Heavy Sharper
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 11809
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posted 02 July 2006 05:34 PM
Action Alert
July 2, 2006
For Immediate Release and Distribution
Scouting for All
http://www.scoutingforall.org/
Contact:
Larry G. Sherman
Southern Regional Director
Scouting for All
[email protected]
Scott Cozza, Pres.
http://www.scoutingforall.org/
707-778-0564
[email protected]
Georgia Congressmen Propose Legislation to "Encourage" Discrimination
The controversy over gays and Boy Scouts has surfaced again in South Georgia, prompting two Republican legislators to say they will introduce legislation aimed at inflicting financial punishment on the Bank of America.
Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) and Sen. John Wiles (R-Marietta) said the Bank of America Charitable Foundation sent a letter to the Alapaha Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America denying the organization’s request for a charitable contribution. The letter said the foundation was turning down the request because the Boy Scouts violated a “non-discrimination policy.”
Wiles and Erhart said they will draft legislation that will bar state government from doing business with companies that cite such “non-discrimination policies” when dealing with youth organizations. This ban would include Bank of America and its subsidiaries BA Merchant Services LLC, BA Venture Partners, Banc of America Investment Services Inc. and Banc of America Securities LLC.
“Our duty as elected officials is to protect the constitutional rights of our citizens,” Ehrhart said. “When a large, out-of-state corporation tries to use its resources to stifle those rights and obligate certain behavior, we have an obligation to act. Georgians’ and scouting’s values are not for sale and should not be subject to extortion by any entity.”
“Bank of America, like any company, has the right to support whatever causes it chooses,” Wiles said. “However, the State of Georgia also has rights – the right to stop doing business with corporations who refuse to support organizations who exercise their right to freedom of association.”
The whole story is available at the following link: http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/homepage/local_story_138230721.html
Does this sound "impossible" in the 21st Century? Want to make your voice heard? Write the Congressmen at the addresses below! Pass on comments to the Bank of America Charitable Foundation by e-mail.
You may wish to raise some of the following points in your e-mail or letter:
The Supreme Court determined that the BSA was a "private organization" in the 2000 Dale decision. The BSA decided to bar gay and atheist youth and adults from membership in the following year. In other words, the BSA elected to discriminate against gays and atheists.
The BSA is the only youth organization in America that practices discrimination that is not run by a religious group.
Federal, state and local governments, as well as most major corporations, have adopted anti-discriminatory policies in dealing with their workers, which include sexual orientation and religion.
Private foundations frequently enforce anti-discrimination policies in determining which organizations to receive grant funding. It is up to the agency requesting funding to comply with the requirements of the foundation if it wishes to be considered to receive a grant.
The "freedom of association" of Boy Scout units is totally unrelated to funding supplied by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.
The proposed legislation effectively discriminates against corporations that enforce anti-discrimination policies in dealing with youth organizations. The proposed legislation amounts to extortion and is probably illegal.
Contact Information:
Senator John Wiles
800 Kennesaw Avenue, Suite 400
Marietta Georgia 30063-1096
(770) 425-2490
[email protected]
Representative Earl Ehrhart
Suite 404, Legislative Office Building
18 Capitol Square
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
(404) 656-0109
[email protected]
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
www.bankofamerica.com/foundation/index.cfm?template=contact_us_here[ 02 July 2006: Message edited by: Heavy Sharper ]
From: Calgary | Registered: Jan 2006
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