Within the past few days, Boy Scouts of America has reiterated its policy that homosexuals are not welcome in their organization and Dan Cathy, the President of Chick-fil-A (and the son of its founder), renounced gay marriage as an offense to God. While some might accept such pronouncements as freedom of speech, the use of prestige, wealth or power to foster discrimination against a segment of human society is, in my opinion, offensive and intolerable. Though the action of such groups may not be strictly illegal, it illuminates the ignorance and rigid theology that often undermine freedom and social progress in this country.
Christian conservatives have a long history of imposing their beliefs on others and of restricting the rights of those who do not fit within their world view; the Inquisition, Adolf Hitler and the KKK all come to mind. Their modern colleagues argue that homosexuality is a choice, not an inborn trait, and express concern that it might be ingrained in innocent children; they, of course, indoctrinate youth with their own zealotry and ignore the fact that 10% of humans are homosexual (including 10% of their fellow Church members).
Those of us who hope to counter this intolerance are left to effect change at the polls and in the marketplace. To profess a commitment to human rights and equality while financing individuals and organizations that oppose or fail to enforce such rights is a hollow gesture. Making donations to the Boy Scouts or buying dinner at Chick-fil-A condones their message.
