says Gaushell. After a lot of reading and inner searching, Roshell finally decided that the Boy Scouts of America had become an organization he no longer could consider himself a part of. He felt that his only option was to return his treasured Eagle Scout badge.

"Originally, I thought I would return the badge to the national headquarters," says Roshell, who combined his last name with his wife's when they married. "But they would probably just throw it away. Then I thought I would send it to my home troop--they would understand."

On June 30, Roshell sent his badge to the current Scoutmaster of Sunnyvale-based Troop 466, Ron Lamica. Because Roshell had little previous contact with Lamica, he decided to call him to tell him why he was sending him his badge.

Roshell says he was very disappointed with Lamica's reaction over the phone. He says Lamica couldn't understand why, if he wasn't gay, he would feel the need to return his badge.

According to Roshell, Lamica claimed that he didn't have a problem with gay people--they just don't have a place in Scouting. Despite their disagreement over the phone, Roshell remained confident that Lamica would accept the responsibility of receiving his badge.

But when Lamica received the package, he returned it to Roshell unopened. Roshell says that Lamica explained that his troop was doing fine the way it was and that he didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to it.

"I can understand his wish to protect his troop," says Roshell. "But it wasn't my goal to interfere with his troop. My old troop was very tolerant and I thought they would understand. The Bay Area is so mixed that you have to be that way. Mr. Lamica has taken a very cowardly attitude with this whole thing."

Lamica refused to respond to questions from the Sunnyvale Sun despite numerous opportunities.

Ri-Pen Chou, another Eagle Scout from Troop 466, also remembers the troop as being tolerant of different philosophies despite their strong connections to the church.

Chou, 36, knew from an early age that he had many questions about religion. Because he considers himself an agnostic, he felt he could not participate in the Protestant services that his troop participated in each week. "I talked to my troop leader and we worked out an agreement," he says. "He was really open-minded about it, and we ended up meeting each other half way. I agreed to attend different kinds of church services for six months and just give it a try. At the end, I decided that I was still agnostic, but he was satisfied that I had made an attempt. It was never really an issue."

Chou's feelings are more mixed than Roshell's. "I appreciate and applaud what John is doing," he says. "But I haven't personally decided what I'm going to do. I'm upset with the Boy Scouts for what they've done, but I'm hesitant to write them off completely because there are many other good things they've done. It's unfortunate that the higher-ups feel that way, but it's their right. It's a private organization, and they can do what they want. Then it's our choice whether to participate or not."

Nationwide, many ex-Scouts are choosing not to participate in the organization anymore. A national organization called Scouting For All is collecting Eagle Scout badges in protest. Groups like these have collected 53,000 signatures on a petition asking the Scouts to change their policies. This strong and united front against the Boy Scouts' codes has, however, created a large backlash from supporters of the Scouts.

Gavin Grooms of Provo, Utah, formed Save Our Scouts less than a month ago for the main purpose of counteracting these recent anti-Scout efforts. His group has already gathered 22,000 signatures in that brief period of time.

"We don't hate homosexuals," says Grooms. "People who are attracted to others people of the same gender just shouldn't camp together."

The proliferation of anti-gay opinions within the leadership of the Scouts is forcing many organizations to withdraw their sponsorships from Boy Scouts of America. The United Way Silicon Valley recently diverted their $160,000 per year sponsorship from the Scouts to Learning for Life, a Scout-associated group that has signed the required statement that says they are not morally against homosexuals and will allow them in their organization.

"Since 1993 United Way Silicon Valley has only given money to agencies who agree to sign a nondiscriminatory statement that includes race, gender, sexual orientation and many other factors," says United Way Silicon Valley President Greg Larson. "More than 100 agencies have signed the statement--the Boy Scouts are the only ones who wouldn't sign it. I'm an old Eagle Scout, but the Boy Scouts' national policy is in conflict with ours. I certainly don't support the Boy Scouts' policy, and the United Way will not compromise on discrimination."

Schools and cities are also beginning to disassociate with the Scouts. The Scouts didn't used to have to pay for time and space to meet on school and city property, but many city councils and school boards have recently been rescinding these benefits. Nine years ago, the San Francisco Board of Education put an end to their in-school Scouting program because of their discriminatory policy. Two years ago, the Berkeley City Council stopped giving the Sea Scouts free access to the city's docks.

Grooms says, "It's disappointing considering how many years the Scouts have given upkeep and done service projects for these organizations. I find it hard to believe that groups that have received so much help from us can just turn around and cut us loose. It's also hypocritical because most cities will provide space for organizations that discriminate as much or more than we do--like women's shelters. They discriminate against men."

It is clear that this issue has created a large rift between the Boy Scouts of America and the people whose lives they have touched.

"I would have to make a tough decision if I had a son," says Chou. "I would really have to think about whether I would let him participate in the Boy Scouts or not."

Roshell's mother says that if her boys were of Scouting age right now, she doesn't think that she would encourage them to join this time around. "I have no problem with the court's decision. Under the first amendment, this is a private group's decision. The Boy Scouts have clearly made the wrong decision."

The Gaushells were actively involved with the Boy Scouts for a long time. Their father, Dennis, was a Cub Scout leader, and the Gaushells went hiking and camping in the Sierras with their boys' troop. They feel that they owe a lot to the Scouts.

"The organization has so much to offer to young guys who have a lot going on in their lives," says Nancy Gaushell. "We've watched a lot of living skills that they developed with the Scouts in their adult lives."

"It was hard for us to hear that John had sent back his badge," she says. "But we understand what he was doing--it wasn't done lightly. Sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe in. If I had children now, I would definitely be more hesitant this time around. I think I would try to find other groups for young boys that teach those skills. You have to realize what you're agreeing with if you become part of the organization."

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