When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled earlier this summer that the Boy Scouts of America were within their rights to exclude homosexuals from the ranks of their adults leaders, it seemed as though the fight was finally over. Instead, that ruling merely rang the bell for the start of a new round.

Most people think of the Boy Scouts as a benevolent community organization devoted to teaching boys to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. But to the growing chorus of their critics, the main thing the Boy Scouts teach is intolerance.

Those critics battled the Scouts in court for years, hoping to use the power of government to three this private club to change its membership rules. Girls sued because they thought the Boy Scouts looked like more fun than the Girl Scouts and they wanted to join. Atheists sued, demanding to be permitted to join the Scouts without pledging to do their “duty to God. And homosexuals sued, asserting a constitutional right to be permitted to go on camping trips with young boys.

Now that it’s clear that the courts won’t force the Boy Scouts to change their ways, critics of the organization have turned to new allies, ranging from government agencies to corporate America.

On the federal level, the Justice Department was recently caught exploring ways to ban the Scouts from federal property because of their policy on homosexuality. The Justice Department backed clown only when it became clear that the resulting publicity would be damaging in an election year. In Congress, a few members are trying to strip the Boy Scouts of their federal charter and the benefits it provides—a meanspirited initiative that thankfully has no chance of succeeding.

The United Way recently announced a new policy permitting donors to out” of giving to particular groups. For years United Way has been funding groups that many Christians find objectionable. such as homosexual and abortion advocacy groups, but no opt-out policy was offered. Now that the policy is available, guess what group is being targeted? That’s right—the Boy Scouts of America.

Corporate America is following suit, excluding the Boy Scouts from their planned giving. Public schools have voted to forbid recruiting for the Scouts on school property.

To most Americans. the refusal of the Scouts to open its doors to homosexual leaders is such an obviously correct policy as to require no explanation. Homosexuals who are seeking the “right” to lead Scout troops have already demonstrated qualities that rightly concern parents.

Any question about the need to protect scouting from homosexual predators was answered in a recent protest against the Scouts led by convicted child molester John Hemstreet. He’s president of the Toledo chapter of Parents and friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and of Scouting for All, a group devoted to forcing the Boy Scouts to accept homosexuals. Hemstreet is also a former Boy Scout leader and a convicted child molester.

In 1993, Hemstreet was sentenced to four years in prison for sexually abusing a 10-year-old boy. Hemstreet, who was a Scout leader for 20 years, admits that he molested the boy but notes that the boy was not a Scout.

There are competing agendas at work here, and only one can prevail. Why have public schools, the United Way and corporate benefactors chosen to back those with an immoral vision for America rather than that of the Scouts? It’s a good question: feel free to call or write and ask them. And while you’re calling or writing, check with your local Boy Scout Council and find out how you can help them.