Sorcha, I think both the BSA and the GSA are private organizations. In the U. S., as long as they don't received public monies, they should be allowed to set the critera for membership. I would LOVE to belong to the Phoenix Country Club. It is surrounded by a beautiful golf course that I would love to play, but as a private club, they have certain rules. The first one is: a membership fee of $50,000. I don't even have to write the additonal criteria.

I personally do not feel that Gays or Lesbians should be banned from joining GSA or BSA, but neither do I feel the government has any business dictating what a private organization's rules should be. I think it is short-sighted of both organizations if they do not accept them, but that's just my opinion.

DougR