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Saturday, December 28, 2002

Atheist appealing Boy Scouts' decision to boot him

By ELIZABETH M. GILLESPIE
Associated Press Writer

SEATTLE (AP) - A 19-year-old Eagle Scout kicked out as an adult leader for his refusal to declare a belief in a higher power is appealing the Boy Scouts of America's decision.

Darrell Lambert earned 37 merit badges in a decade with the Boy Scouts, but was told in November he could no longer belong to the organization after revealing he does not believe in God.

"Teaching boys to mistrust and reject nonbelievers makes a mockery of the true moral values of Scouts," Lambert wrote in a letter sent to the Boy Scouts' western regional offices in Tempe, Ariz. "I, personally, have not imposed my beliefs on other Scouts and ask only to be given the same consideration in return."

The Irving, Texas-based Boy Scouts of America did not return calls seeking comment after the close of business Friday.

In a statement released last month, soon after Lambert was ousted, the Chief Seattle Council said: "We regret that Mr. Lambert feels his beliefs must be compromised; that is never requested or desired by the BSA. The Boy Scouts of America is a shared values organization and we do not ask anyone to compromise their beliefs just to become a member. ... We only ask those who disagree with the Boy Scouts to show Scouting the same respect."

Lambert's appeal will be reviewed by a regional committee, which has 60 days to make a decision. If they uphold the local council, Lambert could appeal to the Boy Scouts' national office, which would have final say in the matter.

As a private organization, the Boy Scouts has the right to exclude certain people from membership. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the group's ban on gay leaders in 2000.

But critics say such exclusion defies the values scout leaders strive to uphold.

"They talk about honesty and integrity, they talk about diversity and how it builds stronger communities, and we're asking them to honor their own values," said Robert Raketty of Seattle, Northwest regional director of Scouting for All, a 5,000-member organization based in Petaluma, Calif.

Lambert had served as an adult leader of Troop 1531 in Port Orchard and in the Explorer Search and Rescue program, which handles rescue attempts on Washington's Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas. He lives in the Kitsap County town of Ollala.

He said the board that granted him Eagle Scout status knew he did not believe in God and commended him for his honesty. Then in early November, when district leaders asked if he had changed his mind, Lambert said he stood by the statements he had already made.

He received a letter on Nov. 5 signed by Brad Farmer, executive of the Chief Seattle Council, a regional Boy Scout office, informing him he was no longer part of the organization.

"To me the issue at hand should not be if I believe or don't believe in God," Lambert said in his appeal letter, dated Dec. 23 and sent to The Associated Press on Friday. "It should be about my character, my citizenship, my devotion to Scouting.

"Every parent of my Scout troop sees me as a good role model for their kids. They may not agree with my view on God, but they can focus on the important issues and see the person I really am."