Thousands join campaign to oppose American Scouts’ anti-gay policy
A campaign has begun on Change.org to urge California’s Golden Empire Council to reinstate 22-year-old Eagle Scout Tim Griffin and to reject the Boy Scouts of America’s policy barring LGBT scouts and leaders.
More than 60,000 people have joined the campaign so far. Mr Griffin, who was the longest-serving employee at Camp Winton, says that he was fired from the scout camp because of his sexuality.
The campaign was begun by Alex Hayes, Camp Winton’s programme director. Mr Hayes, along with nine other employees of the camp, resigned in protest following Mr Griffin’s dismissal.
He said: “For the past eight summers, Tim was loved not only by his fellow camp staffers, but all of the Boy Scouts who participated in programs he ran at the camp.
“More than 60,000 people have joined me, and the nine other employees who resigned, in taking a stand for Tim. We want the Golden Empire Council to know that the Boy Scouts of America’s discriminatory policy has no place in our Scouting community.”
The Golden Empire Council said in a statement that Mr Griffin’s firing was “due to an issue with performance, violation of expected camp behavior and camp standards.”
My Hayes added: “The Golden Empire Council claims he was fired because he violated the camp’s dress code, but as his direct supervisor at Camp Winton, I know this isn’t true. He was fired because of his sexual orientation.
“If the Golden Empire Council truly stands by its statement, and Tim wasn’t fired because he’s gay, then the council should have no problem rejecting the Boy Scouts of America’s discriminatory ban on gay scouts and leaders.”
Mr Griffin, along with Alex Hayes and other former employees of Camp Winton, will deliver the petition in person at the Golden Empire Council’s office in Sacramento, California, tomorrow.
The petition can be accessed here.
