Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 09:46:14 GMT

[Followup to rec.scouting,alt.discrimination,chi.general]

In their effort to restore funding to the Boy Scouts of America, the
Bank of America and the United Way of Suburban Chicago have lifted
their bans on supporting racially and religiously discriminatory
programs. (Note: the United Way of Suburban Chicago is distinct from
the United Way of Chicago.)

The Boy Scouts of American excludes gay and atheist scouts.

According to Eric Zorn in the Chicago Tribune, the suburban UW's
former antidiscrimination guidelines used to say a group is not
eligible for funding if it discriminates on the basis of, among other
attributes sexual orientation and religious belief. [Aug 16, 1992]
When the BofA withdrew funding, it said "Regrettably... our
nondiscrimination policy precludes us from continuing our financial
support off the organization due to its decision to bar scouts ...
based on sexual preference, rather than personal conduct." [SF
Examiner, May 30, 1992]

The suburban UW's new policy now says that groups "organized by, on
behalf of, or to serve persons of a particular race, religion, sex,
national origin" and so on are, in fact, eligible for funding as long
as they don't break nondiscrimination laws. The BofA press release
says: "BankAmerica's contributions policies allow it to make donations
only to those organizations that provide full access and equal
opportunity to all members of the class that the organization is
designed to serve."

Thanks to the new policy, the KKK's youth program is now eligible for
funding since it is designed to serve only white Christians.

And now the challenge: Can you suggest a policy that would include the
BSA while excluding the KKK? If not, should the BSA be excluded or
should the KKK be included?