John Griffin
Secretary
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Mr. John Griffin:
Are you aware that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) agreed four years ago to stop issuing charter agreements to government entities, after the ACLU threatened a lawsuit? While BSA has equal access rights to government facilities, chartering Venture Crew 202 is not equal access, that is clearly privileged access. Since BSA is a private organization that discriminates against non-theistic agnostics and atheists, government entities that charter such units are very likely violating federal civil rights law. The Exploring program was moved to a BSA subdivision, Learning For Life, that does not deny membership to atheists back in 1998 because of the legal problems resulting from Explorer Posts chartered to police and fire departments. As you should be aware, Venturing is not part of the Learning for Life subsidiary.
Some of us consider our government's compliance with civil rights law to be a serious obligation that should be uniformly enforced. We do not, will not, and cannot accept the notion that there is a hole cut out from the non-discrimination umbrella over the heads of the atheist citizens of this state. If this failure by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to comply with civil rights law doesn't stop it could provoke a lawsuit.
Thank you for your consideration of this complaint.
Secretary
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Mr. John Griffin:
Are you aware that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) agreed four years ago to stop issuing charter agreements to government entities, after the ACLU threatened a lawsuit? While BSA has equal access rights to government facilities, chartering Venture Crew 202 is not equal access, that is clearly privileged access. Since BSA is a private organization that discriminates against non-theistic agnostics and atheists, government entities that charter such units are very likely violating federal civil rights law. The Exploring program was moved to a BSA subdivision, Learning For Life, that does not deny membership to atheists back in 1998 because of the legal problems resulting from Explorer Posts chartered to police and fire departments. As you should be aware, Venturing is not part of the Learning for Life subsidiary.
Some of us consider our government's compliance with civil rights law to be a serious obligation that should be uniformly enforced. We do not, will not, and cannot accept the notion that there is a hole cut out from the non-discrimination umbrella over the heads of the atheist citizens of this state. If this failure by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to comply with civil rights law doesn't stop it could provoke a lawsuit.
Thank you for your consideration of this complaint.
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